National Home Service Contract Association; Petitioner sought answers to the following questions based upon circumstances described within the petition for declaratory statement: 1. Is it required that when part of an HVAC unit is replaced, that the ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION

Florida Building Commission

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

61G20-1.001Florida Building Code Adopted

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Florida Building Commission has issued an order disposing of the petition for declaratory statement filed by National Home Service Contract Association on March 02, 2018. The following is a summary of the agency’s disposition of the petition:

Petitioner sought answers to the following questions based upon circumstances described within the petition for declaratory statement: 1. Is it required that when part of an HVAC unit is replaced, that the part or resulting whole system must meet the current SEER rating? 2. In the event an outdoor condenser/compressor unit is replaced and upgraded to a higher, current SEER rating, must the fully functioning and by industry standards, compatible indoor evaporator coil be replaced to match the SEER rating of the outdoor unit (or vice-versa)? On April 16, 2018, the Commission issued an order providing the following answers: In response to Petitioner’s first question, for the level of work in question, the answer is no. Pursuant to exception 1 in section R501.7, Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 6th Edition (2017), and to section R503.1, Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 6th Edition (2017), replacement of a part of an HVAC system is permitted without requiring the combined efficiency of the whole system to meet the minimum efficiency listed for that type of equipment in the current Code. In response to Petitioner’s second question, for the level of work in question, the answer is no. Pursuant to exception 1 in section R501.7, Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 6th Edition (2017), and to section R503.1, Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 6th Edition (2017), replacement of the outdoor condenser/compressor in question is permitted without requiring the combined efficiency of the whole system (outdoor unit plus indoor unit) to meet the minimum efficiency listed for that type of equipment in the current Code. However, the two units (outdoor unit plus indoor unit) must be matched in accordance with exception 2 of section R501.7, Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 6th Edition (2017), and the combined capacity and SEER rating must be no less than originally listed.

A copy of the Order Disposing of the Petition for Declaratory Statement may be obtained by contacting: Agency Clerk’s Office, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, [phone], [e-mail].