Plumbing Code Essentials Based on the 20
Plumbing Code Essentials Based on the 20
T024116
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Contents About the International Plumbing Code® . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
About the International Code Council® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
About PHCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
PART I : ADMINISTRATION 1
Chapter 1: Introduction to the International Codes . . . . . . . . . . 2
Code Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Scope and Limitations of the International Codes . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2: Legal Aspects, Permits and Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Code Adoption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Adoption of the IPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Amending the IPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Local and State Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Authority and Duties of the Code Official . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Interpretations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Alternative Methods and Materials and Evaluation Service
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Permit Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Plans and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Permit Issuance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Required Inspections and Other Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Board of Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
iii
iv Contents
Chemical Wastes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Chapter 4: Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Minimum Plumbing Fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Hot Water Requirements and Temperature Limiting . . . . . 36
Water Heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Safety Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Relief Valve Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Drain Pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Fixture Clearances and Space Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
General Fixture Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Approved Fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Water Closets, Urinals, Lavatories and Bidets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Bathtubs and Showers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Kitchen Sinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Food Waste Disposers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Dishwashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Clothes Washers and Laundry Trays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Shampoo Sinks and Footbaths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Floor Drains, Standpipes and Other Waste Receptors . . . . . . . .53
Food Preparation and Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Protection from Contamination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Indirect Waste Piping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Venting Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Common Vent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Vertical and Horizontal Wet Venting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Circuit Venting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Combination Waste and Vent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Waste Stack Venting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Single Stack Venting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Chapter 7: Storm Drainage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Design Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Roof Drains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Design and Sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Siphonic Roof Drain Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Subsoil (Foundation/Footing) Drains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
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viii Preface
with the increased need for water conservation, the book will review
important details with regard to water reuse, such as rainwater harvest-
ing and graywater reuse . References to the applicable IPC code sections
are followed by reference to the corresponding section from the 2018
International Residential Code (IRC) . Finally, fuel gas piping and appliance
installation are covered with references to the applicable sections of the
2018 International Fuel Gas Code and the 2018 IRC .
Correct and reasonable application of the code provisions is enhanced
by a basic understanding of the code development process, the scope,
intent and correlation of the family of International Codes, and the
proper administration of those codes . Such fundamental information
is provided in the opening chapters of this publication . The book also
explains the interaction of a plumbing code with other local, state or
federal regulations .
This book does not intend to cover all provisions of the IPC, IRC and
IFGC or all of the accepted materials and methods of plumbing design
and installation . Focusing in some detail on the most common plumb-
ing provisions affords an opportunity to fully understand the essentials
without exploring every variable and alternative . This is not to say that
information not covered is any less important or valid . This book is best
used as a companion to the IPC, IRC and IFGC, which should be refer-
enced for more complete information .
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The International Code Council and the author greatly appreciate the
review, coordination and production efforts by individuals without
whom this publication would not have been possible . Gary Gauthier,
ICC Director of PMG Technical Resources, did the technical peer review;
Cindy Rodriguez, ICC Manager of Product Development, coordinated all
of the development efforts with the author; Mary Lou Luif, ICC Man-
ager of Publications, and Jen Fitzsimmons, ICC Manager of Publications
Production, and their staff implemented the editorial and production
process .
The author would like to thank the Washington Association of
Building Officials (WABO) who supported his involvement in technical
code development over the past two decades, and both WABO and ICC
staff and members who have always been a great resource of knowledge
and expertise .
Governmental Affairs Office: 500 New Jersey Avenue, NW, 6th Floor,
Washington, DC 20001
888-ICC-SAFE (888-422-7233)
www .iccsafe .org
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