Code Briefs

The intent of this brief is to provide code-related information for aerosol sealing building enclosures to achieve durable air tightness levels that will be accepted as being in compliance with the code.

The intent of this brief is to provide code-related information about buried ducts in vented attics to help ensure that the measure will be accepted as being in compliance with the code. Providing notes for code officials on how to plan review and conduct field inspections can help provide jurisdictional officials with information for acceptance. Providing the same information to all builders, designers, and others is expected to result in increased compliance and fewer innovations being questioned at the time of plan review and/or field inspection.

The intent of this brief is to provide code-related information about controlling moisture in unvented attics by installing a vapor diffusion port/vent that would convey water vapor from an unvented attic to the outside when air-permeable insulation materials are installed and can be verified as being in compliance with the related codes and standards for residential construction. Providing consistent information to document compliance with codes and standards to all relevant parties responsible for verifying compliance (e.g., code officials, builders, contractors, designers, etc.) is expected to result in increased compliance and more timely, less challenging and more uniform plan review and field inspections.

An entirely new section in the 2015 IECC/IRC regarding fuel-burning appliances basically requires the appliance to be isolated from the building thermal envelope, located either outside or within a separate room if the fuel-burning appliance is supplied by open combustion air ducts. This brief provides an overview of the requirements and further details of approving the actual "room".