Significant changes to the 2018 International Mechanical Code

The 2018 Significant Changes guides are available for the International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. This valuable series can help any code user save time by zeroing in on the most critical changes in the 2018 International Codes. The Code Council’s technical experts provide summaries, analysis and graphics for these changes making them clear and easy to understand.

2018 International Mechanical Code

A modification to Section 1107.2 (Refrigerant Piping Location) states that this code section was rewritten to clearly state the intent regarding the prohibited locations for refrigerant piping.

Previous editions of the code prohibited refrigerant piping in enclosed public stairways, stairway landings and means of egress. This wording was very ambiguous, especially the reference to “means of egress” and the terminology was inconsistent with the International Building Code. Means of egress is defined as a continuous and unobstructed path of horizontal and vertical egress travel from any occupied portion of a building, thus refrigerant piping would be prohibited almost everywhere in a building. The actual intent was logically assumed to be to prohibit refrigerant piping in exit stairways, exit ramps, exit passageways and fire-resistance-rated exit access corridors. A refrigerant leak in such spaces could jeopardize egress from the building.

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