Mechanical January 2019

Home , Mechanical room

White Bear Lake Area Department of Inspections 4701 Highway 61, White Bear Lake, MN 55110 Phone: 651-429-8518 / Fax: 651-429-8503 www.whitebearlake.org

This handout is a summary of the permit & inspection process as well as standard requirements based on State Building Code regarding Mechanical work. Information contained herein does not contain all of the specific codes for construction, and shall only be used as a guide.

Mechanical Contractors are required to obtain a White Bear Lake Class II Mechanical License. The contractor must retain a mechanical bond with the State of Minnesota, complete the White Bear Lake application and submit a current certificate of insurance with White Bear Lake listed as the certificate holder. White Bear Lake Class II Mechanical Licenses are good from January 1st through December 31st annually. The fee is $45.00 per year and prorated to $35.00 if is license obtained after July 1st.

Permit Submission Requirements:  Completed Mechanical Permit Application, including valuation (materials & labor costs).  Contractor must be licensed in The City of White Bear Lake (Class II Mechanical License).  Two copies of Mechanical Plans for Commercial projects.

Mechanical Permit Fees: See the White Bear Lake Fee Schedule at www.whitebearlake.org

Licensing Requirements:  Mechanical contractors are required to have a Mechanical Bond with the State of Minnesota and obtain a Class II Mechanical License in the White Bear Lake or Mahtomedi, pending where the job is located.  City of White Bear Lake (valid January 1st – December 31st, $45.00 and prorated to $35 after July 1st).  City of Mahtomedi (valid for one year from issue date).  Property owners may perform HVAC work on property they own and occupy. Property owners will be required to sign the Property Owner Waiver acknowledging their responsibilities to the Minnesota State Building Code, to Zoning Ordinances and to other applicable rules and regulations.  Property owners proposing to perform HVAC for on a property they own but do not occupy or with intent to sell, shall be deemed a contractor and must posses a Class II Mechanical License & State Mechanical Bond.

Inspection Requirements: The inspection card and approved plans must be on site upon the start of work until the final inspection has been performed and passed. All construction work shall remain accessible and exposed for inspection until approved by the Building Inspection Department.

All required inspections will be listed on the permit card. A final inspection is required upon completion of project and approvals for all other inspections have been complete; please call 651-429-8518 to schedule an inspection. A 24 hour notice is required for all inspections (time frame is subject change during busy times).

NOTE: When a gas line air test is required, the minimum test is 25 PSI aire test for 30 minutes. The air test must be approved prior to concealing gas piping.

Information and Guidelines:

Furnace Replacement: 1

All furnaces must be listed and labeled by an approved testing laboratory and shall be installed per the Manufacturers published installation instructions. The furnace must be sized per the MN Residential Energy Code and Heat Loss Calculations.

When installing a new furnace and/or flue components, clearance to combustibles must be maintained per the manufacturers installation instructions. If the furnace is being installed in a small space, combustion air may be required. This can be accomplished through grills and/or other openings to adjoining rooms.

Furnaces that are below 90% efficient will need air brought into the mechanical room for the furnace and water heaters. The air shall be brought in through a hood on the outside of the building through a duct that terminates in the mechanical room. The hood shall be screened no smaller the 1/4” with no backdraft damper.

Venting of Appliances: A properly sized flue is critical for the venting of combustion flue gases. The following are some basic rules for installing appliance vents:  When placing a new vent through a roof, you will need flashing, a storm collar and a listed termination cap for the specific flue product you are using.  A vent connector is the portion starting at the appliance and extending to the main flue stack. This connector must provide an up-hill slope of 1/4 inch per foot toward the main flue and may not be over 75 percent of the total height of the main flue. The maximum length of a single wall vent connector shall be 75% the height of the chimney. The maximum length of a B-Vent double wall connector shall be 100% the height of the chimney.  Follow the manufacturers installation instructions with any venting product that you use.

Vertical Vents:  Class C Vent - is typically used as a vent connector. Six inches is the minimum distance required from the single wall vent connector to any combustible materials, including sheetrock.  Class B Vent - is typically used for extending through floors, in wall chases, or through roofs where clearance to combustibles is tight. A one-inch clearance to combustibles is the minimum for Class B vents (double wall vents).  Class A Vent - is generally used for solid burning appliances, such as wood-burning fireplaces. Clearances for listed Class A vents can vary.

There are newer appliances that use PVC plastic pipe for venting the appliance. This type of venting system carries flue gases that have been cooled to the condensing temperature in the appliance. The vent may go out a sidewall or through the roof. There are also kits that can be installed on a furnace or water heater that will allow venting through the sidewall. Distance to windows, doors or any air intake vents are critical.

When using these types of products always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Exhaust Ducts:

Bathroom Exhaust Fans: When installing bathroom venting, insulate the duct a minimum of 3 feet from the outside edge of the house. If going through an attic, insulate the duct from the fan unit to the roof connector. In this application, the duct must be insulated to a minimum of R8 and have a vapor barrier on the outside of the duct. Tape or repair any breaches in the vapor barrier. Stretch the flexible duct out to it is full length. Note: Never exhaust a bath fan duct into an attic. Moist air must exhaust directly to the outside.

Kitchen Hoods: Kitchen hood ducts exceeding 300 CFM require a make up air calculation. Larger CFM hoods often require passive make up air or powered make up air interconnected with the hood. Provide make up air calculation with the mechanical permit application for review and approval. 2

Combustion: Combustion air (outside air) is for the combustion process of furnace and water heaters. The appliance BTU’s being exhausted will dictate how large the combustion air duct must be. When a 90% or higher, efficient furnace, with a sealed combustion unit is installed, there may not be a need for additional combustion air.

Gas piping: Black or galvanized steel pipe, Type L or K hard or soft copper, PVC or PE, may be used for installing a gas-line. Copper or approved plastic pipe, tubing and fittings may be used for underground installations only. If burying “plastic” piping, a #18 copper tracer wire must be attached to the pipe. All piping and fittings must have the manufacturer’s I.D. on material

All piping conveying gas that is outside the building must be a minimum of 3-1/2 inches above grade or buried a minimum of 12 inches below grade. Any trench housing the pipe shall be back-filled with clean fill only. Chunks of dirt, rock, ice and snow are not permitted.

All gas lines shall be pressure tested at 25psi for a minimum of 30 minutes. When checking for leaks on a pressurized gas line, a soap and water solution is recommended.

Unions and shutoffs shall be accessible and may not be buried underground. A shutoff must be a maximum of 6 feet from the appliance and within the same room.

If using copper pipe and fittings, all joints will need to be brazed with solder that has over a 1000 degrees F melting point. Flare fittings are acceptable but may not be located in non-accessible locations.

Gas regulators: A drip tee and an approved manual shutoff shall be installed in front of all pound-to-inches regulators and automatic gas valves. The drip or sediment tee must have the gas enter and exit at 90-degree angles. The regulator must have an accessible, long-handled shut-off valve, approved for high-pressure gas and a union for servicing purposes. When a vent limiter is part of the regulator, the regulator must be installed in a horizontal position. If the regulator vents to the exterior it may be placed in any position. Vent piping must terminate a minimum of 3 feet away from any combustion or air inlet to the building. Regulators must be in an accessible, well-ventilated location. If there is any gas leakage, the smell is then easily detected. (A limiter is a device that will stop any leakage of gas into the home if the regulator does vent.

Gas Logs:  The chimney may be masonry or Class B.  The damper must be blocked part way open.  An approved gas valve is required within three feet of the fire box area.  The gas pipe may be of copper or iron in the firebox area. Pipe passing through concrete or masonry must be sleeved or be suitably coated against corrosion. There may be no concealed joints in iron pipe.  The gas log unit must be approved and listed with A.G.A.,U.L., or another approved testing company.  The entire gas line must be air pressure tested at 25 lbs. for 30 minues.  Provide combustion air as required by the listing.

Gas Log Lighters:  The gas log lighter must be approved and listed with A.G.A., U.L., or another approved testing company.  An approved gas valve is required within six feet of the fire box area.  Only iron pipe may be used in the fire box area. There may be no bends or concealed joints in the pipe.  All pipes passing through concrete or masonry must be sleeved or suitably coated against corrosion.  The entire gas line must be air pressure tested at 25 lbs. for 30 minutes.

Zero Clearance Gas Fireplaces:  ALL zero clearance gas fireplaces must be of the approved type, tested and listed with an approved agency such as A.G.A., U.L., Warnock Hersey, etc.  All zero clearance fireplaces must be installed exactly per their installation instructions.  All fireplace chases must be installed, polyed and sheet rocked in all four inside walls up to the first fire stop (10 feet maximum).  A solid 3/4 inch piece of plywood or particle board or 5/8 inch sheetrock may be used at required fire stops. Flue chases must be fire stopped at each floor-ceiling assembly or at 10 foot maximum intervals up the chase.  Combustion air supply is required per each fireplace listing and the mechanical code. Combustion air supply outlets must be 12 inches minimum above the exterior finished grade.  A minimum clearance to combustibles from a Class B flue is one inch. The minimum clearance to combustibles for a Class A (solid fuel burning flue) flue is two inches. Install all flues with clearances as required by the manufacturer.  Do not blanket or fill around the fireboxes with insulation unless the installation instructions require it. Hearths and mantles must be installed in accordance with installation instructions.  An approved gas valve must be installed within six feet of all gas appliances. The valve must be fully accessible.

This document is for informational purposes only and not intended to address every situation for the permitting and plan review process.