AFCI's in Ohio
If after reading this opinion should those of you wishing further understanding of AFCI's please contact me. Or ask them here. And I will try to answer them.
The following is copied from a letter from the Ohio Chapter of the IAEI.
"Let the Code Decide"
OHIO CHAPTER
International Association of
Electrical Inspectors
Understanding the Cost Impact of the 2008 NEC
The impact of additional Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters and the new Tamper Resistant Receptacles in
The 2008 NEC has prompted controversy driven by the misunderstood cost impact of moving from
The 2005 NEC to the 2008 NEC. The NEC provides for the safe use of electricity from fire and
Shock. Technology over the years has enhanced that protection with minimal cost impact. Circuit
Breakers protect the home from overloaded circuits to prevent fires and GFCIs are well recognized in
The safe use of electricity to protect us and our children from shock hazards. The GFCI entered the
home in the 1970s, AFCI's became part of the NEC in the 1999 NEC and the tamper resistant
Receptacle in the 2008 NEC.
We will show that the impact of adding AFCI protection and Tamper Resistant Receptacles will have
Minimal impact on affordable housing. Keep in mind the NEC establishes the requirements for the
Safe electrical operation of a home. Additional circuits that include extra lighting, specific known
loads, or a desire to separate circuits for isolation purposes is an additional cost that may be incurred
that is once again not driven by the NEC. The additional lighting loads or appliances are not code
driven, they are upgrades similar to windows, roofing configuration, or brick vs siding.
This report has been prepared by the following Ohio Chapter Board of Director Members ; Oran P.
Post, Electrical Inspector for the City of Tallmadge, Ohio and Thomas E. Moore, Electrical Inspector
for the City of Beachwood, Ohio and Tim McClintock, Building Official/Electrical Inspector for
Wayne County, Ohio. All three Board Members have extensive experience with the code
development process.
This report provides an impact statement based entirely on the 2008 NEC requirements for three
different homes. The first is a 900 sq ft home to help understand the impact to affordable housing.
The other two homes are typical size homes and will include a 1700 sq ft home and a 2100sq ft
home.
The findings are based on prices obtained at a local electrical distributor and other verifiable
resources as follows:
Combination AFCI $36.34
Standard Receptacle $.50
Tamper Resistant Receptacle $1.25
Standards GFCI Receptacle $8.00
Tamper Resistant Receptacle with GFCI $14.85
Results
900 sqft Home $160.18 for 900 sq. ft. dwelling unit or $.18/sq. ft.
1700 sqft Home $205.27 for 1700 sq. ft. dwelling unit or $.12/sq. ft.
2100 sqft Home $241.36 for 2100 sq. ft. dwelling unit or $.11 /sq. ft
The 2008 NEC impact is minimal at less than a 20 cents per sq ft.
Respectfully,
Jack Jamison, President
Residential Building Inspectors LLC. We are the inspection experts. State of Ohio Certified Professional personnel is the major reason that we are able to provide inspections that are above the rest
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UPDATE:
BBS MEMO Ohio Board of Building Standards April. 1, 2008 6606 Tussing Road, P.O. Box 4009, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-9009
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS•INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE•LIQUOR CONTROL•REAL ESTATE AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING•SECURITIES•STATE FIRE MARSHAL•UNCLAIMED FUNDS
"An Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider"
GOVERNOR ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER AUTHORIZING BBS TO FILE EMERGENCY RULES
NEC and IECC for 1-, 2-, and 3-Family Dwellings
BACKGROUND:
Early this year the Residential Construction Advisory Committee (RCAC) and the Board of Building
Standards (BBS) were asked to consider actions that would allow the 2003 IECC and the 2005 NFPA 70 to
continue to be used for 1-, 2-, 3-family dwellings. As a result, a decision was made to create committees to
study the concerns related to the 2006 IECC and the 2008 NEC. Director of Commerce Kimberly Zurz
selected the energy code committee, and it has already held its first meeting. Director Zurz will select the
electrical code committee in the near future and it will start its work in early April. Over the past several
months the RCAC and BBS have considered many different options to address these concerns, and the
Board made its final decision at its March 28, 2008 meeting.
BOARD ACTION:
At its March 28, 2008 meeting, the Board of Building Standards accepted the RCAC recommendations and
directed staff to request an executive order authorizing the filing of Emergency Rules OAC 4101:1-35-01,
4101:2-15-01 , 4101:3-13-01, and 4101:8-43-01.2. These emergency rules, when filed, would take effect
immediately upon authorization to file the rules from the Governor and would allow the 2003 IECC and
the 2005 NEC to be used for 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwellings only.
UPDATE:
On March 28, 2008, BBS made a request to the Governor's Office for an executive order to authorize the
filing of emergency rules. On March 31, 2008, the Governor signed Executive Order 2008-06S authorizing
the BBS to file the emergency rules. BBS filed the emergency rules the same day and therefore, as ofMarch 31, construction documents for all residential 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwelling projects shall meet or
exceed the 2003 IECC and the 2005 NEC to comply with the RCO. The Board's permanent rules were
filed on April 1, 2008, and will be heard at a public hearing on May 2, 2008. These rules will be made
effective before the emergency rules expire so that the 2003 IECC and the 2005 NEC can seamlessly
continue to be used without any gaps and will be used after the emergency rules expire on June 29, 2008.
When the Board receives recommendations from the committees, the rules may be further modified and
the Board will hold public hearings to receive comment on any proposed future changes. It is anticipated
that the rules adopting the agreed-upon energy and electrical code modifications will be submitted to
JCARR on or before October 1, 2008. The Board's permanent rules will remain in effect until rules
containing agreed-to modifications are submitted to JCARR by no later than October 1, 2008. If the parties
are not able to reach a compromise that allows the Board to submit modified rules by October 1, 2008,
then the Board of Building Standards may submit its own permanent rules for implementation.
Non-residential construction will continue to use the 2006 IECC and the 2008 NEC for compliance
throughout this time period; only 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwellings are affected by these emergency rules. The
emergency rules do not affect 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwellings for which applications for plan approval were
submitted between January 1 and March 31, 2008. Any application for plan approval submitted to the
Residential Building Department between January 1 and March 31, 2008 must use the 2006 IECC and the
2008 NEC.