Congressional Home Buyers: Building Permit for HVAC in Washington DC

1. Building Permit for HVAC in Washington DC Getting through your building permit process can be a really hefty and challenging process. People need to have better awareness about the building permits and how they can opt for better processes before the construction has begun. People should be guided about all the systems that come into play when applying for a permit. Especially the HVAC system which is a very essential system for all kinds of construction, be it a hotel, hospital or a normal residence. With the new current trend of increased construction and green practices, the permit process has been almost completely changed, hence making it harder for owners and contractors to cope with the changes as they’re not really familiar with the process. Guidelines for Permit It is imperative to follow the set of guidelines provided by the authorities for the building permit. The application of building permit can be submitted online or you may apply in person to the DCRA , which is short for “Department ofConsumer and Regulatory Affairs”. This agency is the single most important agency that needs to be updated every step of the way. This committee will review if the project meets the standards, and that is done with the aid of other agencies that help in the process. Other agencies are the ones to get their hands on the project first, even before it has reached to DCRA. When the other agencies approve the standards, it’s when DCRA gets to know about the standards and after further review, the permit is granted. MECHANICAL Duct, piping layout for the HVAC system to include: oMain trunk and branch sizes oSize and CFM of all registers oLocation of all equipment and outside air intake and exhaust air opening locations Equipment data for the HVAC system to include: oMake and model number, BTU rating for heating and cooling oTotal supply and outdoor air capacities of each air handling unit oShaft details flood hazard * * * Are you using your existing HVAC system? * * * If yes, your new addition may overload your existing equipment. Ask your HVAC contractor to perform a load calculation to verify its capacity.

2. The other most important factor is that the DCRA is the one which keeps check of the mechanical systems as well that include the HVAC systems. So it is to be kept in mind that the proper plan should be given to them about the safety and guarantee of the system with the help of your contractors. HVAC System Once the building permit is granted, it is when the agency can further look into different mechanical plans for the permits of various systems including the HVAC system. This later on goes into further scrutiny from all the agencies for these different sub-level permits, this review process takes 14-30 days from the point of filing and the payment of the fee, moreover it’s the complication of the job that determines the process review time. The HVAC system is an integral system of the construction and it should be taken care of accordingly. All the electrical and mechanical systems are working to run the system and the processes should be dealt with high level of expertise, both in terms of construction and planning part. Most important is the planning phase where the HVAC systems along with other processes are documented. Last but foremost, make sure to get the work started within the first year of the time the permit is issued as otherwise the permit will become invalid under the Section 109. Therefore it is requested to fully comply with the rules and regulations to avoid such discrepancies. Article Prepared by: Congressional Home Buyers Address: 611 2nd St NE, Washington, DC 20002, USA https://www.congressionalhomebuyers.com/