New Plumbing Count Code Lookup Tool

8/28/2019

Sometimes the best inspiration for new tools on this site come from basic frustrations with repeated tasks.

The past few weeks I’ve finally come to the point where I needed to scratch an itch – plumbing fixture counts.

What does this have to do for code & life safety? It doesn’t – other than (generally speaking) code summaries will often address plumbing fixture count minimums as part of the overall building code evaluation.

Here’s my scratched itch – a calculator that will populate minimum requirements for plumbing fixture counts based on the 2018 International Building Code & 2018 International Plumbing Code.

Now, with only four inputs you can quickly grab the minimum fixture counts from the 2018 IBC.

GET THE PLUMBING FIXTURE CALCULATOR

It’s more than likely that something already exists in the vast spans of the internet for this, but in the meantime at least I know we all can stop wringing the calculator for a few basic number crunches.

If you’re already a Toolkit user, you can download this update and use it right away on the downloads page here: www.meyerfire.com/downloads

If you’re not already a Toolkit user, why not? Join in on all the expanded tools we have by getting the Toolkit here.

Is this something you’d use? If you’d find this useful and would like to see it expanded to other editions of the IBC (or other standards), let me know by commenting here. I’d be happy to break this out for prior IBC editions if it’s something that’d be beneficial.

Todd Wyatt link

8/28/2019 11:50:23 am

Great tool! Thank you for sharing.

The IBC & IPC Commentaries offers (2) options in determining how to assign occupants to the applicable row(s) of the "Minimum Number of Required Plumbing Fixtures" table.

Option A uses the Occupancy Classifications per IBC Ch 3 and "Classifications" column per the plumbing fixture table which can, depending on the Occupancy Classifications, may result in additional minimum plumbing fixtures than Option B.

Option B uses the "Description" column per the plumbing fixture table and the "Function of Space" descriptions per IBC Table 1004.# (Maximum Floor Area Allowance per Occupant) to assign the Occupant Loads to the description that best matches the description/function of a room, space, or area.

For instance, conference rooms (e.g. "small assembly spaces") that do not meet the area (>750 sf) requirements or the calculated Occupant Load (>50 occupants) of IBC 303.1.2 would be classified as a Group B Business occupancy and the plumbing fixtures could be assigned based on this Occupancy Classification (Option A). These "assembly" occupants could instead (Option B) be assigned to the "description" of "Auditoriums w/o permanent seating ... lecture halls" and the resulting plumbing fixtures would be less than Option A. This same strategy could be used for the occupant loads for accessory storage spaces and mechanical equipment rooms.

Most AHJs will permit a reduced Occupant Load for determining minimum plumbing fixtures to account for the simultaneous use of rooms, spaces, and areas since plumbing fixtures are not considered a life safety issues. The Means of Egress components should meet the maximum probable occupant load for simultaneous use, however.

Pat

8/28/2019 04:06:10 pm

How about one for 2017 national standard plumbing code? NJ uses this code.

Marc

6/11/2020 06:50:08 pm

This seems to be off. For instance, I input 210 total occupants for "assembly-auditorium." In that case, it's 105 men, which at 165 men per WC, I'd only need 1 WC for men. Your spreadhseet's total says 2 are needed. Similarly for women I'd only need 2, and your spreadsheet says 4 are needed.

Joe Meyer

6/12/2020 08:35:37 am

Marc, thank you so much for finding this! I'll review and update. Thanks again Marc!

Joe

6/15/2020 02:14:35 pm

Seems you just needed another cell that halves the Design Occupant Load per sex. (IBC 2902.1.1 Fixture Calculations)

Comments are closed.

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