(A) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
EXISTING BUILDINGS. Completed buildings which have been or are inhabited.
FORCED WARM AIR HEATING PLANT. Consists of one or more warm air furnaces, enclosed within casings, together with necessary appurtenances thereto, consisting of warm air pipes and fittings, cold air or recirculating pipes, ducts, boxes and fittings, smoke pipes and fittings, registers, faces and grilles, blowers or other mechanical means of moving or forcing warm air, the same intended for the heating of buildings in which they may be installed.
NEW BUILDINGS. Buildings which have not been and are not inhabited.
(B) Minimum design requirements.
(1) Every gravity or forced warm air heating plant shall be designed and installed in such a manner that it heats all rooms of the structure to be heated to a design temperature difference of 80°F (outside temperature -10°F and inside temperature 70°F).
(2) Air conditioning systems shall be designed and installed in such a manner that they cool all rooms to be cooled to a temperature range of 72 to 78°F when the outside temperature is 95°F.
(C) Installation of equipment.
(1) Where air register boxes, heads, pipes or stacks are to be installed, joists shall be set not less than 12 inches on center and studs shall be directly under and over joists. When joists occur on 12-inch centers, they shall be continuous or they shall have butted joints over a partition. Lap joints will not be permitted except when joists are on 16-inch centers.
(2) All warm air supplied to habitable spaces shall be conveyed thereto through a system of noncombustible ducts from the furnace to the register.
(3) All return air shall be conveyed from the registers to the furnace through a system of noncombustible ducts.
(4) Top and bottom plates shall be cut to a size large enough to accept the stack. Any cut exceeding the stack dimension shall be properly firestopped with noncombustible material.
(5) Joints and seams of all ducts and stacks shall be securely fastened and made substantially airtight. Slip joints shall have a lap of at least one inch, and be individually fastened on each side and sealed with tape.
(6) All ducts and stacks shall be securely supported by metal hangers, straps, lugs or brackets. Nails shall not be driven through the duct walls and no unnecessary holes shall be cut therein.
(7) Where warm air ducts pierce floor or ceiling, the space around the ducts at such points shall be tightly sealed or filled with noncombustible material to form a firestop.
(8) Where the installation of duct or stacks in walls, floors or partitions requires the removal of any firestopping, the spaces around the duct at such points where firestopping was removed, shall be tightly filled or sealed with noncombustible material.
(9) Volume dampers of locking type shall be placed in each forced warm air run as close as possible to the trunk line.
(10) Warm air stacks shall, when possible, be run within inside walls. Where it is absolutely necessary to run warm air stacks into outside walls, they shall be insulated.
(11) The air temperature at a register shall not exceed 175°F and the bonnet air temperature shall not exceed 200°F. All furnaces shall be equipped with a high temperature limit control.
(12) Cooling coils shall be installed on the “leaving air” side of the heat exchanger only.
(13) All furnaces shall be mounted on noncombustible floors.
(14) Furnaces installed in attics shall be mounted on a floor protected with fireproof material which shall extend five feet in all directions from the furnace. The ceiling above the furnace shall be covered with a minimum of five-eighths inch Fire Code sheetrock which shall extend five feet in all directions from the furnace.
(15) All ducts and fittings used in or beneath a concrete slab-on-grade for heating or cooling systems, or for carbon monoxide vent systems, shall meet the requirements of a Type 5 duct, outlined by the National Warm Air Heating and Air Conditioning Association, Manual 4, Ninth Addition, § 7.5. The installation shall also be done according to § 8 of that Manual. In addition, the type of joint used shall be capable of holding air pressures up to eight inches of water for ten minutes, with only a 5% pressure drop, and shall be capable of keeping water out of the duct system under a two foot head.
(D) Heating residential garages.
(1) Garages may be heated from the central heating unit, but cold air returns may not be used in the garage.
(2) Garage unit heaters must be equipped with sealed combustion chambers.
(E) Temporary heat. Temporary heating units may be installed in buildings under construction only when the heater is mounted on a firm noncombustible base or when hung from joists with metal hangers sufficient to hold the unit motionless, A Class B or masonry chimney will be provided for the unit and it shall be properly wired and grounded.
(F) Permits.
(1) (a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to alter, to install any warm air heating furnaces, air conditioning systems or appurtenances thereto, within the city without first being licensed as provided by ordinance and obtaining a permit for each such alteration or installation.
(b) A permit to alter or install heating or air conditioning systems shall be secured by the heating contractor prior to starting work.
(c) No permit is required for minor repair work performed by licensed contractors. Minor repair work shall be interpreted as the incidental repairs to furnaces or air conditioner systems which shall not affect the general action of the system, such as renewal of grates or smoke pipes, resetting old furnaces in the same location, replacing of single warm air pipe or general cleaning of the system.
(2) Installing additional runs or new stacks shall not be considered minor repairs.
(G) Additional provisions. The regulations set forth in the Residential Building Code, as adopted by reference in § 150.185, shall govern the heating, ventilating and air conditioning requirements for detached one- and two-family dwellings and multi-single-family dwellings not more than three stories in height with a separate means of egress.
(Prior Code, § 9-12) (Ord. 94-11B, passed 4-21-1994; Ord. 04-12, passed 1-15-2004) Penalty, see § 150.999