The special inspection requirements for chimneys and vents can be found in the 2022 NYC Building Code, Section 1705.32, with the testing requirements found in the 2022 NYC Fuel Gas Code, Section 503.5.6 and the 2022 NYC Mechanical Code, Section 810. The 2022 code update expanded this section to also include vents. Previously, in the 2014 code, the special inspection only referenced chimneys. The 2022 code clarifies that fuel fired appliances like boilers, water heaters and fire places would be subject to the same pressure testing, as per the test method described below.

New chimneys or vents must be visually inspected to verify compliance with the approved construction documents, and proper clearance or isolation from adjacent combustible construction. Existing chimney or vent passageways must be examined to ascertain that they are clear and free of obstructions and must be cleaned if previously used for venting solid or liquid fuel-burning appliances or fireplaces.

If a new heating system appliance is installed (such as a boiler), but the existing venting is reused, a special inspection to verify the condition of the existing chimney lining and breaching will be required. Any deficiencies will be reported to the contractor and owner as part of the required inspection reporting.

Pressurized smoke testing is required on all chimneys and vents except for new and existing “Listed Type B” gas vents and “Type L” vents. These vents will still require visual inspections for the presence of a continuous inner wall, proper installation, and no damage or deterioration via readily accessible areas of the vent system, such as the appliance, tee caps, cleanout openings, or termination. The vent system shall be inspected for proper clearances, protection and damage.

All new and altered chimneys and vents, and chimneys or vents to which a new appliance has been connected, shall be test run under operating conditions to demonstrate fire safety and the complete exhausting of smoke and the products of combustion to the outer air. To determine the tightness of chimney or vent construction, a smoke test shall be made in accordance with the following conditions and requirements:

1.        The equipment, materials, power and labor necessary for such test shall be furnished by, and at the expense of, the owner or holder of the work permit.

2.        If the test shows any evidence of leakage or other defects, such defects shall be corrected in accordance with the requirement of Chapter 5 of the 2022 NYC Fuel Gas Code and Chapter 8 of the 2022 NYC Mechanical Code and the test shall be repeated until the results are satisfactory.

3.        Method of test: The chimney or vent shall be filled with a thick penetrating smoke produced by one or more smoke machines, or smoke bombs, or other equivalent method. As the smoke appears at the stack opening on the roof, such opening shall be tightly closed and a pressure equivalent to ½ inch (12.7 mm) column of water measured at the base of the stack, shall be applied. The test shall be applied for a length of time sufficient to permit the inspection of the chimney.

Post-installed anchors (PIA) are anchors placed in holes that are drilled into existing concrete or masonry members, i.e. installed after the concrete/masonry has been set. These anchors can be either mechanical anchors or adhesive anchors. Mechanical anchors such as expansion anchors rely on the friction developed between the sides of the hole and the anchor wedges or sleeve to transfer loads. Other types of mechanical anchors include screw anchors. Adhesive anchors rely on an adhesive placed in the hole before an anchor rod is inserted, which once cured bonds the anchor rod and concrete/masonry substrate together.

The installation and requirements of inspection for post-installed anchors in New York City can be found in the 2022 NYC Building Code, and in relevant NYC Buildings Bulletins that have been issued over the years. As per the 2022 NYC Building Code section 1705.37, the installation of post-installed mechanical anchors, adhesive anchors, and screw anchors shall comply with Table 1705.37. This table states that adhesive anchors in concrete installed horizontally or upwardly inclined to resist sustained tension loads require continuous inspection during installation. All other post-installed anchor installations (all anchors installed in masonry or stone, and all mechanical anchors installed in concrete) require only periodic inspection. The table, including the applicable code references can be seen here.

The relevant Buildings Bulletins related to PIA are 2014-018 and 2014-019 (PIA in concrete), 2015-027 (adhesive anchors in concrete), and 2016-005 (PIA in masonry). All of these Buildings Bulletins require that anchors used in NYC must be ICC-ES accredited.

The ICC-Evaluation Service (ICC-ES), a subsidiary of the International Code Council, is a nonprofit, public-benefit corporation that performs technical evaluations of building products, components, methods, and materials. ICC-ES evaluation reports provide evidence that products and systems meet specific performance requirements of the building code. Using ICC-ES accredited anchors in the appropriate substrate leads to more consistent results, meaning that if the item is hung from a slab with an anchor that has been ICC-ES accredited to be able to carry that load in tension, and it is installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions, then we can assume the item will stay put in the slab and not be a hazard to people below.

When conducting Post-Installed Anchor inspections, the first thing EPIC will be looking for will be if the anchors are ICC-ES accredited. As stated above, all anchors used in New York City must now have an ICC-ES accreditation for the way they will be used on site. For example, if an anchor is ICC-ES accredited for use only in concrete, but it is being used in a brick wall, EPIC will call this out as a non-conformance. Once it is confirmed that the anchors being used are properly accredited, the next step is to witness a representative test installation. All mechanical anchor installations require this to ensure that the anchor is being installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Adhesive anchors in concrete require more thorough inspection as they require continuous inspections, rather than periodic. All adhesive anchors being installed in concrete require full-time inspection to ensure that a certified installer (certified by the ACI/CRSI Adhesive Anchor Installer Certification program or equivalent) is doing the installation and that the Manufacturer’s Printed Installation Instructions (MPII) are being followed. These steps are required for each trade where sustained tension loads will be applied to the anchors.

What are Special Inspections?

Special Inspections were formerly known as Controlled Inspections and have been required in New York City since the 2008 Building Code updates. According to the New York City Building Code, Chater 17, Section 1702.1: Special inspections are ‘inspection of selected materials, equipment, installation, fabrication, erection or placement of components and connections, to ensure compliance with approved construction documents and referenced standards as required by this chapter or elsewhere in this code or its referenced standards’. Special Inspections exist to make construction safer for the future tenants of the space, and to ensure compliance with the design and local codes. Special inspections must be performed by qualified Special Inspectors who work for a registered Special Inspection Agency (SIA).

What are Special Inspection Agencies?

 The Department of Buildings (DOB) describes a Special Inspection Agency (SIA) as an organization registered with the Department of Buildings that conducts Special Inspections. A Special Inspection Agency must have at least one full-time Primary Director and up to four full-time Technical Directors, who are all Registered Design Professionals (either a Professional Engineer or a Registered Architect). They must have relevant industry experience in inspections and testing and be managers in the Special Inspection Agency.

 When applying for a Special Inspection Agency license, the agency must register for all special inspection categories that they will be conducting inspections for, and for their Class of inspections. For a description of the different special inspection classes and their restrictions, see the EPIC Knows article found here.

When are Special Inspections required?

Most projects in New York City require Special Inspections except where exempt by the NYC Building Code, Section 1704.1:

• Special inspections are not required for building components unless the design involves the practice of professional engineering or architecture as defined by the Education Law of the State of New York and applicable regulations governing the professional registration and certification of engineers or architects.

Since the Special Inspector is not on site every day, it is the contractor or permit holder’s responsibility to schedule inspections. Section 1704.1.1.3.3 required that “The holder of a permit covering work requiring a special inspection shall notify the relevant special inspectors or special inspection agencies in writing at least 72 hours before the commencement of any work requiring special inspection.” Additionally, the permit holder must provide the Special Inspector with the most current approved construction documents with which to conduct these inspections.

How are Inspections Conducted?

Most inspections are visual, meaning that the components shown on the plans need to be visually inspected for conformance with the plans and to ensure that the installation is in conformance with the code. There is also required testing for certain inspection types. The requirements of these tests are described in the code. Many of the testing requirements can be found in Chapter 17 of the NYC Building Code. Some inspections require invasive or destructive tests to confirm code and design conformance.

• An example of a visual inspection of fire resistance rated construction would require that the materials/components/layers of the construction match the details for that construction, often found on the architectural plans.

• An example of testing that is required would be a 200-psi hydrostatic pressure test of a new sprinkler system.

• An example of an invasive testing inspection of fireproofing would require the use of a thickness measurement device to ensure compliance with code requirements.

What Types of Special Inspections Exist in New York City?

Special Inspections cover construction items from structure, to HVAC systems, to sprinkler/standpipe systems, to fire-resistant construction, and beyond. The Department of Buildings organizes inspections into various Technical Report (TR) sections. Most Special Inspections can be found on the TR1 and TR8 forms. Some of the most common inspection types that EPIC inspects include:

• Structural Steel – Details

• Structural Steel – High Strength Bolting

• Structural Steel – Welding

• Structural Cold-Formed Steel

• Mechanical Systems

• Sprinkler Systems

• Standpipe Systems

• Post-Installed Anchors

• Fire-resistant Penetrations and Joints

• Energy Code Compliance (TR8)

• Final

The full list of Special Inspections, updated to reflect the 2022 NYC code changes, can be found here.

When Tenant Protection Plan Compliance Inspections Can Go on Hold:

As covered in the previous EPIC KNOWS article, Tenant Protection Plan (TPP) Compliance inspections are a new inspection addition to the updated 2022 NYC Building Code. The requirements of this inspection type can be found in section 1705.26 of the Building Code. The code requirement calls for at least weekly inspections during the duration of demolition and construction to make sure all items listed on the tenant protection plan are in compliance on site.

Due to a project that went on hold for multiple months and did not want to continue TPP Compliance visits if they weren’t explicitly required, EPIC reached out to the Construction Codes team of the NYC DOB. They confirmed that TPP Compliance inspections are not required when there is a pause in construction and the site is closed, or if there is a stop work order.

Common Tenant Protection Plan Non-Conforming Items:

EPIC has now completed Tenant Protection Plan Compliance inspections on several projects. No two Tenant Protection Plans are exactly the same as they have to be specific to the project and building. There can be inclusions for structural work, changes to the standard work hours, additional protections for health requirements or egress, and many other variations.

Many of the projects that we have completed with TPP Compliance inspection requirements share an overlap in the details included on their Tenant Protection Plans, and often share common non-conformances as well. Some of the most common items that we see on site that are not in compliance include:

• Not initially having a fire extinguisher on site,

• Not using the proper dust control mitigation devices outlined in the TPP (i.e., vacuuming, laying down Green Dust, or wetting the floor), and

• Not having zipper enclosures on apartment doors where required.

These non-compliances will be listed in the TPP Compliance Report EPIC provides after each visit and generally require minimal work to remedy. We find that non-compliances are usually fixed by the contractor and in compliance by the next TPP Compliance visit the following week.