Dwelling rezoned to C-4

[Kessler4130]

As title says, a customer is converting a single family dwelling into a car lot, being zoned c4 I believe I can still use romex and I do not know of any local ammendments saying otherwise. However, now the building being reclassified, none of the dwelling requirements for branch circuits should apply, but what about fire alarm ? Is it required to be a monitored system of some sort, do I need pull stations now that it has been re-zoned ? There aren't really engineered drawings, the only drawing they have does show one exit/emergency light by the front door but none at the back door which I am pretty sure is required if the door can be used as an egress. I will probably have to contact the local fire marshall to be sure but figured I would give it a shot here first.

 

[Dave_PE]

How big is the building? Is it going to be sprinklered? If it's small enough one exit may be enough, but generally you would need emergency lighting along the path of egress and all required exit marked.

Probably no requirement for the fire alarm system, NFPA 101 would classify the occupancy as business and base the FA requirements on the number of stories above or below the exiting level. I would still check with the local fire marshal to get his blessing.

 

[mdshunk]

being zoned c4 I believe I can still use romex and I do not know of any local ammendments saying otherwise.

Might want to check out 334.10(3) before you start running too many new romex circuits in that building. That section would seem to indicate you can't have any exposed NM cable in a commercial occupancy. 334.12(A)(2) also prohibits it above any non-dwelling suspended ceiling. Article 338 (SE and SER) also refers you back to the same language in 334, so the same goes for SE and SER in a commercial occupancy. It has to be run behind a 15 minute barrier (not exposed).

 

[Kessler4130]

Might want to check out 334.10(3) before you start running too many new romex circuits in that building. That section would seem to indicate you can't have any exposed NM cable in a commercial occupancy. 334.12(A)(2) also prohibits it above any non-dwelling suspended ceiling. Article 338 (SE and SER) also refers you back to the same language in 334, so the same goes for SE and SER in a commercial occupancy. It has to be run behind a 15 minute barrier (not exposed).

Yes I read through that, and the only area it would even become an issue is if they decided to drop a ceiling. It is 2 stories and a basement, for some reason the county is requiring them to lock the second floor and will not allow them to finish it, they are requiring them to fire rock the basement ceiling so I do have to move a few wires that are stapled to the bottom side of the joists, but I have no intention of pulling any NM until I know I can. The other location would be a large wood beam running down the center of the structure that some circuits were stapled to, I would also have to relocate them or change them to MC.

From experience all industrial/commercial applications I have done were engineered, it doesn't seem 210 has to many requirements for other than dwelling unit, basically it is up to the property manager/owner, am I correct in saying that ?