The High Velocity Hurricane Zone (or HVHZ) in Florida encompasses only Miami-Dade And Broward Counties. It is a special section of the Florida Building Code which lays out special codes which apply to these counties. Important to note that the HVHZ does not extend south of Dade County and does not include Monroe County. It …
What is the HVHZ – High Velocity Hurricane Zone – in Florida? Read More »
What is a Product Performance Evaluation & A TER? A product performance evaluation or TER (Technical Evaluation Report) is a set of general instructions describing how to assemble a building product to a given performance limit without regard to a specific installation location. Example of a Technical Evaluation Report (TER) Unlike a location-specific (or site-specific) …
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(2020 Florida Existing Building Code Section 503) (adopted by use of IBC 2018 with amendments, definitions apply nationwide) Alteration – Level 1 (FBC Existing Buildings Section 602) Removal and replacement, or covering of existing materials, equipment, fixtures using new materials that serve the same purpose. Alteration –Level 1 does not include reconfiguration of space. Commentary: …
What are alteration levels in construction and how do they relate to delegate engineers? Read More »
The minimum roof slope requirement for metal panels varies depending on panel connection conditions. The required roof slope varies with application of materials and use. See the below Florida Building Code 7th Edition (2020) sections below to determine which slope is appropriate based on your specific design scenario. Definition METAL ROOF PANEL. An interlocking …
What is the Minimum Roof Slope for Metal Panels and other Roof Types? Read More »
Product Approvals for building components are the general rule in Florida. Building officials, architects, insurance companies, even homeowners ask for them all the time, frequently refusing permits, insurance discounts, and product installations. So what is the legal ruling on when and if product approvals are required for this product? The Florida Building Code requires only …
Case Study: Phantom Screens – Is a Florida Product Approval Required? Read More »
Footings Move When Soil Freezes. Let’s Explain. Building codes describe the design requirements of shallow foundations in regions where soil is subjected to seasonal ground freezing. Codes require that footings be protected from frost to prevent a phenomenon known as heave. Frost heave occurs when water penetrates the ground soil and subsequently freezes. When water …
Frost Protection For Concrete Footings On Grade – Heave Explained Read More »
Florida Product Approval & Miami-Dade NOA : What You Need to Know Florida Building Code (FBC) vs International Building Code (IBC) Florida stands out as one of the few states that requires statewide product evaluations before products can be permitted or installed. While the IBC includes similar provisions, the FBC enforces them more consistently, and …
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Can an engineer design alternate anchorage for a Florida product approval or other product evaluation? Say you have an evaluation report for a window or door. The report calls out for one brand of anchors, but you want to use another. Do you violate the provisions of the evaluation? The answer is yes, anchors can …
Regarding ASCE 7-16 & the 2020 Florida Building Code (FBC) Also Applies for ASCE 7-22 & 2023 Florida Building Code (8th Edition) YES. Section 1609.1.1 and Chapter 35 of the 2020 FBC refer to ASCE 7-16 as the governing code for loading requirements on most rooftop structures*. *Section 1609.5 of the 2020 FBC lays …
What’s The Difference Between ASD & LRFD Design? Put in layman’s terms, think of a wood plank designed to stretch between two supports. You’re going to walk across the piece of wood. The person that designed that plank needed to figure out if it will hold you. They had two options when designing: 1) Reduce …
