California C-36 Plumbing Contractor Exam

Key Concepts

Drainage slope and sewer sizing - Building drain and other horizontal drainage piping: uniform slope not less than 1/4 inch per foot (2 percent). Where depth of the street sewer, structural features, or building arrangement make that impractical, building drain piping 4 inches or larger may slope not less than 1/8 inch per foot (1 percent), when first approved by the AHJ (708.1). - Building sewers: not less than 1/4 inch per foot; exception, with AHJ approval, 4 through 6 inches at not less than 1/8 inch per foot and 8 inches and larger at not less than 1/16 inch per foot, loading per Table 717.1 (718.1). - No building sewer shall be smaller than the building drain (717.1). - Piping of materials not approved for use under or within a building shall not be installed under or within 2 feet of a building, nor less than 1 foot below grade (312.3).

Fixture unit loading - Continuous flow (pump, sump ejector, air conditioning equipment): 2 fixture units per gpm (702.3). Table 702.2 values apply to intermittent flow only. - Clothes washers in a battery of three or more: rated 6 fixture units each for sizing common horizontal and vertical drainage piping (Table 702.1 Notes). - Sump/receiving tank vent: not less than required by Table 703.2 for the fixtures discharging into the sump, and never less than 1-1/2 inches (710.10). - Horizontal wet vent: not less than 2 inches for 4 DFU or less; not less than 3 inches for 5 DFU or more (908.2.2).

Key Concepts

Fuel gas piping scope and testing - Chapter 12 governs fuel gas piping in or in connection with a building or within property lines up to 5 psi for natural gas and 10 psi for undiluted propane, other than service pipe (Section 1201.1). - Test pressure: not less than 10 psi for at least 15 minutes; welded piping and piping carrying gas above 14 inches water column, not less than 60 psi for at least 30 minutes; CSST above 14 inches water column, not less than 30 psi for 30 minutes (Section 1213.3). - Equipment designed for operating pressures equal to or greater than the test pressure is isolated by closing its individual shutoff valve (Section 1213.2.5); equipment designed for pressures less than the test pressure is disconnected and the outlets capped (Section 1213.2.4). - Outdoor purging applies where design operating gas pressure is greater than 2 psig, or where the piping meets the size/length criteria of Table 1213.6.1 (Section 1213.6.1). Discharge point: at least 10 ft from sources of ignition, 10 ft from building openings, 25 ft from mechanical air intake openings, valve-controlled and continuously attended with a combustible gas indicator (Section 1213.6.1.4).

Gas piping installation - Underground cover: minimum 12 inches, increased to 18 inches where external damage is likely; where 12 inches cannot be provided, install in conduit (Section 1210.1.1). - Tracer with plastic gas pipe: a product designed for the purpose or insulated copper conductor not less than 14 AWG (Section 1210.1.7.2). - Slope for other than dry gas: not less than 1/4 inch in 15 feet (Section 1210.3.3). Piping on roofs and outdoors above ground: elevated not less than 3-1/2 inches (Sections…

Key Concepts

Water heater installation (CPC Ch. 5) - Anchor/strap against horizontal displacement at points within the upper one-third and lower one-third of the vertical dimension; at the lower point maintain not less than 4 inches (102 mm) above the controls (507.2). - Unlisted heaters must be approved by the AHJ before installation, with clearance not less than 12 inches (305 mm) on all sides; combustible floors protected (504.3.2). Listed heaters follow the listing and manufacturer's instructions (504.3.1). - Residential garages (and adjacent non-living spaces opening to the garage): heating elements, switches, burners and burner-ignition devices not less than 18 inches (457 mm) above the floor; exception for listed FVIR appliances (507.13). - Earth-supported heaters rest on level concrete or approved base extending not less than 3 inches (76 mm) above adjoining ground (507.4). - Drainage pan: not less than 1-1/2 inches deep, not less than 3/4 inch drain to an approved location with the terminating end readily visible, piping rated for the heater's temperature; discharge from a relief valve into the pan is prohibited (507.5). - Overpressure device setting: greater than water service pressure and not exceeding 150 psi (504.4, 608.4). Hourly Btu discharge or rated steam relief capacity not less than the input rating of the heater; no shutoff valve between relief valve and heater or on the discharge pipe (504.6). Combination T&P valve required except listed nonstorage instantaneous heaters with inside diameter not more than 3 inches (608.3). - Unions in water supply piping not more than 12 inches from the equipment (609.5). PEX/PEX-AL-PEX/PE-AL-PE/PE-RT not within the first 18 inches of piping connected to a water heater; copper/stainless flexible connectors shall not exceed 24 inches (604.13).…

Key Concepts

Administration and permits - Clearing stoppages (including removal and reinstallation of water closets) and repairing leaks that do not require replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures are exempt from permit; but where a trap, drainpipe, soil, waste or vent pipe becomes defective and must be removed and replaced with new material, that is new work requiring a permit and inspection (CPC 104.2). - A permit expires and becomes null and void where work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or where work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after commencement (CPC 104.4.3). The 12-month period in 104.4.3.1 is a BSC amendment only. - Replacement plumbing serving an occupied portion of a building may be operated before inspection if nothing is concealed by a permanent portion of the building and an inspection request is filed not more than 72 hours after the replacement work is completed (CPC 105.2.1). The 24-hour figure is advance notice before a scheduled inspection (105.2.4). - An air test is specified for testing the sanitary condition of an existing drainage/plumbing system believed defective (CPC 105.3.1). - Openings into a drainage or vent system must be permanently plugged or capped, excepting openings to which fixtures are properly connected or which constitute vent terminals (CPC 102.4.2). - Alternative engineered design: the registered design professional provides two complete sets of signed and sealed documents (CPC 301.5.3).

Key Concepts

Injury and Illness Prevention Program (§3203). The Program must be in writing. Employers with fewer than 10 employees may satisfy the communication requirement by instructing employees orally in general safe work practices with specific instruction on hazards unique to the job assignment (§3203(a)(3) Exception). Training documentation must include employee name or other identifier, training dates, type(s) of training, and training providers, kept at least one year (§3203(b)(2)). Employers with fewer than 20 employees in industries not on the Department's high-hazard list with a Workers' Compensation Experience Modification Rate of 1.1 or less may limit written documentation to the responsible person, scheduled periodic inspections, and training (§3203(b) Exception No. 3). A labor/management committee must meet not less than quarterly and keep written records of issues discussed for at least one year (§3203(c)(1), (c)(2)).

Heat illness (§3395). Shade must be present and maintained at all times employees are present when the temperature exceeds 80°F (§3395(d)(1)); at or below 80°F the employer may provide shade or timely access on request (§3395(d)(2)). High-heat procedures apply at 95°F or above (§3395(e)). A "heat wave" (close supervisor observation, acclimatization) is any day with a predicted high of at least 80°F and at least 10°F above the average high of the preceding five days (§3395(g)(1)).

Ladders (§3276). Pitch: horizontal distance from top support to foot = one-quarter of the working length (§3276(e)(9)). No standing/working on the top 3 rungs of a single or extension ladder unless structural members give a firm handhold or a personal fall protection system is used (§3276(e)(15)(D)).