2012 CODE CHANGES
ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL INSTALLATIONS
RESIDENTIAL AND ENERGY CODE
GASTON COUNTY REQUIREMENTS
2012 NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTIAL CODE
 R314.3 Location
 Smoke alarms shall be located in the following locations
In each sleeping room
Outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedroom
On each additional story of the dwelling, including basements and habitable attic
 R314.3.1 Alterations, repairs and additions.
When alterations, repairs or additions requiring a building permit occur, or when one or
more sleeping rooms are added or created in existing dwellings, the individual dwelling
unit shall be equipped with smoke alarms located as required for new dwellings; the
smoke alarms shall be interconnected and hardwired
Exceptions:
1. Work involving the exterior surface of dwellings, such as the replacement of
roofing or siding, of the addition or replacement of windows or doors, or the
addition of a porch or deck, are exempt from the requirements of this section.
2. Installation, alteration or repairs of plumbing or mechanical system are exempt
from the requirements of this section
 R314.4 Power Source
Exception # 2 Interconnection and hard-wiring of smoke alarms in existing areas shall
not be required where the alterations or repairs do not result in the removal of interior
wall or ceiling finishes exposing the structure. Smoke alarm locations are required per
section R314.3, but may be battery powered and shall be designed to emit a recurring
signal when batteries are low and need to be replaced
 R315.1 Carbon Monoxide Alarms
In new construction dwelling units shall be provided with an approved carbon monoxide
alarm installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the
bedroom(s) as directed by the alarm manufacturer
 R315.2 Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Existing Dwellings
In existing dwellings, where interior alterations, repairs, fuel-fired appliance
replacements, or additions requiring a permit occur, or where one or more sleeping
rooms are added or created, carbon monoxide alarms shall be provided in accordance
with section 315.1
2012 NORTH CAROLINA ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE
 E402.4 Air leakage control (Mandatory Requirements)
 E402.4.1 Building thermal envelope
The building thermal envelope shall be durably sealed with an air barrier system to limit
infiltration. The sealing methods between dissimilar materials shall allow for differential
expansion and contraction. For all homes, where present, the following shall be caulked,
gasketed, weather-stripped or otherwise sealed with an air barrier material or solid
material consistent with Appendix 1.2.4 of this code:
4. Sealing HVAC register boots and return boxes to the subfloor or drywall.
 E402.4.5 Recessed lighting
Recessed luminaires installed in the building thermal envelope shall be sealed to limit air
leakage between conditioned and unconditioned spaces. All recessed luminaires shall be
IC-rated and labeled as meeting ASTM E 283 when tested at 1.57 psf (75Pa) pressure
differential with no more than 2.0 cfm (0.944 L/s) of air movement from the conditioned
space to the ceiling cavity.
All recessed luminaires shall be sealed with a gasket or caulk between the housing and
the interior wall or ceiling covering.
 E403.1 Controls (Mandatory Requirements)
At least one thermostat shall be provided for each separate heating and cooling system
 E403.1.1 Programmable thermostat
Where the primary heating system is a forced-air furnace, at least one thermostat per
dwelling unit shall be capable of controlling the heating and cooling system on a daily
schedule to maintain different temperature set points at different times of the day. This
thermostat shall include the capability to set back or temporarily operate the system to
maintain zone temperatures down to 55 degrees F or up to 85 degrees F.
 E403.1.2 Heat pump supplementary heat (Mandatory Requirements)
Heat pumps having supplementary electric-resistance heat shall have controls that,
except during defrost, prevent supplemental heat operation when the heat pump
compressor can meet the heating load.
A heat strip outdoor temperature lockout shall be provided to prevent supplemental
heat operation in response to the thermostat being changed to a warmer setting. The
lockout shall be set no lower than 35 degree F and no higher than 40 degree F.
 E403.2 Ducts
 E403.2.1 Insulation
Supply and return ducts in unconditioned space and outdoors shall be insulated to R-8.
Supply ducts inside semi-conditioned space shall be insulated to R-4; return ducts inside
conditioned and semi-conditioned space are not required to be insulated. Ducts located
inside conditioned space are not required to be insulated other than as may be
necessary for preventing the formation of condensate on the exterior of cooling ducts.
 E403.2.2 Sealing (Mandatory Requirements)
All ducts, air handlers, filter boxes and building cavities used as ducts shall be sealed.
Joints and seams shall comply with Part 5- Mechanical, Section 603.9 of the North
Carolina Residential Code.
Duct tightness shall be verified as follows:
Total duct leakage less than or equal to 6 CFM per 100 sq. ft. of conditioned floor area
served by that system when tested at a pressure differential of 0.1 inches across the
entire system, including the manufacturer’s air handler enclosure.
Testing shall be in accordance with section 403.2 of the North Carolina Energy
Conservation Code.
Testing shall be performed and reported by the permit holder, a NC licensed general
contractor, a NC licensed HVAC contractor, A NC licensed Home Inspector, a registered
design professional, a certified BPI Envelope Professional or a certified HERS rater.
The duct leakage information, including leakage result, tester name, date, and contact
information, shall be included on the certificate described in NCECC Section 401.3. This
section is included at the end of this document for reference.
 E403.2.3 Building cavities (Mandatory Requirements)
Building framing cavities shall not be used as supply ducts.
 E403.3 Mechanical system piping insulation (Mandatory Requirements)
Mechanical system piping capable of carrying fluids above 105 degree F or below 55
degree F shall be insulated to a minimum of R-3
 E403.5 Mechanical ventilation (Mandatory Requirements)
Exhausts shall have automatic or gravity dampers that close when the ventilation
system is not operating.
 E403.9 Pools, in ground permanently installed spas (Mandatory Requirements)
Pools and in ground permanently installed spas shall comply with Sections 403.9.1
through 403.9.3.
 E403.9.1 Heaters
All heaters shall be equipped with a readily accessible on-off switch that is mounted
outside of the heater to allow shutting off the heater without adjusting the thermostat
setting. Gas-fired heaters shall not be equipped with constant burning pilot lights.
 E403.9.2 Time Switches
Time switches or other control method that can automatically turn off and on heaters
and pumps according to a preset schedule shall be installed on all heaters and pumps.
Heaters, pumps and motors that have built-in timers shall be deemed in compliance
with this requirement.
Exceptions:
1. Where public health standards require 24-hour pump operation.
2. Where pumps are required to operate solar- and waste-heat-recovery pool heating
systems.
 E403.9.3 Covers
Heated pools and in ground permanently installed spas shall be provided with a vaporretardant cover.
Exception: Pools deriving over 70 percent of the energy for heating from site-recovered
energy, such as a heat pump or solar energy source computed over an operating season.
 SECTION 404 ELECTRICAL POWER AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS
 404.1 Lighting equipment
A minimum of 75 percent of the lamps in permanently installed lighting fixtures shall be
high-efficacy lamps.
 E401.3 Certificate
A permanent certificate shall be posted on or in the electrical distribution panel,
in the attic next to the attic insulation card, or inside a kitchen cabinet or other
approved location. The certificate shall not cover or obstruct the visibility of the
circuit directory label, service disconnect label or other required labels. The
builder, permit holder, or registered design professional shall be responsible for
completing the certificate. The certificate shall list the predominant R-values of
insulation installed in or on ceiling/roof, walls, foundation (slab, basement wall,
crawlspace wall and floor) and ducts outside conditioned spaces; U-factors for
fenestration and the solar heat gain coefficient of fenestration. Where there is
more than one value for each component, the certificate shall list the value
covering the largest area. The certificate shall indicate whether the building air
leakage was visually inspected as required in 402.4.2.1 or provide results of the
air leakage testing required in 402.4.2.2. The certificate shall provide results of
duct leakage test required in 403.2.2.