User note:
About this chapter: Chapter 4 provides requirements for repairs of existing buildings. The provisions define conditions under which repairs may be made using materials and methods like those of the original construction or the extent to which repairs must comply with requirements for new buildings.
Repairs shall comply with the requirements of this chapter. Repairs to historic buildings need only comply with Chapter 12.
Repairs to existing bleachers, grandstands and folding and telescopic seating shall comply with ICC 300.
The work shall not make the building less complying than it was before the repair was undertaken.
In flood hazard areas, repairs that constitute substantial improvement shall require that the building comply with Section 1612 of the International Building Code, or Section R322 of the International Residential Code, as applicable.
Replacement glazing in hazardous locations shall comply with the safety glazing requirements of the International Building Code or International Residential Code as applicable.
Exception: Glass block walls, louvered windows and jalousies repaired with like materials.
Upcodes Diagrams
Repairs shall be done in a manner that maintains the level of fire protection provided.
Repairs shall be done in a manner that maintains the level of protection provided for the means of egress.
Structural repairs shall be in compliance with this section and Section 401.2.
Repairs to damaged buildings shall comply with this section.
Unless otherwise required by this section, for damage less than substantial structural damage, the damaged elements shall be permitted to be restored to their predamage condition.
Structural components whose damage was caused by or related to snow load effects shall be repaired, replaced or altered to satisfy the requirements of Section 1608 of the International Building Code.
A building assigned to Seismic Design Category D, E or F that has sustained disproportionate earthquake damage shall be subject to the requirements for buildings with substantial structural damage to vertical elements of the lateral force-resisting system.
A building that has sustained substantial structural damage to the vertical elements of its lateral force-resisting system shall be evaluated in accordance with Section 405.2.3.1, and either repaired in accordance with Section 405.2.3.2 or repaired and retrofitted in accordance with Section 405.2.3.3, depending on the results of the evaluation.
Exceptions:
- Buildings assigned to Seismic Design Category A, B or C whose substantial structural damage was not caused by earthquake need not be evaluated or retrofitted for load combinations that include earthquake effects.
- One- and two-family dwellings need not be evaluated or retrofitted for load combinations that include earthquake effects.
The building shall be evaluated by a registered design professional, and the evaluation findings shall be submitted to the code official. The evaluation shall establish whether the damaged building, if repaired to its predamage state, would comply with the provisions of the International Building Code for load combinations that include wind or earthquake effects, except that the seismic forces shall be the reduced seismic forces.
If the evaluation establishes that the building in its predamage condition complies with the provisions of Section 405.2.3.1, then the damaged elements shall be permitted to be restored to their predamage condition.
If the evaluation does not establish that the building in its predamage condition complies with the provisions of Section 405.2.3.1, then the building shall be retrofitted to comply with the provisions of this section. The wind loads for the repair and retrofit shall be those required by the building code in effect at the time of original construction, unless the damage was caused by wind, in which case the wind loads shall be in accordance with the International Building Code. The seismic loads for this retrofit design shall be those required by the building code in effect at the time of original construction, but not less than the reduced seismic forces.
Gravity load-carrying components that have sustained substantial structural damage shall be rehabilitated to comply with the applicable provisions for dead, live and snow loads in the International Building Code.Undamaged gravity load-carrying components that receive dead, live or snow loads from rehabilitated components shall also be rehabilitated if required to comply with the design loads of the rehabilitation design.
Regardless of the level of damage to vertical elements of the lateral force-resisting system, if substantial structural damage to gravity load-carrying components was caused primarily by wind or seismic effects, then the building shall be evaluated in accordance with Section 405.2.3.1 and, if noncompliant, retrofitted in accordance with Section 405.2.3.3.
Exceptions:
- Buildings assigned to Seismic Design Category A, B or C whose substantial structural damage was not caused by earthquake need not be evaluated or retrofitted for load combinations that include earthquake effects.
- One- and two-family dwellings need not be evaluated or retrofitted for load combinations that include earthquake effects.
Where substantial structural damage to any snow load-carrying components is caused by or related to snow load effects, any components required to carry snow loads on roof framing of similar construction shall be repaired, replaced or retrofitted to satisfy the requirements of Section 1608 of the International Building Code.
In flood hazard areas, buildings that have sustained substantial damage shall be brought into compliance with Section 1612 of the International Building Code, or Section R322 of the International Residential Code, as applicable.
Existing electrical wiring and equipment undergoing repair shall be allowed to be repaired or replaced with like material.
Replacement of electrical receptacles shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 406.4(D) of NFPA 70.
Plug fuses of the Edison-base type shall be used for replacements only where there is no evidence of over fusing or tampering per applicable requirements of Section 240.51(B) of NFPA 70.
For replacement of nongrounding-type receptacles with grounding-type receptacles and for branch circuits that do not have an equipment grounding conductor in the branch circuitry, the grounding conductor of a grounding-type receptacle outlet shall be permitted to be grounded to any accessible point on the grounding electrode system or to any accessible point on the grounding electrode conductor in accordance with Section 250.130(C) of NFPA 70.
Portions of electrical systems being repaired in Group I-2, ambulatory care facilities and outpatient clinics shall comply with NFPA 99 requirements for repairs.
Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the existing branch circuit for these appliances shall be permitted to be grounded to the grounded circuit conductor in accordance with Section 250.140 of NFPA 70.
Existing mechanical systems undergoing repair shall not make the building less complying than it was before the damaged occurred.
A mechanical draft system shall be permitted to be used with manually fired appliances and fireplaces where such a system complies with all of the following requirements:
- The mechanical draft device shall be listed and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions.
- A device shall be installed that produces visible and audible warning upon failure of the mechanical draft device or loss of electrical power at any time that the mechanical draft device is turned on. This device shall be equipped with a battery backup if it receives power from the building wiring.
- A smoke detector shall be installed in the room with the appliance or fireplace. This device shall be equipped with a battery backup if it receives power from the building wiring.
Plumbing materials and supplies shall not be used for repairs that are prohibited in the International Plumbing Code.
The maximum water consumption flow rates and quantities for all replaced water closets shall be 1.6 gallons (6 L) per flushing cycle.
Exception: Blowout-design water closets [3.5 gallons (13 L) per flushing cycle].
Portions of medical gas systems being repaired in Group I-2, ambulatory care facilities and outpatient clinics shall comply with NFPA 99 requirements for repairs.