(email from Jim Buckley and Jerry Frisch to John Lagamba, Norbert Senf, and Rod Zander, March 19/00)

(snip)

Last week I emailed you my report on the MACS meeting prepared for the Clay Flue Lining Institute. It is also on my website at http://rumford.com/code/MACS.html As I said in the email, the proposed code changes are available on line from the ICC at http://www.intlcode.org/

Jerry Frisch wanted me to type out the Masonry Heater proposal (below) and copy this message to Norbert and Rod:

SECTION R1006

MASONRY HEATERS

R1006.1 Installation. A Masonry Heater shall be

installed according to one of the following.

1. the terms of its listing, or

2. ASTM E 1602 and the manufacturer's instructions, or

3. ASTM E 1602 and the supervision of a skilled

masonry heater builder.

R1006.2 Seismic Reinforcing. Masonry heaters

shall be anchored and reinforced as required in this

chapter. All masonry heaters shall maintain a

minimum clearance of 2 inches (50 mm) to adjacent

framing from the body of the masonry heater. In

Seismic Design Categories A, B and C reinforcement

and seismic anchorage shall not be required. In

Seismic Design Categories D, E and F masonry

heaters shall be anchored to the foundation. Where

the masonry chimney shares a common wall with the

facing of the masonry heater, the chimney portion of

the structure shall be reinforced in accordance with

R1003.3

For what it's worth, here's my analysis and recommendations:

1) The clearance is supposed to read 4", not 2", so an amendment is in order anyway. And what is the clearance issue doing in the seismic reinforcement section?

2) Specify a listing standard and get rid of the language "manufacturer's instructions" and "supervision of a skilled masonry heater builder" which most veteran code writers think is hopelessly vague and will never pass.

3) The seismic reinforcing section says masonry heaters shall be installed in accordance with this chapter three times without being very clear about them not having to be reinforced in the heater body. Seismic Design Categories E and F are not dealt with in the IRC and all structures in E and F have to be "engineered" so that reference to those categories is inappropriate.

Lot of problems with such a small proposal. Here is how I would rewrite it:

SECTION R1006

MASONRY HEATERS

R1006.1 Installation. A Masonry Heater shall be installed according to one of the following.

1. Masonry heaters shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 127, and be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions, or

2. Site-built masonry heaters shall be installed in accordance with ASTM E 1602.

R1006.2 Clearance to combustibles. Combustible material shall have a clearance of not less than 4 inches (102 mm) from the body of the masonry heater.

R1006.3 Seismic Reinforcing. Masonry heaters shall be anchored and reinforced as required in this chapter. Reinforcement shall not be required in the body of the masonry heater in Seismic Design Categories A, B, C and D. Where the masonry chimney shares a common wall with the facing of the masonry heater, the chimney portion of the structure shall be reinforced in accordance with R1003.3

Whatever changes you might want to make, it would be best to get them agreed to and mailed to Committee members early. Next best would be to pass out copies at the code meetings in Birmingham. If there is any disagreement on the floor, it's likely to fail.

Best,

Jim Buckley and Jerry Frisch -- Jim Buckley Buckley Rumford Co. 1035 Monroe Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 800 447 7788 (fax 360 385 1624) (cell 360 531 1081) http://www.rumford.com