Significant changes to the 2018 International Plumbing Code

The 2018 Significant Changes guides are available for the International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. This valuable series can help any code user save time by zeroing in on the most critical changes in the 2018 International Codes. The Code Council’s technical experts provide summaries, analysis and graphics for these changes making them clear and easy to understand.

2018 International Plumbing Code

A clarification to Section 308.6 (Sway Bracing for Drainage Piping) states that additional information clarifies where sway bracing is needed for drainage piping.

The piping sway discussed in this section is the result of drainage flow significantly changing direction because of turns in horizontal piping. The forces on the turning fitting (the elbow) cause the upstream piping to move axially. These movements can become amplified in the piping downstream of the fitting and causing the piping to sway (side-to-side motion). Such sway action could cause problems with piping joints and hanger systems. A change in horizontal direction that is 45 degrees or less is not considered to be significant enough to cause the piping system to move. Although the required sway bracing could also serve as a seismic support, as might be required in Section 308.2, the purpose of Section 308.6 is only for resisting flow-induced movements.

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