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Grady Littlehale Posted: Sep 15, 2009 07:30 PM	Intemescent coatings (2) Hi Mason, I have bid numerous jobs that require an intumescent coating which is required by law as you know. The question is can the state you live in (Maine) not allow the use of a SPRAY applied coating even if it has passed IRC,IBC,NFPA286 and every other test thrown at it? Thanks
mason Posted: Sep 16, 2009 08:39 AM	Codes are interpreted and enforced by the local building code official. Sometimes their interpretation varies from place to place. Get to know your local code official and try to provide them with the best, informed and up to date industry information and how it allows your product to be used in compliance with the codes that they are using.
jimcoler I have over 10 years of experience specifying and installing open and closed cell spray foam. I've sold my business but I'm still selling for the new owners and consulting on large and custom specific jobs. I've expanded my knowledge into t Posted: Sep 16, 2009 07:59 PM	The IRC, ICC, etc are only guidelines which your state and or local code official may or may not accept in complete or only partially. NY and CA (and maybe others) have chosen not to directly accept the ICC word for word and wrote their own veriosn of the codes which the state is to follow. In the past the local code official had the final say of whether to accept it or not, but I know in NY the state made it clear that the state accepted code was held as the minimum requirement. They also stated that local jurisdictions could include codes more stringent than the state codes, but not less stringent. This was followed up with a clarification that the local code official was to follow the codes and could not make new "codes" or Law independant of the state or local goverment body and system. They recognized that many code officials were enforcing their own rules which were not based on code or law and this left it open for them to provide privileges to some over others. So, Mason's right to check with your local code official, but also get to know your state codes and code officials. A local code official might not know the codes for your products and you might be able to get suport from the state level to influence the local level. Be careful though - you need to play the politics and not pull the trump card too quickly becuase this tends to burn bridges with the local code official and can make you life miserable later. Jim

Author

Comments

Grady Littlehale

Posted: Sep 15, 2009 07:30 PM

Intemescent coatings (2)

Hi Mason,

I have bid numerous jobs that require an intumescent coating which is required by law as you know. The question is can the state you live in (Maine) not allow the use of a SPRAY applied coating even if it has passed IRC,IBC,NFPA286 and every other test thrown at it?

Thanks

mason

Posted: Sep 16, 2009 08:39 AM

Codes are interpreted and enforced by the local building code official. Sometimes their interpretation varies from place to place. Get to know your local code official and try to provide them with the best, informed and up to date industry information and how it allows your product to be used in compliance with the codes that they are using.

jimcoler

I have over 10 years of experience specifying and installing open and closed cell spray foam. I've sold my business but I'm still selling for the new owners and consulting on large and custom specific jobs.

I've expanded my knowledge into t

Posted: Sep 16, 2009 07:59 PM

The IRC, ICC, etc are only guidelines which your state and or local code official may or may not accept in complete or only partially. NY and CA (and maybe others) have chosen not to directly accept the ICC word for word and wrote their own veriosn of the codes which the state is to follow. In the past the local code official had the final say of whether to accept it or not, but I know in NY the state made it clear that the state accepted code was held as the minimum requirement. They also stated that local jurisdictions could include codes more stringent than the state codes, but not less stringent. This was followed up with a clarification that the local code official was to follow the codes and could not make new "codes" or Law independant of the state or local goverment body and system. They recognized that many code officials were enforcing their own rules which were not based on code or law and this left it open for them to provide privileges to some over others.

So, Mason's right to check with your local code official, but also get to know your state codes and code officials. A local code official might not know the codes for your products and you might be able to get suport from the state level to influence the local level. Be careful though - you need to play the politics and not pull the trump card too quickly becuase this tends to burn bridges with the local code official and can make you life miserable later.
Jim

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