VOICE of the Licensed Master Plumber The Vol. 15, Issue 1 January 2015 In this Edition: MPC Scholorship Program Message from Con Edison Changes to Water Heaters Fuel Gas Code Changes LAA Emergency Work A NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION OF THE MASTER PLUMBERS COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, INC. MASTER PLUMBERS COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM In 2014 the Master Plumbers Council Board of Directors voted to start an annual scholarship fund. This scholarship fund was established to honor and further the education of worthy students as selected by its Scholarship Committee. The Award program is divided into two levels: high school (grades 9 12); and college/ post high school. In order to be eligible for this scholarship award, the applicant must be either (a) the child or grandchild of a NYC licensed master plumber who has been a member in good standing of the NYCMPC for a minimum of one (1) year preceding the application date, or a child or grandchild of a deceased member who met such membership requirement; or, (b) the child or grandchild of an employee who has been employed for a minimum of one (1) year by a licensed master plumber who is a member of the NYCMPC. Applicants must be sponsored by a Master Plumber Member of the Association. On Tuesday, August 19, 2014, the Board of Directors held a scholarship reception at Giardino s by Russo s on the Bay, where five scholarships were awarded to worthy recipients. The award winners were Rachel Elizabeth Armellino, Lauren Alexandra Bowman, Justin Cassamassino, Ciara Ellen Coyle, and Eliot Kontorovich. The young students and their parents enjoyed hors d oeuvres, drinks, and conversation with our board members. Our president, Michael Loise, presented each student with a check and certificates of scholarship. The scholarship ceremony was a great success with a good time had by all. Applications for the 2015 MPC Scholarship Program are available on our website. From left: Cara Coyle; Justin Cassamassino and Eliot Kontorovich all photoed with Michael Loise, NYCMPC President IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS FOR AS LITTLE AS $125 PER MONTH See Page 11 for details. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. * 240-21 Braddock Avenue, Bellerose, NY 11426 * (718) 793-6300
A Message from the President of the Master Plumbers Council Happy New Year everyone. As a 100+ year old organization the Master Plumbers Association has afforded us all a great many opportunities to have our voices be heard and our businesses recognized. I m honored to be chosen to lead this great organization for the next two years. I am especially thankful to those before me who have put the right pieces in place to really set this organization on the right path to make a difference going forward. As a fourth-generation licensed master plumber I value the wealth of information and resources I ve received to help me in my own business. My goal is to help grow our membership and lobby for change in the industry that will help all of us. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. 240-21 Braddock Avenue, Bellerose, NY 11426 Phone: 718-793-6300 * Fax: 516-677-5374 www.nycmpc.org The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber, a membership publication of the NYCMPC. All text for articles is due by the 1st day of the month prior to publication. We welcome your suggestions and contributions. My main initiative over the next two years will be getting the word out to all licensed plumbers the importance of being in an association like this and how crucial the information gained from the MPC is to running a plumbing related business. The return on value for a membership is so high relative to the cost it seems unfathomable to me that any licensed plumber can t afford the cost of membership or see the value. All of us as current members know the knowledge and information you receive that benefits your business decisions far outweighs the cost. Going forward, the more members we have the stronger the organization will be. Getting potential members to understand the importance of this organization is the hard part. That is why I am going to ask all members to be ambassadors of this organization. Tell all of your licensed plumber associates how the MPC has helped your business and all what it can do for their businesses. Every one of us as members of the association knows at least one licensed plumber or related business that isn t a member and would benefit from becoming one. Let s put the strength of our voices together to encourage all licensed plumbers and affiliates to join our group. The more members we have the more leverage we have to lobby for change in the various areas that make a difference to benefit our mutual interests as owners of plumbing businesses. I want to thank you all in advance for your help in this endeavor. Working together we can make the MPC stronger than it has ever been. With Warm Regards, Darren Lundin NYCMPC President NYCMPC Board President Darren Lundin Executive Director John F. DeLillo, Jr. johnd@nycmpc.org Editors George Bassolino Brittni Rhoads Graphics Janene Meyerowitz JM Image Management, LLC info@jmimagemgmt.com GENERAL DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: The information provided in this newsletter is to be used only to educate businesses and the general public on plumbing and related construction issues that may affect their daily business or personal lives. All opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors only and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the NYCMPC, its officers, Board of Directors, the NYCMPC newsletter or its editors. The NYCMPC does not guarantee the accuracy or the correctness of advertising, articles or references to information sources herein, nor does the NYCMPC intend to endorse, rate, or otherwise officially comment on products available. Therefore, the readers are cautioned to rely on information contained herein at their own risk. All information that is available to you through this newsletter is provided as is without warranty or condition of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The information contained in the newsletter is believed to be correct and accurate. However, the NYCMPC cannot and will not assume responsibility for the consequences of errors contained in the articles or misapplication of any information provided. NYCMPC expressly disclaims any liability for any special, incidental, or consequential damages, including without limitation, lost revenues, or lost profits, resulting from the use or misuse. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 2
MASTER PLUMBERS COUNCIL HOLIDAY DINNER On December 6, 2014, we held our first Holiday Dinner Dance at the Inn at New Hyde Park, which was a great success. The event was generously sponsored by our Affiliate Members, Henry Quentzel Plumbing Supply Co., Inc. and USI Insurance Services LLC. We had a wonderful turn out with over 140 guests in attendance. Persons honored at the event included outgoing MPC President Michael Loise and Vice President Darren Lundin, as well as outgoing Board of Directors. The wives and significant others of Board Members were also honored, for graciously allowing our dedicated board members to volunteer their time to the MPC. A short presentation was made, in which the organization s accomplishments of 2014 were highlighted, as well as 2015 goals. Everyone enjoyed their night and is looking forward to next year s event. Above: Michael Loise, exiting NYCMPC President addressing the audience. LEWSAN CONSULTANTS SERVICING THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY FOR OVER 30 YEARS! BUILDING CONSULTANTS / EXPEDITING SERVICES SERVICING ALL 5 BOROUGHS DOB, ECB AND DEP. FULL ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING SERVICES PERMITS, LAAS, METER PERMITS, OP98S, CERTIFIED ASBESTOS INVESTIGATORS AND MUCH MORE! 158-01 CROSSBAY BLVD, 2ND FL, HOWARD BEACH, NY, 11414 T: 718 848 1500 / F: 718 843 1237 DIANE@LEWSANCONSULTANTS.COM WALLY@LEWSANCONSULTANTS.COM MICHELE@LEWSANCONSULTANTS.COM Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 3
In the past two weeks, our team has personally dealt with more than two dozen improperly converted buildings. Plumbers, in their haste to provide customers with gas service, are converting customers to heat without filing jobs with Con Edison, thus not knowing whether the existing service can handle the new load. Even in cases where the service size is adequate, the meters are far too small. I have a customer today in Queens that has no authorization from the City of New York, and no case with us, but called to find out why her Con Edison bill was only for cooking gas, when she was clearly using heat! We all need to work together to get these customers on, and provide them with a good customer experience. Please remember that a service determination for a small residential home will be sent out in days and upsizing residential meters can be done quickly. We don t want to be shutting people off for safety reasons over what tend to be simple jobs when done properly. We understand the volume of work out there and we know this is not intentional, but safety must always come before expediency. Please reiterate to your membership the importance of filing work requests with the utilities, obtaining any necessary authorizations from the City of New York, and not assuming that service lines or meters are adequate to handle additional load. Regards, Christine Cummings Director, Gas Conversions Con Edison Company of New York, Inc. A MESSAGE FROM CON EDISON REGARDING ILLEGAL GAS CONVERSIONS UTILITY COMMITTEE NOTES: In some of these instances Con Ed has found that a licensed plumber has filed and obtained gas authorization for a project but has not contacted the utility prior to commencement of the work. Anytime a plumber undertakes an oil to gas conversion ( even in a 1 family dwelling) they are obligated to notify the utility and complete a contractor work request (https://apps.coned. com/esweb/login.aspx ) Con Edison will review each service to ensure it does not have to be replaced due to exceeding its service life. Don t assume that even if a service may be adequate ( especially in a 1-2 family home) that the service will not have to be replaced. It can be dangerous to increase the load on an existing gas meter or gas service without first determining if it is adequate. If Con Edison determines there is an unsafe condition they will shut down the gas to the location. Jobs that were not filed may be referred to the DOB for prosecution. Please remember that you should not disconnect the existing heat source until the new gas service has been installed. Please send any questions or comments to the committee at: utility@nycmpc.org GAS METER INSTALLATIONS Based on reports we have received, typical wait times for the installation of a gas meter AFTER you pass a final inspection is 4-6 weeks in Manhattan. UTILITY COMMITTEE COMMENTS: Add to this the typical wait times in excess of 1 month to get a final inspections and all we can say is WHY? In the past Con Edison transferred GDS personnel between their territories to help expedite the process. To the best of our knowledge, this is now longer happening. We will be requesting a meeting with Con Ed Energy Service and OTG group to find why these delays are occurring and what can be done to improve on the process. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 4
Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 5
SECTION FGC 404 PIPING SYSTEM INSTALLATION 404.1 Prohibited locations. Piping shall not be installed in or through a ducted supply, return or exhaust duct, or a trash or clothes chute, chimney or gas vent, ventilating duct, dumbwaiter or elevator shaft. Piping installed downstream of the point of delivery shall not extend through any townhouse unit other than the unit served by such piping. Piping, fixtures, or equipment shall be located so as not to interfere with the normal operation of windows or doors and other exit openings. The following installation limitations shall apply: 1. Fire pump and fire pump rooms. Gas piping, gas consumption devices or any other gas equipment shall not be installed within any space housing a fire pump. Access to gas meter rooms shall not be permitted thru rooms housing a fire pump. 2. Fire-rated construction. Gas piping shall not be installed within fire-rated assemblies. 3. Public corridor. Gas piping shall not be installed in public corridors and exit enclosures. 403.1.1 Pipe Size and pressure limitations Exception: Gas piping may be installed in public corridors in residential buildings that do not have floors below grade or in multi-use buildings that have a residential occupancy in accordance with the following: 1. Gas piping shall be permitted to be installed within a public corridor at the lowest level of the building or the lowest residential level of the building. 2. All gas valves located within the public corridor shall be accessible for maintenance and inspection. 3. Gas pressure within the public corridor piping shall not exceed ½ psi (14 inch w.c.). The completed piping within the public corridor is to be tested and proven tight at 10 psig (69 kpa gauge) for a minimum of 30 minutes. 4. The public corridor shall be ventilated in accordance with the New York City Mechanical Code. The pipe shall not be installed in a return air plenum. 5. Pipes must be welded. IMPORTANT 2014 NYC FUEL GAS CODE UPDATES (Words underlined represent changes from the 2008 code) DEFINITIONS BUILDING CODE BC 1002.1 Corridor, Public. A corridor that serves more than one tenant Corridor, Interior. A corridor that serves only one tenant. In Group E occupancies, corridors serving only one institution shall be deemed as serving a single tenant. EXIT Enclosure: An exit component that is separated from other interior spaces of a building or structure by fire-resistance rated construction and opening protective, and provides for a protected path of egress travel in a vertical or horizontal direction to the exit discharge or the public way. 401.5 Identification. All piping installed in new construction and all new piping installed in existing buildings, whether or not the piping is intended to be enclosed when construction is completed, shall be identified by a yellow label marked Gas in black letters. Where the installation requires a gas test such labeling shall be completed prior to such test. Labels shall be provided in accordance with ASME A13.1 and the marking shall be spaced at intervals not exceeding 5 feet (1524 mm). The marking shall not be required on pipe located in the same room as the appliance served. KEY POINTS: Applies to ALL jobs applied for after December 30, 2014 Labels must be applied PRIOR to the gas test. * Items underlined represent changes or additions to the 2008 Code. OP-128 UPDATES FOR 2014 NYC ADMINISTRATIVE CODE 28-105.4.4 28-105-4-4 Ordinary Plumbing Work 28-105-4-4(8) The replacement of flexible gas tubing no greater than 4 feet in length located downstream of the existing gas cock to an appliance, provided such gas tubing does not penetrate a wall. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 6
CHANGES IN WATER HEATER DIMENSIONS: THE NEW NAECA GUIDELINES On April 16th, 2015 there will be significant updates to codes and standards regarding water heaters, in compliance with the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA). These new requirements will call for higher Energy Factor (EF) ratings on virtually all residential gas and electric water heaters. Improvements will impact you in a number of ways and you need to be aware of these changes when planning for a replacement of existing water heaters. The standard water heaters as we know it, in the NYC/LI territory, will no longer be manufactured as of April 16th, 2015. If space is a concern, you may need to install a water heater with a smaller storage capacity or a unitå with a similar storage capacity that may be larger in physical size than the existing water heater. Installations where access is gained by using a narrow doorway may present a challenge. The residential 75 and 100 gallon heaters (gas only) will not be affected by these changes. For more information contact your wholesaler or your local representative agent. NOTE: The NAECA regulation date of April 16, 2105 only applies to the manufacturer of water heaters.wholesalers, distributors and contractors may continue to sell products manufactured prior to this date for an indefinite period of time. WHAT DO I LIST FOR AN APPROVAL OF A BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE ON MY LAA APPLICATION? As we have previously informed the industry the old MEA numbers will no longer be accepted on LAA applications. As applicants continue backflow prevention project applications they are wondering what agency is the proper agency to list for backflow prevention devices and what should they submit on their application. When you look at the specification sheet for a particular device it will list all of the agencies that approve its installation. That being said it is important to note that NYS DOH only permits the installation of devices approved by the Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research which is a division of the University of Southern California. They maintain a list of approved devices. Before you purchase a device you should obtain the specification for the device and it should list FCCCHR of USC Manual Section 10. in the approval section. The device you wish to install must be on the current list. If you are unsure contact the manufacturer or their representative to verify the device is currently approved. It is your responsibility as the installer to ensure material compliance. When completing the application we suggest that you list device approved under FCCCHR of USC Manual Section 10. This information will be listed in Section 9 of the new LAA application. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 7
LAA EMERGENCY WORK NOTIFICATIONS When emergency work is necessary, Licensed Master Plumbers may file an Emergency Work Notice and perform the work prior to filing a Limited Alteration Application (LAA1). Emergency work includes: Repairs to address an emergency or hazardous condition that needs immediate attention Restoration of gas for cooking purposes in 9 or more residential dwelling units Restoration of heat and hot water Maintain sanitary conditions Restore fire suppression systems to proper working conditions Include the following on the Emergency Work Notice: Address where the work is occurring Nature of the emergency or hazardous condition Name, license number, telephone and fax number, and/or e-mail address of the licensed contractor performing the work A statement that a LAA1 will be filed within 5 business days and, if necessary a Plan Work Application (PW1) along with the associated permit application will be filed and approved within 60 days To file an Emergency Work Notice: Fax the notification: (212) 566 5823 E-mail the notification: laa-pr@buildings.nyc.gov Deliver the notification: Meet our Affiliate Members City Water Meter Repair Co., Inc. Support these vendors, who support our industry. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 8
LAA CONTINUED Limited Alteration Application / Permit Renewal and Hub Authentication Unit 280 Broadway, 5th Floor Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm Faxes and manual submissions must include the licensee s signature and seal. EDITORS NOTES: All EWN s MUST be followed up within FIVE days with a MANUAL LAA application. When completing the EWN you should include as much information as possible and not limit your ability to complete any repair or installation work. If you exceed the work scope listed in the original EWN you will have to apply for a new EWN that will encompass the additional work. An example would be if an applicant listed test gas piping they would be limited to testing the piping ONLY. Prior to undertaking any repair work they would either have to apply for and receive approval under an additional EWN or file for or obtain an LAA permit. If for any reason your EWN is rejected you CANNOT do any work on the project. Failure to follow this procedure may lead to a work without a permit violation from the Department. EDITORS COMMENTS: The industry intends to meet with the DOB to clarify some of the questions that have arisen from these procedures. As answers become available we will be published in this newsletter. Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 9
Replacement/testing of dryer(s) Temporary Heating Installations Direct Vent appliances Condensing boilers Establishing new heating systems EDITORS NOTES: IMPORTANT 2014 - LAA UPDATES E-Filing has been expanded to allow licensees to submit Limited Alteration Applications online. In order to be able to file an electronic LAA work permit they now must certify that the permit does not include work related to the following: Legalizations Establishing new bathroom Amendments group Emergency Work notifications PW1 to follow Generators Sprinkler/Standpipe work associated with a demolition Adding fuel burning appliances Grease Traps Standpipe work Withdrawals Renewals Superseding Many of the prohibited work types require supplemental information be provided along with the application. In future issue we will discuss each filing type that requires supplemental submissions in detail. It is very important to note that if you are testing, repairing or replacing any gas piping that is connected to a gas dryer in ANY occupancy group you MUST file the application manually. If you file electronically and list the dryer as other appliance your application will go through but you may be rejected at the time you submit your results for any inspections. The industry is in negotiations with the DOB to clarify some of the other items such as adding fuel burning appliances. JOHN J. FIGLIOLIA LMP# 419 Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 10
JOHN F. DELILLO, JR. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR E. JOHND@NYCMPC.ORG WWW.NYCMPC.ORG Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. 240-21 BRADDOCK AVENUE BELLEROSE, NY 11426 T. 718.793.6300 F. 516-677-5374 The Voice of the Licensed Master Plumber 11
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID FLUSHING, NY PERMIT No. 1045 Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York, Inc. 240-21 Braddock Avenue Bellerose, NY 11426 (718) 793-6300 Gregory T. Chillino Attorney at Law Former Director of Prosecutions and Investigative Attorney for NYC Department of Buildings Administrative Hearings, Licensing Matters and Disciplinary Proceedings, Article 78 s, ECB Violations, Civil Litigation. 315 Madison Avenue Suite 901 New York, NY 10017 (646) 395-0500 GC@GClicensinglaw.com