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SynC · Historical revision

Common Work Results for Mechanical

Revision4
EditedOct 8, 2026
StatusSuperseded
Contents

View changes in this revision   Revision history

Historical revision. This is editorial revision 4, kept so citations to it stay resolvable. It is not the current text of this standard — see the current revision.

SynC Standards Team — Specifier (Platform Standards) ✓ OfficialDiscloses employment SynC (SynC Platform Team)
Remade from scratch to the authoring rules: defaults asserted only where four of five projects would choose them, and scope boundaries matched to the neighboring standards

1 Scope

NOTE This standard is the umbrella for the mechanical discipline. It states once the code basis, the site conditions, and the administrative and execution provisions that every mechanical standard on the project inherits, so that the equipment, piping, ductwork, and controls standards can confine themselves to their own products and procedures. (1.1)
1.2 The requirements of this standard apply to every item of mechanical work on the project whether or not the standard governing that work restates them.
1.3 Where a standard governing a particular item of mechanical work states a requirement on a matter this standard also addresses, the more specific standard shall govern that item unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
NOTE This standard carries no product requirements. The products and procedures below are governed by their own standards, and nothing here restates them. (1.4)
  • Sheet-metal and flexible ductwork, duct accessories, duct access doors, and duct penetrations of rated assemblies, including ductwork exposed in an open plenum: HVAC DuctworkHVAC DuctworkResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-ductwork and Duct AccessoriesHVAC Duct AccessoriesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/duct-accessories
  • Diffusers, grilles, registers, and other room-side air outlets and inlets, including those hung in an open plenum: HVAC Air Distribution DevicesHVAC Air Distribution DevicesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-air-distribution-devices
  • Hydronic piping and its pressure test: Hydronic PipingHydronic PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-piping; central-plant chilled and condenser water mains: Chilled And Condenser Water PipingChilled and Condenser Water PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/chilled-and-condenser-water-piping; steam and condensate: Steam And Condensate PipingSteam and Condensate PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/steam-and-condensate-piping; refrigerant piping: Refrigerant PipingRefrigerant PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/refrigerant-piping; HVAC condensate drainage: Condensate Drainage PipingHVAC Condensate Drainage PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/condensate-drainage-piping; fuel gas piping: Fuel Gas PipingFacility Liquefied-Petroleum and Fuel Gas PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fuel-gas-piping
  • Isolation, shutoff, throttling, and check valves: HVAC Piping ValvesGeneral-Duty Valves for HVAC PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-piping-valves
  • Balancing valves, strainers, pressure gauges, thermometers, thermowells, test plugs, and the other in-line hydronic devices: Hydronic SpecialtiesHydronic SpecialtiesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-specialties
  • Expansion joints, loops, offsets, anchors, and guides: Expansion Fittings And LoopsExpansion Fittings and Loops for PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/expansion-fittings-and-loops
  • Pipe hangers, trapezes, structural attachments, and equipment anchorage: Hangers And SupportsHangers and Supports for Mechanical Piping and EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hangers-and-supports; concrete housekeeping and equipment pads: Concrete PadsConcrete Equipment PadsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-pads
  • Vibration isolators, inertia bases, seismic restraint design, bracing, snubbers, and special seismic certification: Vibration Isolation And Seismic RestraintVibration Isolation and Seismic RestraintResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/vibration-isolation-and-seismic-restraint
  • Thermal insulation of piping, ductwork, and equipment: Mechanical InsulationMechanical InsulationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/mechanical-insulation
  • Pipe markers, valve tags, equipment nameplates, and color banding: Mechanical IdentificationMechanical IdentificationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/mechanical-identification
  • Through-penetration firestop systems and fire-resistive joint systems: FirestoppingFirestoppingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/firestopping
  • Wall and ceiling access doors and panels: Access Doors And PanelsAccess Doors and PanelsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/access-doors-and-panels
  • Motors furnished with mechanical equipment: Electric MotorsCommon Motor Requirements for Electrical EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electric-motors; separately procured variable frequency drives: HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives
  • Electrical power wiring, disconnecting means, and overcurrent protection serving mechanical equipment: Common Work Results ElectricalCommon Work Results for ElectricalResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-electrical
  • Direct digital control systems and their sequences: Building Automation SystemBuilding Automation SystemResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/building-automation-system
  • Cleaning, flushing, and passivation of hydronic systems: Hydronic Cleaning And FlushingHydronic System Cleaning and FlushingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-cleaning-and-flushing; the water treatment program: HVAC Water TreatmentHVAC Water TreatmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-water-treatment
  • Testing, adjusting, and balancing: Testing Adjusting And BalancingTesting, Adjusting, and Balancing for HVACResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/testing-adjusting-and-balancing; commissioning and operator training: CommissioningTotal Building CommissioningResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/commissioning
  • Plumbing common work: Common Work Results PlumbingCommon Work Results for PlumbingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-plumbing; fire suppression common work: Common Work Results Fire SuppressionCommon Work Results for Fire SuppressionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-fire-suppression

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Equipment, materials, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where the Contract Documents, the adopted codes, and a referenced standard differ on the same matter, the most stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
IMC International Mechanical Code
IFGC International Fuel Gas Code
IBC International Building Code (Section 714, Penetrations; Chapter 17, Special Inspections and Tests)
IECC International Energy Conservation Code
ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
ASHRAE 62.1 Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
ASHRAE 15 Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems
ASME B31.9 Building Services Piping
ASME B31.1 Power Piping
ASME B31.5 Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer Components
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (Articles 110, 430, and 440)
NFPA 90A Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems
ASCE/SEI 7 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (Chapter 13)
UL 60335-2-40 Household and Similar Electrical Appliances, Safety, Part 2-40: Particular Requirements for Electrical Heat Pumps, Air-Conditioners and Dehumidifiers
40 CFR Part 82 Protection of Stratospheric Ozone (Subpart F, Recycling and Emissions Reduction)
ASHRAE Handbook HVAC Applications

3 Governing Codes and Authority

3.1 Mechanical work shall comply with Adopted Mechanical CodeAdopted Mechanical CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-mechanical-code and with Adopted Building CodeAdopted Building CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-building-code, including the amendments the Authority Having Jurisdiction has enacted to each.
3.2 Fuel-fired equipment, its venting, and the fuel gas piping serving it shall comply with the fuel gas code the Authority Having Jurisdiction has adopted alongside Adopted Mechanical CodeAdopted Mechanical CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-mechanical-code.
3.3 Mechanical equipment and systems shall meet the minimum efficiencies, control provisions, and other mandatory requirements of Adopted Energy CodeAdopted Energy CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-energy-code.
3.4 Piping within the service limits of ASME B31.9 shall be designed, fabricated, and tested under that section.
3.5 Piping outside the service limits of ASME B31.9 shall be designed, fabricated, and tested under ASME B31.1, and refrigerant piping under ASME B31.5.
3.6 Before requesting the first rough-in inspection, the Contractor shall confirm the adopted code editions and amendments with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
3.7 The Contractor shall notify the Engineer of Record in writing of any adopted amendment that conflicts with the Contract Documents within seven days of identifying it.
3.8 Work affected by a reported amendment conflict shall not proceed until the Engineer of Record has responded in writing.
3.9 Unless the Contract Documents assign the duty to another party, the Contractor shall obtain the mechanical permits, pay the associated fees, and arrange every inspection the Authority Having Jurisdiction requires.
3.10 The Contractor shall deliver the signed inspection records and the final mechanical approval to the Owner with the closeout submittals.
NOTE Many jurisdictions adopt a model code one or two cycles behind the current publication, several adopt the Uniform Mechanical Code rather than the International Mechanical Code, and nearly all enact local amendments. The code basis is a fact about the project, answered once, and every mechanical standard reads the same answer; the design was prepared against that edition, and a newer edition is not a substitute for it. (3.11)

4 Submittals

4.1 Submittal Procedures

4.1.1 Each submittal made under a mechanical standard shall identify the equipment tag or system it covers, the governing standard, and the datasheet values of that standard on which the selection depends.
4.1.2 Product data shall be marked to show the model, capacity, options, and accessories proposed, with inapplicable options struck through.
4.1.3 Where a submittal proposes a departure from the Contract Documents, the departure shall be identified in the transmittal, and a submittal that is silent on a departure shall not be construed as having disclosed it.
4.1.4 Delegated-design submittals shall bear the seal of a professional engineer licensed in the project jurisdiction.

4.2 Action Submittals

  • Coordination drawings for each area where mechanical work shares space with structure, other trades, or ceiling systems, prepared under the Trade Coordination section of this standard
  • Equipment schedule reconciliation tabulating, for each scheduled item, the proposed equipment's capacity, dimensions, operating weight, service clearances, and electrical characteristics against the scheduled values
  • Sleeve and penetration layout drawings locating every sleeve, block-out, and roof or exterior wall penetration, with the sleeve size and the listed firestop system at each rated assembly
  • Access door location schedule identifying each concealed component that requires service and the access provided to it
  • Delegated-design submittals, including seismic restraint and anchorage design, where the Contract Documents delegate design
Required Action Submittalscheckbox
☑ Coordination drawings
☑ Equipment schedule reconciliation
☑ Sleeve and penetration layout drawings
☑ Access door location schedule
☑ Delegated-design submittals

4.3 Informational Submittals

4.3.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for the record:
  • Written confirmation of the adopted code editions and amendments obtained from the Authority Having Jurisdiction
  • Copies of mechanical permits and signed inspection records as they are issued
  • Installing contractor checkout and startup reports for each item of equipment, under the Startup and Acceptance section of this standard
  • Manufacturer's field service reports where factory-authorized startup is performed
  • Temporary-use log where permanent equipment is operated during construction
Required Informational Submittalscheckbox
☑ Adopted code edition and amendment confirmation
☑ Permits and inspection records
☑ Checkout and startup reports
☑ Manufacturer's field service reports
☐ Temporary-use log

4.4 Closeout Submittals

4.4.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before substantial completion:
  • Record drawings showing the installed routing, equipment locations, valve and damper locations, sleeve and access door locations, and every deviation from the Contract Drawings
  • Operation and maintenance manuals for each item of equipment and each system, organized by system and indexed by equipment tag
  • Startup, field test, and inspection reports collected under this standard and under the governing equipment and system standards
  • Warranty documentation for each item of equipment, listing the warranty start date, the term, and the party responsible for warranty service
  • Spare parts receipt signed by the Owner's representative
  • Operator training records where training is required under CommissioningTotal Building CommissioningResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/commissioning
Required Closeout Submittalscheckbox
☑ Record drawings
☑ Operation and maintenance manuals
☑ Startup, field test, and inspection reports
☑ Warranty documentation
☑ Spare parts receipt
☑ Operator training records
4.4.2 Record drawings shall be delivered in the format indicated in the datasheet.
Record Drawing Formatselect
Marked-up prints of the Contract Drawings
Revised CAD drawing files
Revised building information model
NOTE Marked-up prints cost the least to produce and record what the field crew actually saw, but they live on paper and resist searching. Revised CAD files put the record in the Owner's drafting standard at the price of a redrafting step in which field marks are reinterpreted. A revised model carries the most information and feeds facility management software directly, and it is realistic where the project was coordinated in a model to begin with. (4.4.3)
4.4.4 Operation and maintenance manuals shall be delivered in the format indicated in the datasheet.
Operation and Maintenance Manual Formatselect
Electronic files with one bound hard copy
Electronic files with two or more bound hard copies
Electronic files, no hard copy
NOTE A bound manual in the mechanical room survives a network outage and a staff turnover; an electronic manual is searchable and does not go missing from the shelf. The number of bound copies follows the number of places the operating staff work from. (4.4.5)

5 Quality Assurance

5.1 Installer Qualifications

5.1.1 Mechanical work shall be performed by a contractor licensed for that work in the project jurisdiction.
5.1.2 Welding, brazing, and soldering of piping shall be performed by personnel qualified as the standard governing that piping system requires.
5.1.3 Refrigerant shall be handled by technicians certified under 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F.

5.2 Listing and Labeling

5.2.1 Mechanical equipment that contains electrical components shall be listed and labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory for the equipment category and for the environment in which it is installed.
5.2.2 Fuel-fired equipment shall be listed to the product standard the adopted fuel gas code or mechanical code references for that appliance type.
5.2.3 Equipment modified in the field in a way that affects its listing shall be field-evaluated and labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory before it is energized.
NOTE An equipment listing is what the inspector and the Engineer of Record rely on in place of evaluating each product's electrical and fire safety themselves. A field modification that alters the wiring, the controls, or the enclosure voids the listing, and the field evaluation label restores the basis the Authority Having Jurisdiction accepts. (5.2.4)

5.3 Source Limitation for Like Equipment

5.3.1 The source limitation applying to equipment of the same type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Source Limitation for Like Equipmentradio
● Single manufacturer for each equipment type across the project
○ Single manufacturer for each equipment type within each system
○ No source limitation
NOTE One manufacturer per equipment type gives the Owner one parts inventory, one service contact, and one set of controls conventions for every fan or every pump in the building. Limiting the source within each system instead lets a phased or multi-building project buy each system where the price is best while keeping like equipment uniform where an operator meets it. No limitation gives the Contractor the widest market and leaves the Owner to carry whatever mix of makes results. (5.3.2)

5.4 Pre-Installation Conference

5.4.1 Before mechanical rough-in begins in any area, the Contractor shall convene a pre-installation conference attended by the mechanical, plumbing, fire suppression, electrical, and controls trades, the general contractor, and the Engineer of Record.
5.4.2 The conference agenda shall cover the coordination drawing process and schedule, the sleeve and penetration layout, the locations of rated assemblies, equipment delivery and rigging paths, the division of responsibility settled under the Electrical Interface section of this standard, and the startup sequence.

6 Site and Service Conditions

6.1 Equipment installed outdoors shall be rated for continuous operation across the range from Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum to Site Ambient Temperature MaximumSite Ambient Temperature MaximumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-maximum.
6.2 Equipment capacities and ratings shall be corrected for AltitudeAltitudeParameterEach project supplies its own value.altitude in accordance with the manufacturer's published correction factors.
6.3 The corrected capacity at the site altitude, not the sea-level catalog rating, shall be the capacity reported in the submittal and compared against the scheduled value.
6.4 Indoor design temperature and humidity for each conditioned space shall be as indicated on the mechanical design criteria schedule.
NOTE Air density falls about 3% for each 1,000 ft of elevation, so a fan delivers the same volume but less mass, a cooling coil rejects less heat, and a fuel-fired appliance derates its input above the elevation its listing names. Catalog ratings are published at sea level and a standard ambient; the corrections are the manufacturer's to publish and the submittal's to apply. (6.5)

7 Trade Coordination

7.1 Coordination Drawings

7.1.1 The Contractor shall prepare coordination drawings for each mechanical room, shaft, ceiling plenum, and corridor, and for every other area where mechanical work shares space with structure, other trades, or ceiling systems, before any work in that area is fabricated or installed.
7.1.2 Coordination drawings shall show ductwork, piping, equipment, and their insulation at true size, together with the structure, lighting, sprinkler piping, electrical raceway and cable tray, ceiling systems, service clearances, sleeve and penetration locations, and access door locations.
7.1.3 Two-dimensional coordination drawings shall be drawn at a scale not smaller than 1/4 in. per ft, and not smaller than 3/8 in. per ft in mechanical rooms.
7.1.4 The party responsible for assembling the composite coordination drawing shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Coordination Drawing Leadselect
Mechanical trade
General contractor or construction manager
Coordination consultant retained by the Contractor
NOTE The mechanical trade owns the largest and least flexible components, so when it leads the ductwork is routed first and the other trades fit around it, which is the order the space priority rule produces anyway. A general contractor or construction manager lead carries neutral authority over every trade and is the usual home of a model-based process. A retained consultant brings the tooling and the neutrality where the general contractor lacks the staff, at a fee the project carries explicitly. (7.1.5)
7.1.6 The coordination method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Coordination Methodradio
○ Two-dimensional composite overlay drawings
○ Three-dimensional model with clash detection
NOTE Overlay drawings are produced with ordinary drafting tools and are adequate where the overhead space is generous and the trades are few. A clash-detection model finds the conflicts that an overlay hides in the vertical dimension, and on a congested ceiling it is what keeps rework out of the schedule; it also requires every trade to model its work to a common standard, which small subcontractors do not always have. (7.1.7)
7.1.8 Each trade shall add its work to the coordination drawings within ten working days of receiving them.
7.1.9 A trade that has not responded within ten working days shall be deemed to accept the routing shown for the other trades in that area.
7.1.10 Conflicts the trades cannot resolve among themselves shall be referred to the Engineer of Record in writing, with the proposed resolutions, before work in the affected area proceeds.
7.1.11 Work installed in an area before the coordination drawings for that area are accepted shall be relocated at the Contractor's cost where it conflicts with the accepted drawings.

7.2 Space Priority

7.2.1 Where the coordination drawings do not resolve a routing conflict, space shall be allocated in the following order: gravity-flow drainage piping, then ductwork and its insulation, then pressure piping and its insulation, then conduit, cable tray, and lighting.
NOTE Gravity drainage is fixed by its slope and its invert and cannot be rerouted around anything, so it comes first. Large ductwork is the next least flexible and the costliest to offset. Pressure piping tolerates offsets at the price of fittings and air vents, and conduit is the most flexible of all. The order is a tie-break rather than a licence, and a well-made coordination drawing moves whichever element costs the least to move. (7.2.2)

7.3 Information to Other Trades

7.3.1 The Contractor shall furnish equipment weights, dimensions, connection sizes and locations, rough-in dimensions, and electrical characteristics to the trades that depend on them before those trades fabricate or install their work in the affected area.
7.3.2 Sleeve, block-out, and anchor locations in concrete and masonry shall be furnished to the concrete and masonry trades before the formwork is closed or the masonry is laid.
7.3.3 Where the approved equipment differs from the scheduled basis in any dimension, weight, connection, or electrical characteristic another trade relies on, the Contractor shall issue the change to that trade in writing within five working days of the approval.

8 Access for Maintenance

8.1 Service Clearances

8.1.1 Equipment shall be installed with the service and working clearances the manufacturer publishes or the clearances Adopted Mechanical CodeAdopted Mechanical CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-mechanical-code requires, whichever are greater.
8.1.2 Working space in front of the electrical components of mechanical equipment shall comply with NFPA 70 Article 110.26.
8.1.3 Clear space in front of components that require periodic service shall be not less than the value indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Clear Space at Serviceable Componentsrange
in.
182430364248
8.1.4 Clearance shall be maintained for removal of the largest component the equipment is designed to have removed for service, including coils, tube bundles, filters, fan sections, and motors.

8.2 Concealed Components

8.2.1 Components that require periodic service shall be positioned so they can be reached without removing other work or ceiling construction other than a lay-in ceiling panel or an access door.
8.2.2 The policy for serviceable components concealed above hard ceilings or behind finished walls shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Serviceable Components Behind Non-Accessible Finishesradio
● Permitted, with an access door at each component
○ Not permitted
8.2.3 Where an access door is provided, it shall be furnished under Access Doors And PanelsAccess Doors and PanelsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/access-doors-and-panels and sized for the largest component to be reached through it.
8.2.4 Each access door shall be located so the component it serves can be operated and removed through the opening.
8.2.5 Access doors in ductwork shall be provided under HVAC DuctworkHVAC DuctworkResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-ductwork.
NOTE An access door at each device leaves the architecture free to place hard ceilings where it wants them, and every door is then a visible panel in a finished ceiling and a location a future renovation has to know about. Prohibiting concealment moves valves, dampers, and terminal units into corridors with lay-in ceilings or into mechanical spaces, which costs routing length and sometimes ceiling height. (8.2.6)

8.3 Rooftop and Elevated Equipment

8.3.1 Equipment on roofs shall be located so it is reached by the roof access and service path shown on the mechanical roof plan.
8.3.2 Permanent means of access shall be provided to equipment on roofs and elevated structures where Adopted Mechanical CodeAdopted Mechanical CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-mechanical-code requires it.

9 Pipe Sleeves, Penetrations, and Firestopping

9.1 Sleeves

9.1.1 A sleeve shall be provided at every point where a pipe passes through a wall, floor, roof, or foundation, set before the concrete is placed or the masonry is laid wherever the construction sequence allows.
9.1.2 Sleeve material shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pipe Sleeve Materialselect
Galvanized steel pipe
Galvanized sheet steel
PVC pipe
Cast-in sleeve device with integral firestop
9.1.3 Sleeves through foundation walls, below-grade walls, and floors subject to wetting shall be steel pipe.
9.1.4 Plastic sleeves shall not be used in fire-resistance-rated assemblies unless the listed firestop system includes the plastic sleeve.
NOTE Steel pipe sleeves take a modular seal, hold their shape under concrete placement, and stand up above a wet floor, which is why they serve floors, foundations, and anywhere a seal is needed. Sheet steel is cheaper and lighter and does well in partitions and dry slabs where nothing bears on it. PVC costs the least and resists corrosion but softens in a fire and is accepted in a rated assembly only inside a listing that was tested with it. A cast-in sleeve device sets sleeve, firestop, and often a water dam in one step at a price per penetration that pays where penetrations are many and the slab is cast once. (9.1.5)
9.1.6 Where the standard governing a piping system states no sleeve clearance, the sleeve shall provide not less than 1 in. of annular clearance around the pipe or its insulation and not less than the clearance the sleeve seal or firestop listing requires.
9.1.7 Sleeves through floors in mechanical rooms, wet areas, and other locations subject to standing water shall project above the finished floor by not less than the height indicated in the datasheet.
Sleeve Projection Above Finished Floor in Wet Areasrange
in.
1234
9.1.8 Sleeves through floors in dry areas shall be set flush with the finished floor.
NOTE A sleeve that stops at the slab surface is a drain into the floor below the first time the mechanical room is washed down or a relief valve lifts. Two inches clears routine wash-down; taller projections suit rooms whose floor drains back up or whose curbs hold water. (9.1.9)
9.1.10 Penetrations exposed to view in finished spaces shall be fitted with escutcheons of the material indicated in the datasheet, sized to cover the sleeve and the annular space.
Escutcheon Materialselect
Chrome-plated brass
Stainless steel
Painted steel
Plastic
9.1.11 Escutcheons installed after the pipe is in place shall be split pattern.
NOTE Chrome-plated brass is the finish that matches plumbing trim in occupied rooms. Stainless steel holds up in wet, washdown, and corrosive rooms where plating pits. Painted steel suits utility spaces that are painted anyway, and plastic costs the least and serves dry service rooms where appearance carries no weight. (9.1.12)

9.2 Sleeve Seals

9.2.1 The annular space at penetrations through foundation walls, below-grade walls, slabs on grade, and other locations that must remain watertight shall be sealed by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Watertight Penetration Sealselect
Modular mechanical sleeve seal
Cast-in sleeve with waterstop collar and modular mechanical sleeve seal
Grouted annulus with elastomeric sealant
9.2.3 Modular mechanical sleeve seals shall be rated for not less than the hydrostatic head at the penetration, and not less than 20 psig.
NOTE A modular seal is bolted up from inside the building after the pipe is set, holds rated pressure, and can be taken apart to replace the pipe. Adding a waterstop collar to the sleeve closes the second leak path, between the sleeve and the concrete, which matters wherever the wall sees a sustained head. A grouted annulus with sealant costs the least and is adequate where the wall is above the water table and the penetration is never expected to be opened again. (9.2.5)
9.2.6 The annular space at non-rated penetrations in dry locations shall be packed and sealed with sealant at each face.

9.3 Firestopping

9.3.1 Penetrations of fire-resistance-rated and smoke-resistant assemblies shall be firestopped under FirestoppingFirestoppingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/firestopping with a system listed for the assembly, the penetrant, the sleeve, and the annular dimension at that condition.
9.3.2 Sleeve size and annular dimension at each rated penetration shall be set to match a listed firestop system before the sleeve is installed.
9.3.3 Firestopping of mechanical penetrations shall be performed by the party indicated in the datasheet.
Firestopping of Mechanical Penetrations Performed Byradio
○ The mechanical trade that made the penetration
○ A single firestopping subcontractor for all trades
NOTE When each trade firestops its own penetrations, the work is done by the crew that knows the penetrant and is on site when the opening is made, and the result is as many product lines and installation practices as there are trades. A single firestopping subcontractor brings one manufacturer, one set of listings, and one inspection record across every trade, and it depends on the other trades leaving openings sized to the listings and on a schedule that brings the subcontractor back as each area closes. (9.3.4)

9.4 Roof and Exterior Wall Penetrations

9.4.1 Penetrations of the roof and of exterior walls shall be flashed and sealed under the standards governing those assemblies.
9.4.2 The mechanical trade shall furnish the curb, sleeve, pipe portal, or flashing sleeve the flashing detail requires at each roof and exterior wall penetration.

10 Equipment Supports and Seismic Restraint

10.1 Floor-mounted equipment shall be set on concrete housekeeping pads furnished under Concrete PadsConcrete Equipment PadsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-pads and anchored under Hangers And SupportsHangers and Supports for Mechanical Piping and EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hangers-and-supports.
10.2 Suspended equipment and piping shall be supported from the building structure under Hangers And SupportsHangers and Supports for Mechanical Piping and EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hangers-and-supports, and ductwork under HVAC DuctworkHVAC DuctworkResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-ductwork.
10.3 Mechanical equipment, piping, and ductwork shall not be supported from other trades' work, from ceiling suspension systems, or from one another.
10.4 Vibration isolation shall be provided under Vibration Isolation And Seismic RestraintVibration Isolation and Seismic RestraintResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/vibration-isolation-and-seismic-restraint where that standard or the standard governing the equipment requires it.
10.5 Seismic restraint of mechanical equipment and distribution systems shall be provided under Vibration Isolation And Seismic RestraintVibration Isolation and Seismic RestraintResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/vibration-isolation-and-seismic-restraint wherever ASCE/SEI 7 Chapter 13 requires it for Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category.
NOTE This standard sets no restraint detail of its own. It names the threshold once so that no mechanical section can be read as exempt from it, and it leaves the exemptions, the design responsibility, and the certification to the restraint standard, which carries them in full. (10.6)

11 Electrical Interface

11.1 Equipment Electrical Characteristics

11.1.1 The voltage, phase, and frequency of each item of mechanical equipment shall match the circuit serving it as shown on the electrical one-line diagram and panel schedules.
11.1.2 Before releasing any item of equipment for manufacture, the Contractor shall reconcile its full-load current, minimum circuit ampacity, maximum overcurrent protection, and control voltage against the circuit, conductors, and overcurrent device shown for it.
11.1.3 A discrepancy found in that reconciliation shall be reported to the Engineer of Record in writing before the equipment is released.
11.1.4 Motors furnished with mechanical equipment shall comply with Electric MotorsCommon Motor Requirements for Electrical EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electric-motors.
11.1.5 Variable frequency drives procured separately from the equipment they serve shall comply with HVAC Variable Frequency DrivesHVAC Variable Frequency DrivesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-variable-frequency-drives.
11.1.6 Electrical power wiring, disconnecting means, and branch-circuit overcurrent protection serving mechanical equipment shall be provided under Common Work Results ElectricalCommon Work Results for ElectricalResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-electrical and NFPA 70.
NOTE Equipment is bought from a schedule and circuits are sized from the same schedule, and the two diverge the moment a substitute unit arrives with a larger compressor or a different control transformer. The reconciliation catches the divergence while a breaker is still a line item instead of a change order. (11.1.7)

11.2 Division of Responsibility

11.2.1 Motor controllers and disconnect switches for mechanical equipment shall be furnished by the party indicated in the datasheet.
Motor Controllers and Disconnects Furnished Byselect
Electrical trade
Mechanical equipment supplier, shipped loose
Mechanical equipment supplier, factory-mounted
11.2.2 Controllers and disconnects shipped loose shall be installed and wired by the electrical trade.
11.2.3 Factory-mounted controllers and disconnects shall be covered by the equipment listing.
NOTE Controllers bought by the electrical trade come from the same supplier as the panelboards and match the rest of the gear, and the electrical contractor sizes them from the approved equipment submittal, which means they are ordered last. Controllers shipped with the equipment are sized by the party that knows the motor, and they arrive on the mechanical contractor's schedule to be handed across a trade boundary. Factory-mounted controllers remove the hand-off and the field wiring between controller and motor, and they tie the controller's fault-current rating and listing to the equipment it serves. Regional practice decides this more than engineering does. (11.2.4)
11.2.5 Line-voltage control wiring for mechanical equipment shall be installed by the party indicated in the datasheet.
Line-Voltage Control Wiring Installed Byradio
● Electrical trade
○ Controls trade
11.2.6 Low-voltage control wiring for mechanical equipment shall be installed by the party indicated in the datasheet.
Low-Voltage Control Wiring Installed Byradio
● Controls trade
○ Electrical trade
11.2.7 Control wiring, whichever party installs it, shall comply with the wiring methods of NFPA 70 and, where it serves the direct digital control system, with Building Automation SystemBuilding Automation SystemResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/building-automation-system.
NOTE Line-voltage wiring is licensed electrical work in most jurisdictions and is inspected as such, which is why it lands with the electrical trade on most projects. Low-voltage control wiring is bound up with the controller it serves, and the trade that programs the controller is the one that can terminate and check out the wiring without a second mobilization. The split goes the other way where a single electrical contractor is on site for the duration and the controls scope is small. (11.2.8)
11.2.9 The division of responsibility settled under this article shall be recorded in the pre-installation conference minutes.

12 Startup and Acceptance

12.1 Acceptance Sequence

12.1.1 Each system shall be released to testing, adjusting, and balancing under Testing Adjusting And BalancingTesting, Adjusting, and Balancing for HVACResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/testing-adjusting-and-balancing only after the pressure test required by the governing piping standard, the cleaning and flushing required under Hydronic Cleaning And FlushingHydronic System Cleaning and FlushingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hydronic-cleaning-and-flushing where it applies, and the checkout and startup required by this section are complete and documented.
12.1.2 Functional performance testing under CommissioningTotal Building CommissioningResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/commissioning shall begin on a system only after that system has been balanced and the balancing report has been issued.
NOTE A system started before it has been pressure tested and flushed circulates construction debris through pumps, coils, and control valves, and a balance performed before startup checkout is a balance of equipment that is about to be adjusted. The sequence exists so that each stage hands the next a system that will stay as found. (12.1.3)

12.2 Installing Contractor Checkout

12.2.1 Before any motor-driven equipment is operated, the Contractor shall verify alignment, lubrication, belt tension, guards, bearing and coupling condition, isolator release, safety and limit devices, and clearance of the rotating element.
12.2.2 Rotation of every motor-driven item of equipment shall be verified against the manufacturer's rotation marking by a momentary start before the equipment is run under load.
12.2.3 Fuel-fired equipment shall be started and its combustion adjusted as the standard governing that equipment requires.
12.2.4 Each item of equipment shall be operated through its startup check and shall run with noise, vibration, temperature, flow, and pressure within the manufacturer's published limits before the system is released to balancing.
12.2.5 The Contractor shall record each checkout and startup on a report identifying the equipment tag, the date, the persons present, each item verified, the readings taken, and any deficiency found and its correction.
12.2.6 Startup reports shall be submitted before the system is released to balancing.

12.3 Factory-Authorized Startup

12.3.1 Startup by a technician authorized by the equipment manufacturer shall be provided as indicated in the datasheet.
Factory-Authorized Startupselect
Where the governing equipment standard or the equipment warranty requires it
For every item of motor-driven or fuel-fired equipment
Not required beyond the installing contractor's checkout
12.3.2 Where factory-authorized startup is performed, the technician's field service report shall be submitted with the startup report for that equipment.
NOTE Chillers, boilers, and drives commonly carry warranties that are void without a factory-authorized startup, and the equipment standards that govern them say so. Requiring it for every motor-driven item adds a mobilization fee per unit, and on small fans and pumps the technician verifies the same items the installing contractor's checkout already covers. Dispensing with it altogether forfeits the warranty on every item whose warranty depends on it. (12.3.3)

12.4 Field Test Rules

12.4.1 The Contractor shall give the Engineer of Record and the Owner written notice of each field test not less than the number of days indicated in the datasheet before the test.
Advance Notice of Field Testsrange
days
12357
12.4.2 A test that fails shall be repeated after correction, and the cost of the repeated test, including the cost of witnessing where witnessing is required, shall be borne by the Contractor.
12.4.3 Where a standard governing a system requires a witnessed test, the test shall not be considered complete until the witness has signed the report.

12.5 Temporary Use of Permanent Equipment

12.5.1 Operation of permanent mechanical equipment for temporary heating, cooling, or ventilation during construction shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Temporary Use of Permanent Equipment During Constructionradio
○ Not permitted
○ Permitted under the conditions of this article
12.5.2 Where temporary use is permitted, the Contractor shall obtain the Engineer of Record's written acceptance of the equipment to be used and the duration of use before operating it.
12.5.3 Where temporary use is permitted, air-handling equipment shall operate with temporary filters rated MERV 8 or higher on every return and outdoor-air opening.
12.5.4 Temporary filters shall be replaced when they reach the filter manufacturer's final pressure drop and again when temporary use ends.
12.5.5 Where temporary use is permitted, ductwork shall not convey air from spaces in which sanding, cutting, grinding, spraying, or demolition is in progress.
12.5.6 Where temporary use is permitted, the Contractor shall keep a log of run hours and filter changes for each item of equipment so used.
12.5.7 The temporary-use log shall be submitted with the closeout submittals.
12.5.8 Equipment used for temporary service shall be restored before substantial completion by replacing filters, belts, and lubricant and by cleaning coils, drain pans, and the ductwork it served.
12.5.9 The warranty on equipment used for temporary service shall run from the date of substantial completion rather than from first operation.
12.5.10 Before temporary use begins, the Contractor shall secure the manufacturer's written agreement to a warranty start date at substantial completion for each item of equipment to be used.
NOTE Temporary use dries the building out and lets finishes proceed through winter on the building's own equipment with no rental heater and no fuel contract. It consumes warranty life, loads coils and ducts with construction dust, and hands the Owner a used system on the first day of occupancy. Prohibiting it protects the equipment at the cost of rental heat and the schedule risk of a late start on finishes. (12.5.11)

13 Delivery, Storage, and Handling

13.1 Equipment and materials shall be delivered with factory openings capped or sealed, and the caps shall remain in place until the connection is made.
13.2 Equipment and materials shall be stored off the ground, under cover, and protected from weather, construction traffic, and physical damage.
13.3 Equipment containing motors, controls, or electronics shall be stored in a dry space protected from condensation.
13.4 Equipment containing motors, controls, or electronics shall not be stored outdoors unless it is designed for outdoor installation and is protected from precipitation during storage.
13.5 Equipment shall be rigged and moved by the lifting points and methods the manufacturer designates.
13.6 Equipment damaged in delivery, storage, or handling shall be replaced, or repaired to the manufacturer's written requirements, at the Contractor's cost.
13.7 A repair in place of replacement shall be made only with the Engineer of Record's written approval.

14 Cutting and Patching

14.1 Cutting, coring, and drilling for mechanical work shall be performed so as not to impair the strength, weather resistance, or fire resistance of the construction cut.
14.2 Structural members shall not be cut, notched, or cored except where shown on the structural drawings or approved in writing by the structural Engineer of Record.
14.3 Openings cut through rated assemblies shall be firestopped as required under the Pipe Sleeves, Penetrations, and Firestopping section of this standard.
14.4 Surfaces disturbed by mechanical work shall be patched to match the adjacent undisturbed construction in material, thickness, texture, and finish.
14.5 Where the parties disagree whether a patch matches the adjacent construction, the Architect shall make the determination.

15 Cleaning and Protection

15.1 Open ends of ductwork and piping shall be capped or covered whenever work on them is not in progress.
15.2 Equipment, ductwork interiors, and piping interiors shall be cleaned of construction debris, dust, and standing water before startup.
15.3 Equipment installed before the building is weather-tight shall be protected from moisture, dust, and physical damage until the space it occupies is enclosed.
15.4 Factory finishes damaged during construction shall be touched up with the manufacturer's finish before substantial completion.
15.5 Where the Engineer of Record determines that touch-up does not restore a damaged factory finish, the component shall be refinished or replaced.

16 Warranty

16.1 The Contractor shall warrant the mechanical work against defects in materials and workmanship for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
Workmanship Warranty Periodrange
years
1235
16.2 During the warranty period the Contractor shall repair or replace defective work at no cost to the Owner.
16.3 The Contractor shall repair other work damaged by a warranted defect or by its correction at no cost to the Owner.
16.4 Work repaired or replaced under warranty shall be warranted for a fresh full term from the date of the repair or for the remainder of the original term, whichever is longer.
16.5 Manufacturer warranties on equipment and components shall be assigned to the Owner and shall run from the date of substantial completion.
16.6 Where a manufacturer's warranty runs from startup or shipment rather than from substantial completion, the Contractor shall warrant the equipment on the manufacturer's terms for the interval between the two dates.
NOTE A one-year warranty from substantial completion is the term the industry's standard general conditions carry, and most projects adopt it without discussion. Longer terms are bought by institutional owners who keep their buildings for decades, at a premium that rises with the term, because the contractor is pricing equipment failures it does not control. (16.7)

17 Spare Parts

17.1 The Contractor shall furnish the spare parts each governing equipment or system standard requires, delivered to the Owner before substantial completion.
17.2 Spare parts shall be the products of the manufacturers of the installed equipment, packaged, labeled with the equipment tag they serve, and listed on a receipt signed by the Owner's representative.

Written and maintained by SynC. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.