MECKLENBURG COUNTY
Land Use and Environmental Services Agency
Code Enforcement
CODE
INTERPRETATION
Mechanical/Plumbing
Code Volume Reference: NC Mechanical Code 2009
Code Chapter Reference: 507.16, 507.16.1, 507.16.2
Subject:
Performance Test Detail
Effective Date:
1/1/2003
Prepared/Revision Date:
3/26/2009
CODE:
507.16 Performance test. A performance test shall be conducted upon completion and before final approval of the
installation of a ventilation system serving commercial cooking appliances. The test shall verify the rate of exhaust
airflow required by Section 507.13, makeup airflow required by Section 508, and proper operation as specified in
this chapter. The permit holder shall furnish the necessary test equipment and devices required to perform the tests.
507.16.1 Capture and containment test. The permit holder shall verify capture and containment performance of
the exhaust system. This field test shall be conducted with all appliances under the hood at operating temperatures,
with all sources of outdoor air providing makeup air for the hood operating and with all sources of recirculated air
providing conditioning for the space in which the hood is located operating. Capture and containment shall be
verified visually by observing smoke or steam produced by actual or simulated cooking, such as with smoke candles,
smoke puffers, etc.
507.16.2 Certification. These tests shall be witnessed by the code official. or at the code official's option, by a professional engineer who shall provide certification of performance to the code official.
INTERPRETATION:
The hood/s (Type I only) test shall verify the rate of airflow and proper operation with these
additional requirements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
All building exhausting equipment (i.e. misc. kitchen exhaust fans, bath fans, etc.) shall be energized and in
operation during the performance test.
The cooking equipment under the hood/s shall be in place, up to operational heat levels and sufficient smoke/
grease generating foods to simulate the desired cooking process.
The hood shall capture all exhaust. T-T Puffers (or equal) shall be used during the test to check for spillage of
exhaust to the kitchen area.
The test shall also include the verifying of actual flow rates versus design flow rates.
The Designer or installer shall provide documentation detailing and certification of all test results including
the status of the structures systems during the tests (i.e. temperatures, food cooked, fans, etc.)
Testing/verification shall be performed by a P.E or person/s certified through AABC, TABB, NEBB or NBC,
who shall provide documentation of performance to the code official.
The electrical interlocking of any system providing make up air to the hood.
Technicians with one of these certifications is approved as an alternate to a Professional Engineer.
AABC (Associated Air Balance Council)
TABB (Testing & Balancing Bureau)
NEBB (National Environmental Balancing Bureau)
NBC (National Balancing Council)
Prepared by: Consistency Team
Approved by:
Philip B. Edwards, M/P Code Administrator