§ 16.12.140. Amendments to the Plumbing Sections of the 2012 International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings.

The following amendments, deletions or additions to the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings are hereby adopted by reference as fully as though copied into said dwelling code and thereby made a part of the dwelling code.

A.

Section P2603.5 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P2603.5 and substituting the following:

P2603.5 Freezing. Water, soil or waste pipe and sanitary "P" traps shall not be installed or permitted outside of a building, or concealed in exterior walls, in attics spaces or building overhangs above the adjacent grade. Soil and waste pipes may be installed in outside walls when adequate provisions are made to protect them from freezing. Water service pipe shall not be installed less than 18 in. below finished grade measured from the top of the pipe.

B.

Section P2603.5.1 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P2603.5.1 and substituting the following:

P2603.5.1 Sewer Depth. Building sewers that connect to private sewage disposal systems shall be a minimum of 12 inches below finished grade at the point of septic tank connection. Building sewers shall be a minimum of 12 inches below grade.

C.

Section P2801.4 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P2801.4 and substituting the following:

P2801.4 Prohibited locations. Water heaters shall be readily accessible and shall not be located above a suspended ceiling or in unheated and un-insulated space. See Chapter 20 for additional requirements.

Exception:

1.

Crawl spaces.

2.

Direct-vent water heaters and other water heaters can be located in unheated basements and or attached garages.

3.

Appliances installed in a dedicated enclosure in which all combustible air is taken directly from the outdoors, in accordance with Section M1703. Access to such enclosure shall be through a solid door, weather-stripped in accordance with the exterior door air leakage requirements of the International Energy Conservation Code and equipped with an approved self-closing device.

D.

Section P2801.5 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P2801.5 and substituting the following:

P2801.5 Required pan. Where water heaters or hot water storage tanks are installed in remote locations or where leaks can cause damage to the building or its contents, the tank or heater shall be installed in a galvanized steel pan having a minimum thickness of 24 gage (0.016) or other pans approved for such use.

Exception: When water heaters are installed in a crawl space or in a basement below grade, no pan is required. The relief valve waste shall terminate 6 to 10 inches above the floor the water heater rests upon.

E.

Section P2903.3 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by adding the following new Section P2903.3.

P2903.3 Minimum pressure. Minimum positive pressure or twenty (20) psi is required at the building entrance for either public or private water services. No person shall install or maintain a water service connection to any dwelling where a booster pump has been installed unless such booster pump is equipped with a low pressure cut-off mechanism designed to cut off the booster pump when the pressure on the suction side of the pump drops to twenty (20) psi gage.

F.

Section P2903.5 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by adding the following new Section P2903.5.1:

P2903.5.1 Air Chambers. Each fixture shall be furnished with air chambers installed in the supply lines, hot and cold, close to the fixture, between the fixture shutoffs and the branch lines, installed in the upright position, connected at the bottom, consisting of pipe with the same ID size as the line installed to, 12 inches in length, with a cap or plug (or manufactured means) to seal the end of the air chamber, to reduce hazard and noise. A water-hammer arrestor shall be installed where quick-closing valves are utilized. Water hammer-arrestors shall be installed as per the plan design but at a minimum at all washing machines, dishwashers and ice makers.

Exception:

Water heaters are not required to have air chambers. Water closets with exposed bottom feeds entering the location through the floor are not required to have air chambers.

G.

Section P2903.9.1 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P2903.9.1 and substituting the following:

P2903.9.1 Service Valve. A main shut-off valve on the water service line shall be installed for each dwelling unit within a building and shall be accessible in the living portion of the dwelling unit. Additionally, the water service shall be valued at the curb or property line in accordance with local requirements.

H.

Section P2903.9.3 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P2903.9.3 and substituting the following:

P2903.9.3 Fixture value and access. Valves or stops to individual fixtures or appliances shall be required and the valves or stops shall be accessible on the same floor and within 3 feet of the fixture. Valves for a manifold distribution system may be located at the manifold or at the fixture serviced. Valves to riser and branches may be installed, but shall not be required.

I.

Section P3005.2.7 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P3005.2.7 and substituting the following:

P3005.2.7 Building drain and building sewer junction. There shall be a cleanout near the junction of the building drain and building sewer. This cleanout shall be outside the building wall and brought up to finish grade.

J.

Section P3005.2 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by adding a new Section P3005.2.12:

P3005.2.12 Concealed Piping. Cleanouts on concealed piping or piping under a floor slab or in a crawl space of less than 24 inches in height or a plenum shall be extended through and terminate flush with the finished wall, floor or ground surface or shall be extended to the outside of the building. Cleanout plugs shall not be covered with cement, plaster or any other permanent finish material. Where it is necessary to conceal a cleanout or to terminate a cleanout in an area subject to vehicular traffic, the covering plate shall be of an approved type designed and installed for this purpose.

K.

Section P3005.2.10 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting section P3005.2.10.

L.

Section P3005.4.1 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P3005.4.1 and substituting the following:

P3005.4.1 Fixture branch and stack sizing. Fixture branch and stacks shall be sized using the following general procedure:

1.

Branches and stacks shall be sized according to Table P3005.4.1. Below-grade drain pipes shall not be less than 2 inches in diameter.

2.

Minimum Stack Size. Drain stack shall not be smaller than the largest horizontal branch connected, with the following exception:

2.1.

A 4-inch-by-3-inch (102 mm by 76 mm) closet bend or flange or a 4-inch (102 mm) closet bend into a 3-inch (76 mm) stack tee shall be acceptable (see Section P3005.1.4).

M.

Table P3005.4.1 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by adding the following new footnotes c and d:

c. No building sewer shall be less than four (4) inches in size, and the first two and one-half (2½) feet from the main tap shall be a minimum of six (6) inches in diameter.

d. a maximum of 3 water closets shall be installed on a single 3 inch drain line.

N.

Section P3008 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting section P3008.

O.

Chapter 30 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by adding the following new Section P3010:

SECTION P3010—SWIMMING POOLS

Piping carrying waste water from swimming or wading pools, including pool drainage, backwash from filters, water from scum gutter drains or floor drains that serve walks around pools, shall be connected to the sanitary sewer system. They shall be installed as an indirect waste utilizing a circulation pump, if necessary, when indirect waste line is below the sewer grade.

P.

Section P3102.1 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P3102.1 and substituting the following:

P3102.1. Main vent required. Every building shall have a main vent that is either a vent stack or a stack vent. Such vent size shall be a minimum 3 inches in diameter and shall run undiminished in size and as directly as possible from the building drain up through to the open air above the roof. Additional branches may be served by air admittance values installed in accordance with Section P3114.

Q.

Section P3201.2 of the 2012 Edition of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended by deleting Section P3201.2 and substituting the following:

P3201.2 Trap seals. Traps shall have a liquid seal of not less than 2 inches (51 mm) and not more than 4 inches (102 mm). Traps that could lose their seal due to evaporation because of infrequent use, such as floor drains, shall be fitted with a trap primer. Trap seals conforming to ASSE 1072 are also approved.

(Ord. BL2015-1145 § 12, 2015; Ord. BL2007-1373 § 6, 2007; Ord. BL2001-703 § 7, 2001; Ord. 96-562 §§ 36—67, 1996)