Confusing

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hhsting

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Glen bunie, md, us
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Junior plan reviewer
I have fire damage residential apartment dwelling unit. They now have to replace the wiring, outlets, lights in the dwelling unit. They are not reconfiguring the space i.e not adding windows or doors. Space is going to be same as previous


IEBC 2015 says level 1 alternation 701.2 says existing building or portion thereof shall not be altered such that the building becomes less safe than its existing condition.

I take above as one can get away with not replacing tamper resistant receptacles, not installing AFCI should the existing conditions did not have one in first place.

However NEC 2014 section 210.13(B) says any modifications, replace or extend of branch circuit need to have AFCI given it does not satisfy the exception. This means I have to place AFCI.

Its confusing is this a discrepancy or am I not reading something in IEBC 2015 or NEC 2014?
 
Isn’t IEBC building codes and NEC is electrical. So if your doing electrical NEC is what you follow unless IEBC states a higher mandate.
Nec is making the building supposedly safer with added requirements so it surpasses IEBC section you quoted.
 
Sorry forgot to add to post #1 IEBC section 607 Electrical address repair and even that says existing electrical wiring and equipment undergoing repair shall be allowed to be repair or replaced with like materials.

So again NEC 2014 section 210.13(B) regarding having to provide AFCI is in discrepancy?
 
AC\DC said:
Isn’t IEBC building codes and NEC is electrical. So if your doing electrical NEC is what you follow unless IEBC states a higher mandate.
Nec is making the building supposedly safer with added requirements so it surpasses IEBC section you quoted.
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IEBC is International Building Codes. Which code says to take higher worse case conditions? Anywhere in IEBC or NEC or some other code?
 
Your thinking is incorrect. Because you are preforming electrical work, you will need to follow the NEC codes required in your area to pass an electrical inspection. IEBC says you cannot make it less safe... NEC says you need to make it at least this safe.

Example... if a home with knob and tube wiring catches fire... you cannot install new knob and tube.
 
hhsting said:
IEBC is International Building Codes. Which code says to take higher worse case conditions? Anywhere in IEBC or NEC or some other code?
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I would think it would be obvious. If the building code stated hypothetically that every circuit must be afci/gfci protected. Than that will bypass the nec minimum requirement. Though you should still pass an electrical inspection wiring to nec standards . Who ever would In force the IEBC would not pass the building inspection.
 
Here it is based on the Code adopted. When our AHJs adopted IRC they exempted the electrical section and adopted the NEC for electrical. If your agency adopted both with no provisions they have created that confusing situation. In that case I'd agree with Post #6.
 
Fire jobs/insurance jobs "were" always allowed to be put back together in "like and kind". Subject to AHJ.
 
Apartment with bed rooms that have one receptacle in the baseboard and one wall light outlet with a twist knob to turn it on?

Know what?

To even change the wiring to those two outlets you're probably changing the boxes out because of conductor fill

(or the ceiling outlets that have the thread to install a hickie (nipple) that aren't really boxes)

Maybe this apartment is more current than mentioned, but how do you rewire back to not to code?

I threw my hat in on a fire job bid once and it was suggested here to wire it to code. Well I bid on it and never heard from them again :)
 
We had a similar situation in my area. The building commissioner allowed the building to be wired as was pre fire. Didn't have to bring it up to current code. Maybe you can get something in writing from your local commissioner stating he will allow it?

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sparky1118 said:
We had a similar situation in my area. The building commissioner allowed the building to be wired as was pre fire. Didn't have to bring it up to current code. Maybe you can get something in writing from your local commissioner stating he will allow it?

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Click to expand...

So if your doing a gut and remodel, you have to wire per current code? But if you light it on fire first, you can do it the old way?
 
In my small town, all of the newly installed electrical to replace the fire damaged electrical would have to meet the current code. If more than 50% of the electrical system in the building was damaged, then 100% of the electrical in the building has to be per the currently adopted code.
 
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