Barrie Home Inspector

Ontario Home Builders’ Association – 2006 Building Code Changes.   Summary of Major Changes to Part 9 the Ontario Building Code 2006.

The following chart represents an overview of some of the major changes that will affect low-rise house construction. The
chart is laid out with the article number, title of the article and the wording of the article as it appears in the new 2006
Building Code.

Article Title Description
9.3.1.6. Compressive Strength (of concrete) (1) Except as permitted elsewhere in this Part, the compressive
strength of unreinforced concrete after 28 days shall not be less
than,
(a) 32 MPa for garage floors, carport floors and all exterior
flatwork
(b) 20 MPa for interior floors other than those for garages
and carports (eg: basement floor slabs & slabs on ground)
(c) 15 MPa for all other applications (eg: foundation walls)
(2) Concrete used for garage and carport floors and exterior steps
shall have air entrainment of 5 to 8%
9.4.2.2. Specified Design Snow Loads (1) Except as provided in sentences (2) and (3), specified snow
loads shall be not less than those calculated using the following
formula:
S = Cb x Ss + Sr
Where,
S = specified snow load,
Cb = basic snow load roof factor, which is 0.45 where the entire
width of a roof does not exceed 4.3m and 0.55 for all other
roofs,
Ss = 1-in-50 year ground snow load in kPa, determined according
to Supplementary Standard SB-1, and
Sr = associated 1-in-50 year rain load in kPa, determined
according to Supplimentary Standard SB-1.
(relaxed from 1-in-30 year storm to 1-in-50 year storm)
9.4.2.4. Attics and Roof Spaces (1) Ceiling joists or truss bottom chords in residential attic or roof
spaces shall be designed for a total specified load of not less
than 0.35 kPa, where the total specified load is the sum of the
specified dead load plus the specified live load of the ceiling and
where,
(a) the attic or roof spaces have limited accessibility that
precludes the storage of equipment or material, and
(b) the maximum attic height is not more than 1000mm
measured vertically from the top of the truss bottom chord to
the underside of the roof deck.
9.5.1.4. Combination Rooms (1) Two or more areas may be considered as a combination room if
the opening between the areas occupies the larger of 3m2 or
40% or more of the wall measured on the side of the dependant
area.
(2) Where the dependent area is a bedroom, direct passage shall
be provided between the two areas.
(3) The opening required in Sentence (1) shall not contain doors or
windows.
9.5.2
9.5.2.3.
<a href=”http://www.barriehomeinspector.com”target=”_blank”rel=”external”title=”Barrie Home Inspector” >Barrier-Free Design
Stud Wall Reinforcement
(1) If wood wall studs or sheet steel wall studs enclose the main
bathroom in a dwelling unit, reinforcement shall be installed to
permit the future installation of a grab bar on a wall adjacent to,
(a) a water closet in the location required by Clause
3.8.3.8.(1)(d), and
(b) a shower or bathtub in the location required by Clause
3.8.3.13.(1)(f).
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9.6.8.
9.6.8.6.
Resistance to Forced Entry
Fastening of Strikeplates
(1) Except as permitted in Article 9.6.8.10., strikeplates for
deadbolts described in Sentence 9.6.8.3.(1) shall be fastened to
wood frames with wood screws that penetrate not less than
30mm into solid wood
(2) Except as permitted in Article 9.6.8.10., strikeplates for
deadbolts described in Sentence 9.6.8.3.(1) shall be fastened to
metal frames with machine screws not smaller than No.8 and
not less than 10mm long.
9.6.8.9. Solid Blocking (1) Solid blocking shall be provided on both sides at the lock height
between the jambs for doors described in Sentence 9.6.8.1.(1)
and the structural framing so that the jamb will resist spreading
by force
9.7.
9.7.1.3.
Windows and Skylights
Bedroom Windows
(1) except where a door on the same floor level as the bedroom
provides direct access to the exterior, every floor level
containing a bedroom in a suite shall be provided with at least 1
outside window that,
(a) is openable from the inside without the use or tools
(b) provides an individual, unobstructed open portion having a
minimum area of 0.35m2 with no dimension less than
380mm, and
(c) maintains the required opening described in Clause (b)
without the need for additional support.
(2) except for basement areas, the window described in Sentence
(1) shall have a maximum sill height of 1000mm above the floor.
(3) When sliding windows are used, the minimum dimension
described in Sentence (1) shall apply to the openable portion of
the window.
9.7.5.3. Windows over Stairs, Ramps and
Landings
(1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), windows over stairs ramps
and landings that extend to less than 1070mm above the
surface to the treads, ramp or landing shall be,
(a) protected by guards, in accordance with Subsection 9.8.8., or
(b) non-openable and designed to withstand the specified lateral
loads for guards as provided in Articles 4.1.5.15. or 9.8.8.2.
(2) In dwelling units, windows over stairs, ramps and landings that
extend to less than 900mm above the surface to the treads,
ramp or landing shall be,
(a) protected by guards, in accordance with Subsection 9.8.8., or
(b) non-operable and designed to withstand the specified lateral
loads for guards as provided in Articles 4.1.5.15.or 9.8.8.2.
9.8.4.
9.8.4.1.
Step Dimensions
Uniformity and Tolerances for
Risers and Treads
(1) Except as provided in Sentence(2), risers shall have uniform
height in any one flight with a maximum tolerance of,
(a) 6mm between adjacent treads of landings, and
(b) 6mm between the tallest and shortest risers in a flight.
9.8.6.
9.8.6.2.
Landings
Required Landings
(1) except as provided in Sentence (2) to (4) and Sentence
9.9.6.6.(2), a landing shall be provided,
(a) at the top and bottom of each flight of interior and exterior
stairs, including stairs in garages,
(b) at the top and bottom of every ramp with a slope greater than
1 in 50, and
(c) where a doorway opens onto a stair or ramp.
(2) Where a door at the top of a stair in a dwelling unit swings away
from the stair, no landing is required between the doorway and
the stair.
(3) Except for an entrance from an attached garage, a landing may
be omitted at the top of an exterior stair serving a secondary
entrance to a single dwelling unit, provided,
(a) the stair does not contain more than 3 risers
(b) except as provided in Clause (c), the door is a sliding door or
swings away from the stair, and
(c) where a storm or screen door is provided, it may swing over
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the stair if it is equipped with hardware to hold it open.
(4) A landing may be omitted at the bottom of an exit stair or ramp
provided there is no obstruction, such as a gate or door, within
the lesser of the width of the stair or ramp or,
(a) 900mm for stairs or ramps serving a single dwelling unit, and
(b) 1100mm for stairs or ramps not serving a single dwelling unit.
9.8.7.5. Ergonomic Design (1) A clearance of not less than 50mm shall be provided between a
handrail and any surface behind it.
(2) All handrails shall be constructed so as to be continually
graspable along their entire length with no obstructions on or
above them to break a handhold, except where the handrail is
interrupted by newels at changes in direction.
9.8.7.7. Design and Attachment of Handrails (1) Handrails and any building element that could be used as a
handrail shall be designed and attached in such a manner to
resist,
(a) a concentrated load at any point of not less than 0.9kN, and
(b) for handrails other than those serving a single dwelling unit, a
uniformly distributed load of 0.7kN/m
(2) Where a handrail serving a single dwelling unit is attached to
wood studs or blocking, the attachment shall be deemed to
comply with Sentence (1) where,
(a) the attachment points are spaced not more than 1.2m apart,
(b) the first attachment point at either end is located not more
than 300mm from the end of the handrail, and
(c) the fasteners consist of not fewer than 2 wood screws at
each point, penetrating not less than 32mm into solid wood.
9.8.8.
9.8.8.1.
Guards
Required Guards
(3) When an interior stair has more than 2 risers or an interior ramp
rises more than 400mm, the sides of the stair or ramp and the
landing or floor level around the stairwell or ramp shall be
protected by a guard on each side that is not protected by a
wall. (i.e.: guards must be provided on BOTH sides of a stair to an unfinished
basement unless protected by a wall)
9.8.8.6. Design to Prevent Climbing (1) Guards required by Article 9.8.8.1., except those in industrial
occupancies and where it can be shown that the location and
size of openings do not represent a hazard, shall be designed
so that no member, attachment or opening will facilitate
climbing.
(2) Guards shall be deemed to comply with Sentence (1) where any
elements protruding from the vertical and located within the
area between 140mm and 900mm above the floor or walking
surface protected by the guard,
(a) are located more than 450mm horizontally and vertically from
each other,
(b) provide not more than 15mm horizontal offset,
(c) do not provide a toe-space more than 45mm horizontally and
20mm vertically, or
(d) present more than a 1-in-2 slope on the offset.
9.8.9.6. Finish for Treads, Landings and
Ramps
(1) Except as required in Sentence (4), the finish for treads,
landings and ramps shall be,
(a) wear resistant,
(b) slip resistant, and
(c) smooth, even, and free from open defects.
(2) The finish for treads and landings of interior stairs in dwelling
units, including those from an attached garage serving a single
dwelling unit, shall be deemed to comply with Sentence (1)
where these treads, landings, or ramps are finished with,
(i) hardwood,
(ii) vertical grain softwood,
(iii) resilient flooring,
(iv) low-pile carpet,
(v) mat finish ceramic tile,
(vi) concrete, or
(vii) for stairs to unfinished basements and to garages, plywood.
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9.10.9.16. Separation of Storage Garages (4) Where a storage garage is attached to or built into a building
of residential occupancy,
(a) an air barrier system conforming to Subsection 9.25.3.,
shall be installed between the garage and the remainder of
the building to provide an effective barrier to gas and
exhaust fumes, and
(b) every door between the garage and the remainder of the
building shall conform to Article 9.10.13.15.
(5) Where membrane materials are used to provide the required
airtightness in the air barrier system, all joints shall be sealed
and structurally supported.
9.10.14.
9.10.15.
Spatial Separation Between
Buildings
Spatial Separation Between Houses
(Two new ways of calculating limiting distances between buildings
and houses. For detached houses, can use either 9.10.14 or
9.10.15 (but not both)
9.10.16.3. Fire Stop Materials (2) In a building permitted to be of combustible construction,
semi-rigid fibre insulation board produced from glass, rock or
slag, is permitted to be used to block the vertical space in a
double-frame wall assembly formed at the intersection of the
floor assembly and the walls, provided the width of the vertical
space is not more than 25mm and the insulation board,
(a) has a density not less than 45 kg/m3,
(b) is securely fastened to one set of studs,
(c) extends from below the bottom of the top plates in the lower
storey to above the top of the bottom plate in the upper
storey, and
(d) completely fills the nominal gap of 25mm between the
headers and between the wall plates.
Table
9.15.4.2.B.
Reinforced Concrete Block
Foundation Walls
(New table to aid in specifying design for reinforced concrete block
foundations without having to design to Part 4.)
9.20.5.2 Lintels or Arches (New tables to specify beams and lintels for masonry support
without having to design to Part 4.)
9.15.
9.20.
Footings and Foundations
Masonry and Insulating Concrete
Form Walls Not in Contact with the
Ground
(New requirements to recognize and simplify the design and
installation of flat, insulating concrete forms.)
9.22.10.
9.22.10.2.
Fireplace Inserts and Hearth-
Mounted Stoves
Installation
(2) Fireplace inserts and hearth mounted stoves vented through
the throat of a fireplace described in Sentence (1) may be
installed in existing fireplaces only if a minimum thickness of
190mm of solid masonry is provided between the smoke
chamber and any existing combustible materials, unless the
insert is listed for lesser clearances.
(3) A fireplace insert installed in a masonry fireplace shall have,
(a) a listed metal chimney liner installed from under the insert
collar to the top of the chimney, or
(b) a direct sealed connection to the chimney flue where such
provision is part of an insert conforming to Sentence
9.22.10.1.(1).
Table
9.23.10.1.
Size and Spacing of Studs
(New table to ease the specification of studs and stud spacing in
different applications.)
9.26.3.
9.26.3.1.
Slope of Roof Surfaces
Slope
(4) Except where back-slope will not adversely affect adjacent
supported or supporting elements due to water ingress, roofs
and elements that effectively serve as roofs shall be
constructed with sufficient slope away from,
(a) exterior walls, and
(b) guards that are connected to the roof, or to an element that
effectively serves as a roof, by other than pickets and posts.
(5) The slope required in Sentence (4) shall be sufficient to
maintain a positive slope,
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(a) after expected shrinkage of the building frame, where these
surfaces are supported by exterior walls and on exterior
columns, and
(b) once design loading is taken into consideration, where these
surfaces are cantilevered from exterior walls.
9.27.
9.27.2.2
Cladding
Minimum Protection from
Precipitation Ingress
(1) Exterior walls exposed to precipitation shall be protected
against ingress of precipitation with an exterior cladding
assembly consisting of a first plane of protection and a second
plane of protection where the wall encloses spaces of
residential occupancy or spaces that directly serve spaces of
residential occupancy.
9.27.2.3. First and Second Planes of
Protection
(1) Where walls required to provide protection from precipitation
comprise assemblies with first and second planes of
protection,
(a) the first plane of protection shall,
(i) consists of cladding, with appropriate trim, accessory
pieces and fasteners, and
(ii) be designed and constructed to minimize the passage
of rain and snow into the wall by minimizing holes and
managing precipitation ingress caused by kinetic
energy of raindrops, surface tension, capillary, gravity,
and air pressure differences,
(b) the second plane of protection shall be designed and
constructed to,
(i) intercept all precipitation that gets past the first plane of
protection, and
(ii) effectively dissipate any precipitation to the exterior,
and
(c) the protection provided by the first and second planes of
protection shall be maintained at,
(i) wall penetrations created by the installation of
components and services such as windows, doors,
ventilation ducts, piping, wiring and electrical outlets,
and
(ii) the interface with other wall assemblies.
9.32.
9.32.1.1.
Ventilation
Application
(6) A clothes dryer exhaust duct system shall conform with Part 6.
Table
9.32.2.9.(4)
Fan Sound Rating (New table referencing HVI sound ratings for exhaust fans in
dwellings. The ratings have been relaxed slightly.)
9.32.3.12. Outdoor Intake and Exhaust
Openings
(10) Except for clothes dryers, exhaust outlets shall be fitted with
screens or mesh not larger than 15mm, except where climatic
conditions may require larger openings.
(11) Where a screen or grille required by Sentences (8) and (10)
has a screen mesh less than 6mm, the screen or grille shall be
removable for cleaning.
(12) The gross area of the screens or grilles installed in intake and
exhaust openings shall be three times that of the duct served.
(13) Screens and grilles shall be of corrosion-resistant material.
9.40.
9.40.1.1.
Reinforced Concrete Slabs
Application
(1) This Section applies to,
(a) reinforced concrete slabs that are suspended over cold
rooms in basements, and are supported by foundation walls
along the perimeter of the slab with no additional interior
supports and
(b) slabs in which the clear span between supporting walls is not
more than 2500mm along the shortest dimension of the slab.
(2) Slabs for conditions other than described in Sentence (1) shall
be designed in accordance with Part 4.
(3) This Section does not apply to reinforced concrete slabs
intended to support motor vehicles.
(Slabs over cold cellars not exceeding 2500mm no longer have to be designed by a
structural engineer. This section gives prescriptive requirements.)
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PART 12 Resource Conservation (Entire new Part of the Code to address energy conservation in
buildings.)
12.3.1.2. Equipment Efficiency for Buildings
of Residential Occupancy
(1) The minimum annual fuel utilization efficiency of a furnace
serving a building of residential occupancy shall conform to
Table 12.3.1.2. (Natural gas and Propane = 90%AFUE, Oil = N/A)
12.3.1.3. Residential Windows and Sliding
Glass Doors
(1) The energy rating and the overall coefficient of heat transfer
required for windows and sliding glass doors in a residential
occupancy shall be deemed in conformance with CAN/CSAA440.2,
“Energy Performance Evaluation of Windows and
Sliding Glass Doors”. (Generally, this will require low-E, argon-filled
casement units, but please discuss with your window supplier.)
Table
12.3.2.1.
Minimum Thermal Resistance of
Insulation to be Installed Based on
Degree-Day Zones
(Summary of Insulation Changes by Zone: )
Zone 1
Ceiling below attic or roof space increases from R-32 to R-40
Cathedral ceilings increase to R-28
Above grade walls increase from R-17 to R-19
Foundation walls increase from R-8 to R-12
Zone 2
Ceiling below attic or roof space increases from R-32 to R-40
Cathedral ceilings increase to R-28
Above grade walls increase from R-19 to R-24
Foundation walls increase from R-8 to R-12
Electrically Heated (Zone 1 & 2)
Ceiling below attic or roof space increases to R-50
Cathedral Ceilings increase to R-28
Above grade walls increase to R-29
Foundation walls increase to R-19
12.3.2.3. Thermal Resistance Values for Roof
and Ceiling Assemblies
(1) The thermal resistance values in Table 12.3.2.1. for exposed
roofs or ceilings may be reduced near eaves to the extent
made necessary by the roof slope and required ventilation
clearances, except that the thermal resistance of insulation at
the location directly above the inner surface of the exterior wall
shall be at least RSI 2.1.
12.3.2.4. Insulation of Foundation Walls (1) Sentence (2) applies to construction for which a permit has
been applied for before January 1, 2009.
(2) Foundation walls enclosing heated space shall be insulated
from the underside of the subfloor to not less than 600mm
below the adjacent exterior ground level.
(3) Sentence (4) applies to construction for which a permit has
been applied for after December 31, 2008.
(4) Foundation walls enclosing heated space shall be insulated
from the underside of the subfloor to not more than 380mm
above the finished floor level of the basement. (Near full-height
basement insulation required)
(5) The insulation required by Sentences (2) and (4) may be
provided by a system installed,
(a) on the interior of the foundation wall,
(b) on the exterior face of the foundation wall, or
(c) partially on the interior and partially on the exterior, provided
the thermal performance of the system is equivalent to that
permitted in Clauses (a) or (b).
(6) Insulation around concrete slabs-on-ground shall extend not
less than 600mm below exterior ground level.
12.3.2.6. Thermal Resistance of Windows (1) Except as permitted in Sentence (2), all windows that separate
heated space from unheated space shall have,
(a) an overall coefficient of heat transfer of not more than 2.0
W/m2.oC, or
(b) an energy rating of not less than,
(i) 17 for operable windows, and
(ii) 27 for fixed windows.
(2) A basement window that incorporates a loadbearing structural
frame shall be double glazed with a low-E coating.
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12.3.2.7. Minimum Thermal Resistance of
Doors
(1) Except for doors on enclosed unheated vestibules and cold
cellars, and except for glazed portions of doors, all doors that
separate heated space from unheated space shall have a
thermal resistance of not less than RSI 0.7 where a storm door
is not provided.
(2) All sliding glass doors that separate heated space from
unheated space shall have
(a) an overall coefficient of heat transfer of not more than 2.0
W/m2.oC, or
(b) an energy rating of not less than 17.
12.3.3. Thermal Design for Buildings of
Residential Occupancy Within the
Scope of Part 9.
(This section allows for thermal design of houses outside of the
standard parameters of the above noted Sentences. This replaces
the former Section 9.38.)

Originally posted 2010-06-01 06:38:45. Republished by Blog Post Promoter