I knew CS codes were way out of line, but today's Eagle has an excellent letter to the editor from an AC repairman that takes the cake.

quote:

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Outdated CS rules make no sense today

Is air conditioning important to you? If so, I want to alert you to future trouble. College Station now requires that every new AC unit installed have locking caps on the Freon ports. To prevent unauthorized entry is a good idea, but at what price?

Once the locking caps are in place, technicians must have the correct key before they can adjust the Freon charge. The keys are different. Imagine your house hotter than Hades on a Saturday afternoon, and your tech is locked out.

I've been an AC repairman for 29 years, and I have never once had to deal with unauthorized entry to the Freon ports. I know it's a problem in some locations. When the problem arises, the homeowner can arrange for the locking caps to be installed. He also can be custodian of the key -- but that won't happen because codes must be enforced.

One more illustration: It's been almost 20 years since furnace efficiency was increased from 68 percent to 80 percent. For decades now, we have used double-wall vent pipe. Vent pipes no longer get hot; they get warm, but not hot enough to burn anyone or anything. Still, inspection requires vent pipe clearance from combustible materials.

No one has bothered to have the code updated, so College Station inspectors routinely enforce it. I once was cited because my warm vent pipe was in contact with fiberglass, which is noncombustible?

There's no end to the rules, regulations and ordinances. Everything is so robotic.

C. RUSSELL YATES
College Station

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This ticks me off. Regulations are necessary to a certain degree, but overdoing it on stupid stuff is just ridiculous. It's no wonder development migrates over to Bryan. I would say to anyone looking to start a new business or buy a new home to look in Bryan first. The codes in CS are just not worth the trouble.

/rant

(No flames please, let's discuss this politely. Thanks.)

Looks like same-old, same-old CS to me.

If you don't like it, don't fight it cuz you'll never win. Best bet is to move on and not worry about it. Obviously, these things don't bother most businesses and residents, so they must not mind .

^^^ except for the ones who write letters to the editor and build elsewhere.

ANGRY FACE!!!!!!!

That's Russell Yates, or Dr. Kool. He's an a/c guy, not someone looking to build a house in CS or elsewhere.

[This message has been edited by Newbomb_Turk (edited 6/22/2011 9:50p).]

I trust Mr. Yates with my A/C so I trust his opinion on this topic.

So if the locks are required, shouldn't there be a way for A/C guys to have some sort of "Master Set" that they have them for every system? If they are going to put a law like this into place, the City should make sure that it doesn't seriously inhibit someone's right to do business and make a living.

Do you honestly think the city cares if there is a master key available to these fine, hard working AC techs? No. This is money. I asked a very good friend from a different AC company about freon theft and he said that in 19 years, he has never seen it either. I'm sure it happens, but if it was an epidemic, our local press (please refrain from laughter) would have reported it by now. Pure rubbish.

I wonder if this is the result of a universal building code update that was adopted, or something that was individually updated in the codes locally.

I will certainly look into it. It is clearly a matter of concern for him to write in to the paper about it.

God Bless,

Jess.

Wasn't there something in the news about this last year about people siphoning freon out of systems in order to inhale it to get high?
Back along with smoking formaldehyde (embalming fluid)to get high?

Jesse - you really need to. Quite frankly, I think some members of council would be shocked if they ever bothered to read through the code.

For instance, the code requires any electrical work other than changing light bulbs and changing items that plug-in (e.g. a microwave) be done by a licensed electrician. If followed to the letter, it is illegal for a homeowner to replace a defective light switch or install a ceiling fan.

And an additional pet-peeve of mine is that the adopted code is "copyrighted" by the ICC that created it for municipalities to adopt in turn. Since our legal system emphasizes that citizens should know the law - "ignorance of the law is not a defense," it is incumbent on one to become knowledgeable. This is why statutes and government documents are in the public domain. This is not the case of the Uniform Code we are subject to. While copies can now be found on the web, they are the subject of ongoing litigation as the ICC seeks to enforce its copyrights. A new copy on Amazon is $100+ and changes every couple of years. So in effect, the city has a created a situation that fosters ignorance of the law by the citizens and often the officials and staff themselves. I think this in turn adds to the anger and frustration that continues to bubble.

Does this apply to freon only, or to all refrigerants? (On that thought, I wonder what percent of homes/apartments still use freon?). Sounds more like an environmental reg than a anti-theft reg to me.

Perhaps this letter to the editor will translate to someone (maybe one of you fine forum readers) contacting their city council member and suggesting an ordinance/code revision.


It could happen...

Publius,

Actually, that's State Practice Code, not local.

But, to add to the confusion, it only applies to for-profit professional work. Homeowners may do whatever they want, as long as they do not hire an unlicensed person to perform the work.

Suppose a person wanted to have some designed lighting levels in their kitchen. Suppose that turned out to be a simple as a smart switch. Used to be, I could do that labor (or a decent handyperson). After 2008, not so much. Even if I can pass a JM Electrician exam (other than not having the 2000 hours as a Helper).

Now, I get why they changed the law. It was a reaction to all the, ah, less-qualified people who hung heavy and under-balanced ceiling fans from pancake boxes only held onto the ceiling with 1 or 2 5/8" screws.

The point about restrictive access to codes is valid, too. Architectural practice is complicated enough, but having to have copies of IBC and IRC from 1999 to 2009 (since different munis use different editions) gets to be a hassle. Add in NEC, NFPC, mechanical stuff, and it's thousands of dollars of documents (and CECs keeping up with the form-filling requirements), and hundreds of dollars of bandwidth and research time. Yet, you are required to know all that stuff to sign off the documents.

Sometimes it's no wonder I'm unemployed and my profession has been hauled off by Mr Peabody's coal train and gone away. Is what it is--feel bad for my neighbors for when the bank takes my house away, too.

________________________________________________________
Standing guard, even sitting behind a desk

Occupational hazard of my occupation just not being around

Oh, and since I walled up in text above, let me say that CoCS is not that restrictive a muni for residential work. Under-fun for commercial work, admittedly, but not as horrible as some places I've practiced in.

And, I have to admit some bias in having had some smoother interactions with CoB P&D. But, that, really only vice CoCS.

Gotta admit I'm curious as to when this was placed into effect? We got a new system a few years ago and no one said anthing about locking caps. It also makes no sense for a copy of the key not to be left with the owner of the house.

quote:

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Now, I get why they changed the law. It was a reaction to all the, ah, less-qualified people who hung heavy and under-balanced ceiling fans from pancake boxes only held onto the ceiling with 1 or 2 5/8" screws.

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capn, I enjoy your posts and am not criticizing you, but this is another example of government trying to create legislation that prevents stupidity! I am not a licensed anything but I have a high enough IQ and enough experience that I can (and do)electrical, AC, heating, plumbing, carpentry etc in my own home and I do better, higher quality work then at least half of the licensed "experts" available in the phone book! Government needs to get the hell out of our business - ESPECIALLY the business I do within the confines of my own home! Most code inspectors failed as contractors and LOVE the power they have... just sayin.

I am getting a new system at my home today...be curious to see if I get locking caps.

edit to clarify: just a new compressor/condenser, not an entire new system.

[This message has been edited by Shorty (edited 6/23/2011 12:48p).]

Sum,
You make a valid point--the Knowledgeable are just that.

I'm not sure the upgraded Practice laws have much effect. A homeowner is allowed to be as ignorant of life safety issues as any other party. The "curb" of not doing damage to one's home probably is given more value in legislation than in actual practice.

Maybe if TRLB spent some time going after bad (or pretend) professionals instead of raiding home hair salons . . .

I mean, really, I don't want much, just to make the world a better place for as many of the people that I meet along the Path set before me. I've got three decades' experience, education, and employment at this; yet, the folks who expect a lawyer to cost a few hundred an hour all seem to feel my having to bill at fifty or a hundred is outrageous and near robbery.

Until they make that elebentith trip to P&D. Or a stop-work goes up.
Which, sadly, does not happen nearly enough, there's not much work going on, so the budgets for Building Inspectors are very lean (as are the head counts).

Mind you, you need another of my rants, get me started on licensed Home Inspectors.


________________________________________________________
Standing guard, even sitting behind a desk

Occupational hazard of my occupation just not being around