Re: Blower Testing Certification

Re: Blower Testing Certification:

It is a bit murky at the moment due to the lack of specificity in the Ch, 553.993 definitions. FSEC has a certification program and there are other national programs.The Performance Institute (BPI) requested three informal interpretations from BOAF and certification for blower door testing was one of the subjects.

Section 25. Section 553.908, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

553.908 Inspection.—Before construction or renovation is completed, the local enforcement agency shall inspect buildings for compliance with the standards of this part. Notwithstanding any other provision of the code or law, effective July 1, 2016, section R402.4.1.2 of the Florida Building Code, 5th Edition (2014) Energy Conservation, which became effective on June 30, 2015, shall increase the building’s or dwelling unit’s maximum tested air leakage measure from “not exceeding 5 air changes per hour” to “not exceeding 7 air changes per hour” in Climate Zones 1 and 2. The mandatory blower door testing for residential buildings or dwelling units as contained in

section R402.4.1.2 of the Florida Building Code, 5th Edition (2014) Energy Conservation, shall not take effect until July 1, 2017, and shall not apply to

construction permitted before July 1, 2017. Additionally, section M401.2 of the Florida Building Code, 5th Edition (2014) Mechanical, and section R303.4 of the Florida Building Code, 5th Edition (2014) Residential, which became effective on June 30, 2015, shall not require mandatory mechanical ventilation unless the air infiltration rate in a dwelling is less than 3 air changes per hour when tested with a blower door at a pressure of 0.2-inch water column (50 Pascals) in accordance with section R402.4.1.2 of the Florida Building Code, 5th Edition (2014) Energy Conservation.

Section 26. Section 553.998, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

553.998 Compliance.—All ratings must be determined using tools and procedures developed by the systems recognized under this part and must be certified by the rater as accurate and correct and in compliance with procedures of the system under which the rater is certified. The local enforcement agency shall accept duct and air infiltration tests conducted in accordance with the Florida Building Code, 5th Edition (2014) Energy Conservation, by individuals as defined in s. 553.993(5) or (7) or individuals licensed as set forth in s. 489.105(3)(f), (g), or (i). The local enforcement agency may accept inspections in whole or in part by individuals as defined in s. 553.993(5) or (7).

553.993

(5) “Energy auditor” means a trained and certified professional who conducts energy evaluations of an existing building and uses tools to identify the building’s current energy usage and the condition of the building and equipment.

(7) “Energy rater” means an individual certified by a building energyefficiency rating system to perform building energyefficiency ratings for the building type and in the rating class for which the rater is certified.

489.105(3)

(f) “Class A airconditioning contractor” means a contractor whose services are unlimited in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, central airconditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in connection with a complete system if such duct work is performed by the contractor as necessary to complete an airdistribution

system, boiler and unfired pressure vessel systems, and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, piping, insulation

of pipes, vessels and ducts, pressure and process piping, and pneumatic control piping; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage heating, ventilating, and airconditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate drain

from an airconditioning unit to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope of work for such contractor also includes any excavation work incidental thereto, but does

not include any work such as liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within buildings, except for disconnecting or reconnecting changeouts of liquefied petroleum or natural gas appliances within buildings; potable water lines or

connections thereto; sanitary sewer lines; swimming pool piping and filters; or electrical power wiring. A Class Aairconditioning

contractor may test and evaluate central airconditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work; however, a mandatory licensing requirement is not established for the performance of these

specific services.

(g) “Class B airconditioning contractor” means a contractor whose services are limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, central airconditioning,

refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in connection with a complete system only to the extent such duct work is performed by the contractor as necessary to complete an airdistribution system being

installed under this classification, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, piping and insulation of pipes, vessels, and ducts; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage heating, ventilating, and airconditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate drain from an airconditioning unit to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope of work for such contractor also includes any excavation work incidental thereto, but does not include any work such as liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within buildings, except for disconnecting or reconnecting changeouts of

liquefied petroleum or natural gas appliances within buildings; potable water lines or connections thereto; sanitary sewer lines; swimming pool piping and filters; or electrical power wiring. A Class B airconditioning contractor may test and evaluate central airconditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work; however, a mandatory licensing requirement is not established for the performance of these specific services.

(i) “Mechanical contractor” means a contractor whose services are unlimited in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, central airconditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in

connection with a complete system if such duct work is performed by the contractor as necessary to complete an airdistribution system, boiler and unfired pressure vessel systems, lift station equipment and piping, and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, and any duct cleaning and equipment

sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, piping, insulation of pipes, vessels and ducts, pressure and process piping,

pneumatic control piping, gasoline tanks and pump installations and piping for same, standpipes, air piping, vacuum line piping, oxygen lines, nitrous oxide piping, ink and chemical lines, fuel transmission lines, liquefied petroleum gas

lines within buildings, and natural gas fuel lines within buildings; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage

heating, ventilating, and airconditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate drain from an airconditioning unit to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope

of work for such contractor also includes any excavation work incidental thereto, but does not include any work such as potable water lines or connections thereto, sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, or electrical

power wiring. A mechanical contractor may test and evaluate central airconditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work; however, a mandatory licensing requirement is not established for the performance of these specific services.

I hope this is of some help to you. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything further.

Provided by

Joseph D. Belcher, Code Consultant

JDB Code Services Inc.

41 Oak Village Boulevard

Homosassa, Florida 34446-5632

(352) 450-2631 Vox

(813) 925-4152 Fax