ICC F33 Master Gas Pipe Fitter Exam (2015 IFGC)

Key Concepts

Scope and administration - The code's piping provisions cover natural gas at not more than 125 psig and LP-gas at not more than 20 psig, except as provided in Section 402.6 (101.2.2). - Detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories with separate means of egress, and their accessory structures, follow the International Residential Code (101.2, Exception). - Section 101.2.4 lists systems outside the scope; raw material (feedstock) applications are excluded "except for piping to special atmosphere generators," which remain regulated. - Tests required as evidence of compliance are performed by an approved agency and at no expense to the jurisdiction (105.3, 105.3.2). - Annual permit: in place of an individual construction permit for each alteration to an already approved system or equipment installation, for a person/firm regularly employing qualified tradespersons (106.1.1); records required (106.1.2). - Construction documents for buildings more than two stories must show penetration locations and the materials/methods for structural safety, fire-resistance rating and fireblocking (106.3.1). - Permit application abandoned 180 days after filing if not pursued in good faith; extensions not exceeding 180 days each (106.3.2). Suspended/abandoned work: new permit at one-half fee where suspension has not exceeded one year (106.5.3). Work started without a permit: 100 percent of the usual fee in addition to required fees (106.6.1). - Replacement heating appliance may operate before inspection if the request is filed **not…

Exam: Master gas fitter licensing exam (2015 IFGC) — Water Heaters

Key Concepts

1. Testing standards and general installation — Section 624.1 Water heaters shall be tested in accordance with ANSI Z21.10.1 and ANSI Z21.10.3 and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Memorize this pair exactly; other ANSI standards in the code cover different appliance categories (boilers, furnaces, pool heaters, dryers, valves) and are not the water heater standards.

2. Non-gas-fired water heaters — Section 624.1 (2015 IFGC) Water heaters utilizing fuels other than fuel gas shall be regulated by the International Mechanical Code. The fuel gas code governs only the fuel-gas-fired units — even when gas-fired and fuel-oil-fired water heaters share one mechanical room.

3. Items deferred to the plumbing code — Section 624.1.1 The requirements for water heaters relative to:

• sizing
• relief valves
• drain pans
• scald protection

shall be in accordance with the International Plumbing Code. These four items are enumerated in Section 624.1.1. Note that the criteria themselves are not printed in the fuel gas code text, but the IFGC citation still stands as the source of the requirement.

4. Combined water heating and space heating — Section 624.2 Water heaters utilized both to supply potable hot water and to provide hot water for space heating shall be:

Key Concepts

Listing and testing standards (know the standard-to-appliance pairings) - Decorative appliances for installation in approved solid fuel-burning fireplaces: ANSI Z21.60; manually lighted natural gas decorative appliances: ANSI Z21.84 (§602.1). - Log lighters: CSA 8 (§603.1). Vented gas fireplaces: ANSI Z21.50 (§604.1). Vented gas fireplace heaters: ANSI Z21.88 (§605.1). - Vented wall furnaces and floor furnaces: ANSI Z21.86/CSA 2.32 (§§608.1, 609.1). Duct furnaces: ANSI Z83.8 or UL 795 (§610.1). Nonrecirculating direct-fired industrial air heaters: ANSI Z83.4/CSA 3.7 (§611.1). - Forced-air warm-air furnaces: ANSI Z21.47 or UL 795 (§618.1). Boilers: ANSI Z21.13 or UL 795 (§631.1). Pool and spa heaters: ANSI Z21.56 (§617.1). Unvented room heaters: ANSI Z21.11.2 (§621.1); ventless firebox enclosures: ANSI Z21.91 (§621.7.1); factory-built fireplaces: UL 127 (§621.7). Dryer transition ducts: UL 2158A (§614.8.3); dryer exhaust duct power ventilators: UL 705 (§614.5).

Flame safeguard — Decorative appliances in solid fuel-burning fireplaces must use a direct ignition device, ignitor or pilot flame plus a flame safeguard device, except those tested to ANSI Z21.84 (§602.2).

Key Concepts

Scope and minimum sizes. Chapter 4 governs piping systems from the point of delivery to the connections with the appliances (Section 401.1). Pipe used for installation, extension and alteration must be sized to supply the full number of outlets for the intended purpose, in accordance with Section 402 (Section 401.8). When modifying or adding to existing systems, sizes shall be maintained in accordance with the chapter (Section 401.3). Where an additional appliance is served, the existing piping must be checked for adequate capacity for all appliances served; if inadequate, enlarge the system or provide separate piping of adequate capacity (Section 401.4).

General sizing objective. Piping must be sized and installed to meet the maximum demand and supply gas to each appliance inlet at not less than the minimum supply pressure required by the appliance (Sections 402.1, 402.5).

Maximum gas demand. The volumetric flow rate is the sum of the maximum input of the appliances served. The total connected hourly load is the sizing basis, assuming all appliances could operate at full capacity simultaneously; where a diversity of load can be established, sizing may be based on such loads (Section 402.2). The flow rate shall be adjusted for altitude where the installation is above 2,000 feet (610 m) in elevation (Section 402.2).

2015 International Fuel Gas Code, Section 304

Key Concepts

Combustion air source and exceptions (Section 304.1). Direct-vent appliances, gas appliances of other than natural draft design, vented gas appliances not designated as Category I, and appliances equipped with power burners must be provided with combustion, ventilation and dilution air in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions — not the prescriptive methods. Natural-draft Category I appliances, including those with draft hoods or barometric regulators, are sized by the methods of Sections 304.5 through 304.9. Exception to 304.1: Type 1 clothes dryers provided with makeup air in accordance with Section 614.6 are excepted from Sections 304.5 through 304.9.

Indoor air — standard method (Sections 304.5, 304.5.1). The required volume is not less than 50 cubic feet per 1,000 Btu/h of appliance input rating, and the total is the sum of the required volume for all appliances in the space (304.5).

Indoor air — known air-infiltration-rate method (Sections 304.5, 304.5.2). Where the infiltration rate is known to be less than 0.40 ACH, this method must be used and the standard method is not permitted. Section 304.5.2 gives one equation for appliances other than fan assisted and a separate equation for fan-assisted appliances; volumes are added. An infiltration rate greater than 0.60 ACH shall not be used in Equations 3-1 and 3-2.

Key Concepts

General venting requirements (Section 501) - Every appliance shall discharge products of combustion to the outdoors, except appliances exempted by Section 501.8 (Section 501.2). - Connectors shall connect to a masonry chimney flue at a point not less than 12 inches above the lowest portion of the interior of the chimney flue (Section 501.9). - Appliances not required to be vented include ranges, hot plates and laundry stoves, refrigerators, counter appliances, room heaters listed for unvented use, direct-fired makeup air heaters, and specialized appliances of limited input such as laboratory burners and gas lights (Section 501.8). - Where appliances in Items 5 through 11 are installed so the aggregate input rating exceeds 20 Btu per hour per cubic foot of room volume, one or more shall be vented so the remaining unvented aggregate does not exceed 20 Btu/h per cubic foot. Adjacent rooms connected by a doorway, archway or comparable opening that cannot be closed may be included in the volume (Section 501.8). - Existing masonry chimney flues: cleanout opening with a minimum height of 6 inches, upper edge not less than 6 inches below the lowest chimney inlet opening, with a tight-fitting noncombustible cover (Section 501.15.3).