For questions relating to compliance with laws and ordinances of federal, state/province and local jurisdictions. Questions should also be tagged with the specific area of construction involved.
14
votes
4answers
1k views
Does a bedroom have to have a closet?
I'm finishing my basement (actually its the second basement I've finished). And I've built what I think is a bedroom in the basement. I had the ELECTRICAL inspector in here the other day and as he's ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
Would running a new subpanel in parallel meet NEC requirements? If not, what should I do?
Background
U.S.A. Voltages/power present.
My house has a 125A Power Mains breaker at the street.
A buried line runs from the street breaker to my main panel on exterior wall outside of house.
The ...
10
votes
3answers
3k views
Is running ethernet cable through an air return allowed under US code?
I'm looking to wire up the second floor of my house and the cold air return provides a convenient, straight run from the office to the utility room. Is it safe and within code to run ethernet cable in ...
10
votes
1answer
2k views
How do I meet the 7 feet high ceiling requirement after finishing the basement?
My basement ceiling joists are exactly 7 feet above the concrete slab. The requirement for finished living space is 7 ft from the finished floor to the finished ceiling. Since I'll loose a couple of ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
What is electrical code for number of wires in a breaker?
US, Georgia
I am adding some new ciruits to add some additional outlets. The closest place is to run a wire to the main panel box.
My question is, can I connect more than one wire to a breaker and ...
8
votes
2answers
293 views
Is it within code to complete 12g wiring circuit with 10g wire?
In installing a dishwasher on a dedicated 20amp circuit on 12g wiring, I've come short about 5 feet to run a line. I have some surplus, heavier, 10g wire. Would it be safe to install a junction box ...
7
votes
4answers
7k views
Is using 15 amp components on a 20 amp breaker against code?
I have noticed in a few different houses in Oklahoma that 20 amp breakers are used, but all of the outlets and switches only seem to be rated for 15 amps. This goes against everything I know to be ...
7
votes
2answers
756 views
Is it ever safe to have 14 gauge wire anywhere on a circuit proected by a 30 amp breaker?
I was doing some work in an old house I recently moved into, and found that my dishwasher and garbage disposal (and some outlets near them) are on a 30 amp breaker. However, some of the electrical ...
7
votes
2answers
554 views
Are tamper resistant outlets required in a cabinet with child proof latches?
Like many people, I have a dishwasher and a disposer, which are plugged into an outlet in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. Also like many, this is where I keep a whole host of cleaning products and ...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
Why is ENT rarely used for electrical wiring?
As best I can tell, the National Electrical Code 2011 allows electrical non-metallic tubing ("smurf tube" or ENT) to be used for running 120 V electrical wire. But everywhere I look, I see remarks to ...
6
votes
2answers
4k views
What are the consequences of building without a permit?
Suppose someone decided to build a house without getting the required permits. What are the possible consequences?
I'm not talking about slipshod workmanship, or ignoring safety of structure, fire, ...
6
votes
2answers
292 views
How do easements work? Who can use them?
For the sake of clarifying the question, I'll offer this hypothetical.
Assume I had a neighbor down the street and I wanted to run a cable between our homes. There is an existing utility easement ...
6
votes
3answers
4k views
Can I use 4x4 posts as the primary support for a deck?
I have an old cedar deck, and most of the decking and vertical support posts are rotted out. I'd like to rebuild the deck as-is, just replacing the rotting pieces.
The current design is as follows:
...
6
votes
2answers
766 views
Any US building codes about a door opening into a hallway near a stairway?
A while ago I changed a door out from my tiny bathroom so that it opens outside of the bathroom and into the hallway. It looks attractive and provides a great deal more room in the bathroom making it ...
6
votes
1answer
474 views
can you skin over existing roof deck that is breaking down?
Working on reshingling my roof. The roof deck turned out to be 3/8s plywood which is starting to break down due to the number of times the roof has been replaced.
The deck is not rotting out except ...
6
votes
2answers
614 views
Are generator interlock kits permitted in residential applications?
There have been some questions on the site lately, that reference using interlock kits with portable generators.
This has inspired me to read through article 702 Optional Standby Systems of the ...
5
votes
4answers
604 views
Can different gauge wiring be used in the same circuit?
I am extending a lighting and outlet circuit in a basement. The current setup has the following characteristics
15 amp. circuit breaker (200 amp service)
4 existing lighting fixtures using CFL bulbs ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Do I need to “protect” low voltage cables that are run through an insulated wall?
I'm planning to run speaker cables from a new outlet at an uninsulated wall to a new outlet at an insulated wall. I've already run Cat5e and coaxial cable to the uninsulated wall, and am comfortable ...
5
votes
2answers
576 views
Is it OK to have a 20 Amp receptacle on a circuit with 12 AWG wiring and a 15 Amp breaker?
I have a hypothetical question:
If you have a 15 Amp breaker connected to a 20 Amp T type outlet with (20 Amp) 12 AWG wire, is it within code, below code, or above code, where code means the National ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Is there any acceptable way to cover a junction box?
The outlet for my range hood was misplaced. It needs to be 4 inches to the side. I can make the junction and move the wiring to the new location but I really don't want to have the empty plate ...
5
votes
2answers
69 views
Do exterior duplex electrical receptacles have to be on multiwire branch circuits?
I have an exterior receptacle on my house, and it is currently taking up 2 circuits (similar to kitchen counter plugs). Is there any code/regulation that indicates exterior receptacles must be on ...
5
votes
2answers
264 views
Is it code-legal to have a circuit breaker box within a storage room?
I am currently in the process of planning a room remodel to convert an existing bedroom into a home office and storage room. One thing that makes this conversion a little bit tricky, is the existence ...
5
votes
1answer
153 views
Can a single metal electrical box use two ground clips?
Inside a metal electrical box, can I use multiple ground clips (one for each conductor), or is it required that all ground conductors be twisted together and pigtailed into the same clip?
5
votes
1answer
457 views
Is there a correct orientation for hurricane clips?
When installing hurricane clips to joists where it crosses a beam, is there a preference to mounting the clips on the inside or the outside of the beam? And should the ears on the clips point inward ...
5
votes
1answer
256 views
How can I resheathe behind brick fascia without removing the brick?
The original builders of my house used a material called "Aluma Sheath", also known as Dennyboard, to sheathe my house. Dennyboard is a radiant coating on two sides of a 1/8 sheet of a fiberous ...
5
votes
0answers
128 views
How can I mount an 12V transformer for LED lighting inside a wall?
The stairs to my basement has one light fixture at the bottom, and that casts a shadow on the rest of the stairs. I want to run a strip of LED lights up the crown molding or on top of the upstairs ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
Is it safe to run a USB cable inside a wall?
I need to extend a USB device from a corner of my room to the above the fireplace. Since I'm already going to be installing some HDMI and audio cables through the wall, I'd like to have my USB device ...
4
votes
1answer
610 views
What is permissible for a breaker box cover?
We're doing some remodeling in our kitchen and unfortunately the breaker box is right in the middle of a wall we are going to cover with tile.
My current thought is to replace the existing metal ...
4
votes
1answer
393 views
Do I need to attach a wire fished through a ceiling?
I have a finished basement and am mounting a flat-screen TV on the wall and I want to put an electrical box behind the TV. The two existing outlets are both two joists over and each separated with a ...
4
votes
1answer
89 views
What is “workmanlike manner”?
I have to ask this because I have been doing a ton of electrical work in my house. Will get inspected soon.
I am pretty neat - everything is stapled uniformly and ran at the same height- but I ...
4
votes
1answer
814 views
How can I attach a ledger board to my house?
Spring is here so I finally started to take measurements for materials I will need to build a new deck on my recently constructed home. I just realized that this isn't going to be quite so simple as I ...
4
votes
1answer
222 views
Is it against code to secure junction box using Liquid Nails?
I need to extend a 14/2 WG wire a few feet. To do this I want to add the extra wire using a junction box. The problem is that I can't get a good angle to nail the junction box down so I was wondering ...
4
votes
1answer
359 views
What is the code approved way to cut and patch fire rated drywall hung on the ceiling of a basement?
My new house is still under construction, and for code reasons the builder is required to hang fire rated drywall on the ceiling of the basement.
I am sure the situation will arise eventually where I ...
4
votes
1answer
375 views
How should I build an exterior door landing pad?
I've got a building with several exterior doors (all opening inward). The slab and walk-up is about 18+" from the ground. Code requires that I have a 36"x36" landing pad outside each exterior door. ...
4
votes
1answer
320 views
How do I get power into my kitchen cabinet?
I'm trying to run power for some under-cabinet LED strip lighting. I think the easiest way is to tap into the stove hood, so my question is: how do I do this in a way that is legal and meets code ...
3
votes
2answers
338 views
What kind of light can I install in a small, low-ceiling coat closet?
Our Northern California house has a small coat closet (really a hallway with 2 doors and hooks for coats) between our front entry-way and our basement. It's a tiny space: 3 feet wide, 5 feet deep, and ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Running cat 6 networking cable in the attic: what is up to code?
I plan on adding a Cat 6 network in my single-story detached home. It would consist of home runs from each of the 3 bedrooms + TV room to a central patch panel in the garage, which is close to the ...
3
votes
1answer
144 views
Can I have a handrail on only one side of the stairs?
Is it legal to have a handrail on only one side of the stairs if it's not continuous? (As shown in the picture below)
Or should I remove that small handrail and put a long one all the way down on the ...
3
votes
1answer
150 views
Do the guidelines for holes in joists apply to band joists?
This question have a great answer with all the guidelines for drilling holes in joists.
The question: Are the guidelines the same for band joists?
A bit of context:
I'd like to add an exterior ...
3
votes
1answer
136 views
Two switches in same box, on different circuits
Is it acceptable by US NEC standards to have two switches in a double wall box that operate on entirely different circuits in a late 50's house?
3
votes
1answer
1k views
What are the requirements on buried propane lines?
I haven't been able to find online references to the rules, and I don't own a code book.
We have a 300 gallon propane tank, with 5/8" copper line going to a standby generator and into the house for a ...
3
votes
1answer
57 views
Does code require the gas line to be replaced when replacing a furnace?
I replaced my 45 year old (still working) original furnace with an American Standard furnace about 5 1/2 years ago. Now I have a gas leak; the Nicor technician sealed a connection in the gas pipe ...
3
votes
2answers
156 views
Does it matter if I mix neutrals and grounds in the main panel?
Code question here. I do a lot of electrical and like to follow code exactly. I have done pretty much everything but hook up lines to main box. Taking a stab at it this time.
First I see that I ...
3
votes
1answer
110 views
How do I string a low voltage wire between two buildings?
I need to get Cat6A to an outbuilding for network communication; underground is not an option.
I think I have an idea on the method: grounded pillars with a guyline and the outdoor cable.
What NEC ...
3
votes
1answer
179 views
Are four gang plastic boxes stackable in a wall?
I would even be willing to go side by side but I would like to stay with the four gang sizes.
I am hoping this would pass code and would prefer to stack so if there is someone that knows if it is ...
3
votes
1answer
424 views
Can a yurt be a dwelling?
Yurts are beautiful, charming, quirky, easy to build, portable, and cheap.
I bought a 30' yurt from Pacific Yurts. It includes the insulation kit.
Can I use it as a dwelling?
3
votes
1answer
728 views
Is it OK to have a gas water heater in a bedroom closet?
I have a laundry room with a gas water heater in the closet. I was thinking about taking out the washer and dryer and renting the laundry room as a bedroom because there is a bathroom next to the ...
3
votes
1answer
226 views
How can I insulate kitchen vent to prevent cold air blowing through all the time?
Building code requires my kitchen to have a 15cmx15cm vent (besides the kitchen cook-top vent). This vent is basically a hole in the wall that reaches to the outside. The vent has grating on both ...
2
votes
5answers
741 views
Why are there multiple receptacles by amperage?
I could imagine the various receptacle shapes being a tool to protect you from making a mistake about what you plug in.
Consider a 15A breaker with 14ga wiring to NEMA 5-15R receptacles. The circuit ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Under what circumstances is 5/8" drywall required?
From what I understand the code usually discusses things like fire rating (not specific thickness) as they relate to required material, and also the fastener pattern and what thickness to use versus ...
