International Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas Codes help protect communities every day

As more states and communities adopt the International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes (PMG), the most widely used codes in the country, public safety benefits. Hot water heaters, clothes dryer exhausts and anti-scalding devices installed in compliance with the International Codes provide minimum safeguards for people at home, at school and in the workplace.

“Improperly installed plumbing, mechanical and HVAC systems present a fire danger and can result in dangerous gas leaks or cause mold growth,” said International Code Council CEO Rick Weiland. “The International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes help keep people safe. I-Codes address proper installation to help protect people and property.”

Each edition of codes incorporates tested new technologies and lessons learned to make communities safer. The International Plumbing Code is in use in 38 states and the District of Columbia; 47 states and the nation’s capital use the International Mechanical Code; and 43 states and Washington, D.C., use the International Fuel Gas Code.

Around the country, more than 21,000 jurisdictions enforce one or more of the International Codes. The states of Alabama, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington recently updated to the 2006 International Codes. New York state now enforces the 2003 I-Codes.

Other recent I-Code adoptions and updates include: the Alabama communities of Daphne, East Brewton, Spanish Fort, Sylacauga, Sylvan Springs, Tallahassee, Trinity, Valley and Vestavia Hills; Little Rock, Ark.; Apache County, Avondale, Carefree, Chino Valley, Clarkdale, Colorado City, Coolidge, Dewey-Humboldt, Eagar, Glendale, Oro Valley, Pima County, Pinal County, Santa Cruz County, Scottsdale, Tempe, Tucson, Yavapai County and Yuma County, Ariz.; Colorado State Buildings, as well as the communities of Aurora, Craig, Edgewater and Greeley; Camden, Del,; Milton, Ga.; Des Moines, Marshalltown, Pottawattamie County, Spirit Lake and West Des Moines, Iowa; the Illinois jurisdictions of Andover, Ashton, Atkinson, Big Rock, Byron, Caledonia, Cambridge, Cortland, Creston, Dixon, Durand, Earlville, East Moline, Edwardsville, Elwood Fire Protection District, Flora, Flossmoor, Fox River Grove, Galena, Geneseo, Granite City, Hampshire, Hillcrest, Jo Davies County, Kingston, Kirkland, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Litchfield, Long Grove Fire Protection District, Malta, Maryville, Mt. Carmel, New Lenox, Niles, Orland Fire Protection District, Palos Park, Peoria, Prospect Heights, Roscoe, Shabbona, Sterling, Sugar Grove, Tinley Park, Wauconda and Yorkville; Hutchison and Lawrence, Kan.; the Fire Protection Districts for Missouri’s Boone County, Lincoln County, Northern Reynolds County, Sni Valley, and Western Taney County, as well as the communities of Lee’s Summit, St. Louis and Wentzville; Madison County and Raymond, Miss.; Billings, Mont., and the Billings Fire Department; Bernalillo County, N.M.; Athens, Blount County, Bristol, Farragut, Fayetteville, Hendersonville, Kingsport and Mt. Juliet, Tenn.; the Texas jurisdictions of Austin, Bellaire, Cibolo, Cleveland, College Station, Dallas, Euless, Fredericksburg, Gainesville, Hamilton, Harris County Fire Marshall’s Office, Houston, Huntsville, Hutchins, Irving, Kaufman County, Laredo, Lindale, Rosenberg, Sealy, Shavano Park and Williamson County Emergency Services District #4; as well as the community of Orting, Wash. The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and numerous federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons, use the I-Codes. For a complete list of I-Code adoptions, visit www.iccsafe.org. For more information about PMG, contact PMGresourceCenter@iccsafe.org or call 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233), ext. 4PMG.

The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Building safety codes used in most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt construction safety codes are developed by the International Code Council.