San Diego County Construction Specifications

General Specifications

• San Diego County requires persons responsible for remodeling and construction projects to understand and follow California's codes and standards. Requirements vary according to the scope of a particular project. Plumbers must familiarize themselves with the California Plumbing Code. Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning contractors must follow the California Mechanical Code and electricians must adhere to the California Electrical Code.

  Other building codes include the California Building Code and/or California Residential Code, California Green Building Standards Code, the California Fire Code and the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards. Sometimes, the responsible party must know and apply two or more of the above codes.

Electrical

• All electrical lighting projects must conform to the California Electrical Code and rules set by San Diego County. Rules require the installation of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets in bathrooms, near kitchen counter tops, in laundry areas and in wet bars. In addition, attics, unfinished basements, garages and the exterior require GFIC protection for outlets. Electricians must protect bedroom outlets with Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI). AFCIs detect non-working circuits and reduce the risk of fire hazards. High-efficiency lighting must meet fixture and efficacy criteria, as established by the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

Plumbing

• The California Plumbing Code states that the clearance for toilets must be a minimum of 30 inches wide by 24 inches deep from the front of the toilet. Toilets must meet an efficiency rating of 1.6 gallons per flush. Bathroom shower areas have to encompass at least 1,024 square inches. The space must include a 30-inch diameter circle. Shower doors need a minimum clearance width of 22 inches.

Mechanical Ventilation / Indoor Air Quality

• California Mechanical Code rules call for ventilated air to come directly from the outside of the building. Mechanical ventilation controls must have the proper labels and include instructions on how to operate the system. All combustion and solid-fuel burning appliances must have the proper ventilation. Air systems must have a design feature that prevents backdrafting.

  Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning codes for garages require that all walls and openings adjacent to living spaces be sealed. Air inlets for the system must be located away from contaminants. Mechanical systems that supply air to living spaces by ducts require a filter with a minimum efficiency rating of MERV 6. The adequacy of air movement equipment for meeting local ventilation exhaust or whole-ventilation ode requirements has to be rated by the sound and airflow.

Detectors in Buildings

• San Diego County mandates the placement of smoke detectors in each sleeping room, outside of sleeping areas and on each story of a single-family home, including the basement. Property owners may place battery-operated smoke detectors in areas that are not undergoing construction. Codes permit battery-operated smoke detectors as long as the space does not allow access through a basement, attic or crawl space.

  Owners must place carbon monoxide detectors outside each separate sleeping area. For other areas of the house, the rules are the same as for the placement of smoke detectors.