PVC in a residence

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goldstar

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Sorry, I'm having a senior moment. Somewhere back in my memory I thought that it was a Code violation for electricians to install wiring inside PVC in a residence. I'm going back 30 years or so when I worked in NYC and I thought it was odd then that plumbers were allowed to install PVC for water and waste lines but electricians were not. Would someone please correct me if I'm wrong ? Thanks.
 
PVC can't be used in places of assembly because of the smoke producing characteristics, same for NM cable, but is fine to use in dwellings where people sleep on a regular basis. Guess it is ok to kill off one or two at a time while they are asleep but not when there is 100 or more in same area?
 
goldstar said:
Sorry, I'm having a senior moment. Somewhere back in my memory I thought that it was a Code violation for electricians to install wiring inside PVC in a residence. I'm going back 30 years or so when I worked in NYC and I thought it was odd then that plumbers were allowed to install PVC for water and waste lines but electricians were not. Would someone please correct me if I'm wrong ? Thanks.
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I believe that was a NYC building code, I haven't heard whether that has changed either. It might be related to highrise building egress as off gassing generated from burning PVC can quickly overwhelm before a person can ambulate down 20+ floors. Don't have any documentation of reasoning for prohibition.
 
There was a huge lawsuit between carlon and the steel tube folks, re fire hazard in buildings due to PVC, this was in the early 70's, Carlon said add PVC or we will sue based on restraint of trade. Pointed out no more hazard from PVC than all the other flammable stuff. Seems like the streel tube folks packed the code annual meeting with a lot of new members, changed how the annual meetings worked, This went all the way to supreme court
 
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