# Louisiana set to adopt IPC



## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Against the wishes of most Louisiana plumbers, and in favor of the wishes of most building contractors, architects and engineers, the Louisiana Legislature is about to scrap the more strict and unique Louisiana State Plumbing Code (based on the Standard Plumbing Code as published by the Southern Building Code Congress International SBCCI) and adopt the less restrictive International Plumbing Code. The IPC is currently used in 34 or 35 states. 

The move takes jurisdiction for plumbing for the most part away from the Dept. of Health and our state plumbing board, and gives it to an agency formed in 2005 called the Louisiana State Uniform Code Council, which is mostly made up of building inspectors, builders and architects, and currently only has one token master plumber on its 19 member council. The Dept. of Health will still have jurisdiction over backflow preventers and our state plumbing board will still have control over testing for plumbers. 

The original proposed bill, by two legislators who are building contractors, called for commercial plumbers to follow IPC and residential plumbers to follow IRC. The main complaint builders and developers said was the existing Louisiana code required too many DFUs in commercial buildings as opposed to the IPC, thus unnecessarily costing them more money. Nothing is really wrong with the existing Louisiana code for residential plumbing, the builders and developers say.

The big irony is the state Senate agreed to split our plumbing code into two, and NOT the way the builders and developers wanted or needed. The Senate passed House Bill 1048 on May 14 that makes commercial plumbing work follow our existing Louisiana plumbing code, and residential plumbing work follow the IPC. Exactly backwards from what the builders and developers wanted. 

The Senate version of the bill now goes to the House for a vote. If it passes the House as is before the legislative session ends in 3 weeks, Louisiana will be operating under two plumbing codes come Jan 1, 2015. Mon Dieu.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

I think it's a load of crap, at least if you're around Orleans and Jefferson parish. Those two aren't going to change anything, talked to both chiefs and they both said there will be so many amendments tacked on it won't matter, which is fine for us. The only part that worries me is that more people can come in and the shoddy work they are already doing will be legal in other parishes. The code we have here is not affecting the builders' bottom dollar, they will still make something off of it and in my mind, if you have a few million to put up for a big strip mall or something you have a couple extra thousand to put towards "our sky high plumbing code."


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

I heard Houston has IPC, but they have lots and lots of amendments cause the IPC isn't strict enough. Same thing will happen in each big city in Louisiana I bet, and then no one will know exactly what the codes are if they work in different cities. Ain't that great.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Cajunhiker said:


> I heard Houston has IPC, but they have lots and lots of amendments cause the IPC isn't strict enough. Same thing will happen in each big city in Louisiana I bet, and then no one will know exactly what the codes are if they work in different cities. Ain't that great.


You work out of Lafayette am I right? To an extent that's the way it is between Orleans and Jefferson parishes. When you throw in mandeville and st. Tammany it gets even worse. There are small differences on the south shore, on the north shore they pitch a fit if you even think about wet venting something.


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Roger that , Lafayette.


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

And within Jefferson Parish, I understand Kenner to be a the worst with its amendments to the existing code. Mais la, whatcha gonna do ...


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Kenner does suck, they fined a contractor of ours because when they were lifting a house, we came and removed the meter because atoms hadn't shown up yet. 

We are supposedly not to remove a gas meter in Kenner, yet we are to provide a test when atoms leaves a meter locked...


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

How come that is a bad thing?


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Catlin987987 said:


> How come that is a bad thing?


I dunno...
It seems to work in 33 states from North Dakota to Florida just fine...:laughing:
And another 10 states from Alaska to New Mexico use the UPC...

So 7 states need their own special code...


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Redwood said:


> I dunno... It seems to work in 33 states from North Dakota to Florida just fine...:laughing: And another 10 states from Alaska to New Mexico use the UPC... So 7 states need their own special code...


Ours is real special. Lol

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Redwood said:


> I dunno... It seems to work in 33 states from North Dakota to Florida just fine...:laughing: And another 10 states from Alaska to New Mexico use the UPC... So 7 states need their own special code...


Considering cpvc is outlawed right now here, I don't see it as being a good thing letting it drift it's way down.


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

504Plumber said:


> Considering cpvc is outlawed right now here, I don't see it as being a good thing letting it drift it's way down.


It been approved here for years but very few use it.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

My question is the licensing under different codes.

Will the test be broken up into two different code tests? Then you have to sit for residential and commercial? 

I don't see how an apprentice can say all be will ever do is houses, or vice versa.

Starting next year the voucher system gets canned, everyone state wide will have to show completion of a 5 year apprenticeship. The non union here is scrambling to figure it out.

My foreman is on the state plumbing board and everyone of them is calling it crap.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

We have had different codes at different times. BOCA, UPC, and IPC. The state only adopted one and that is what the test was on. The townships could adopt and enforce whatever they wanted regardless of the test administered.

The apprenticeship is just verified by working for a Plumbing Contractor. The PC signs an affidavit verifying work experience.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

504Plumber said:


> Considering cpvc is outlawed right now here, I don't see it as being a good thing letting it drift it's way down.


Hmmm I guess then since we are IPC here we should have CPVC all over the place...

But I can count on one hand the number of times I see it in a decade...

I guess they use it more down south, I never see it up here....


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

If you wanna see some CPVC you can come to Delaware. Its everywhere. CPVC is the primary piping around here. And qest because we have lots of trailers.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

We had cpvc before we were IPC but now we are IPC and the cpvc is a thing of the past. Now say that ten times. Lol


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

We are IPC


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Catlin987987 said:


> How come that is a bad thing?


1. The primary complaint I'm hearing is the Louisiana code is a stricter code specifically on commercial projects, in that it requires more DFUs in commercial buildings than the IPC, water closets in particular, and commercial developers, builders and architects don't like that. 

2. Apparently most local gov't authorities that have IPC add amendments out of the wazoo to IPC. You can imagine the difficulties this presents if you work in multiple cities. In other words, the plumbing codes of Dallas and Houston vary greatly, despite they are both in Texas. 

3. In Louisiana's case, the legislation takes enforcement authority away from the Louisiana State Plumbing Board, with the exception of plumbing license testing standards, and gives enforcement authority to a board made up of non-plumbers, that is a board of builders, building inspectors, engineers and architects. Read this as a state agency dominated by contractors and builders, not plumbers. 

4. Also, the primary authority will no longer be the Louisiana Dept. Of Health & Hospitals, with the exception of backflow prevention and water quality. The public's health will be in the hands of ... you guessed it, that board made up of non-plumbers - the board of builders, building inspectors, engineers and architects. 

5. A legislative committee really screwed things up on May 14 when they decided the legislation should be amended so that commercial plumbing jobs follow the existing Louisiana code (just the opposite of what proponents of the bill wanted) and residential plumbing jobs follow IPC (despite proponents of original bill saying they have no problems with residential plumbers following existing Louisiana code). Did you follow that. They did exactly what proponents of the bill did not want to happen. 

6. THE REAL REASON FOR THIS LEGISLATION IS BECAUSE CONTRACTORS WANT PLUMBERS FROM OUT OF STATE TO BE ABLE COME TO LOUISIANA TO WORK ON COMMERCIAL JOBS UNDER IPC. 34-36 states, not sure of exact number, use IPC now. Proponents argue Louisiana plumbers will be able to go out of state to work. Right now, Louisiana does not reciprocate with any other state. You come here to work, you can get a temporary license, but you have to pass a plumbing exam. 

Google Louisiana House Bill 1048 to follow the bill for yourself.


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

You guys in the states make it complicated. In Canada, we have a red seal program which is only another test that makes it so you can work basicly canada wide. They codes are very similar throughout canada, so working throughout is pretty simple.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

Cajunhiker said:


> 1. The primary complaint I'm hearing is the Louisiana code is a stricter code specifically on commercial projects, in that it requires more DFUs in commercial buildings than the IPC, water closets in particular, and commercial developers, builders and architects don't like that. 2. Apparently most local gov't authorities that have IPC add amendments out of the wazoo to IPC. You can imagine the difficulties this presents if you work in multiple cities. In other words, the plumbing codes of Dallas and Houston vary greatly, despite they are both in Texas. 3. In Louisiana's case, the legislation takes enforcement authority away from the Louisiana State Plumbing Board, with the exception of plumbing license testing standards, and gives enforcement authority to a board made up of non-plumbers, that is a board of builders, building inspectors, engineers and architects. Read this as a state agency dominated by contractors and builders, not plumbers. 4. Also, the primary authority will no longer be the Louisiana Dept. Of Health & Hospitals, with the exception of backflow prevention and water quality. The public's health will be in the hands of ... you guessed it, that board made up of non-plumbers - the board of builders, building inspectors, engineers and architects. 5. A legislative committee really screwed things up on May 14 when they decided the legislation should be amended so that commercial plumbing jobs follow the existing Louisiana code (just the opposite of what proponents of the bill wanted) and residential plumbing jobs follow IPC (despite proponents of original bill saying they have no problems with residential plumbers following existing Louisiana code). Did you follow that. They did exactly what proponents of the bill did not want to happen. 6. THE REAL REASON FOR THIS LEGISLATION IS BECAUSE CONTRACTORS WANT PLUMBERS FROM OUT OF STATE TO BE ABLE COME TO LOUISIANA TO WORK ON COMMERCIAL JOBS UNDER IPC. 34-36 states, not sure of exact number, use IPC now. Proponents argue Louisiana plumbers will be able to go out of state to work. Right now, Louisiana does not reciprocate with any other state. You come here to work, you can get a temporary license, but you have to pass a plumbing exam. Google Louisiana House Bill 1048 to follow the bill for yourself.


 I can see your side of the argument but would it make your state more marketable? Would it create more jobs? We have out of state contractors from time to time it never goes well for them. The IPC is a minimum code just like the rest. The AHJ has the right to supersede the code so not much will change. I would agree that it would be easer if we had a national code that all states followed but we are so different region to region. What works here wouldn't in Louisiana. Good luck and I hope it works out for the best.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Some call it the Idiots Plumbing Code but in all honesty the engineering behind the code is pretty solid. There are a lot of things under the UPC and the NSC that are hold overs from many years back. I know that when the IPC came out a whole lot of plumbers got their knickers in a twist over the part that says you can wet vent two bath groups through a single 1-1/2" vent. I personally have done that on countless occasions and guess what? It works just fine, not a single issue ever. There is a part that says the distance from vent to water closet is unlimited. Again, everyone getting upset but most that objected never understood that toilets don't need a vent. Side by side, identical houses plumbed under IPC and UPC, the IPC will get done faster and cost less for materials and cause less hole drilling.


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## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

*Louisiana adopted IPC*

The old Louisiana plumbing code is out and the IPC code is in. Louisiana will become the 36th state in the union to follow the IPC effective March 2, 2015.

The Louisiana Legislature has adopted the International Plumbing Code, International Building Code, Chapter 29-25 Plumbing Systems, and International Residential Code, VII-Plumbing.

Both commercial and residential plumbers will follow the same code (there was some question about this during the debate to adopt the IPC).

The new law has been sent to Gov. Bobby Jindal's office for his signature.

C'est la vie ...


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

I know the UPC and IPC being from Texas , the Louisiana state code is a little different but not much. I don't see this affecting much in Louisiana.


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## Ghostmaker (Jan 12, 2013)

It works guys. When Ohio first adopted they Ohioized it. Over the years it is not Ohioized anymore. You will find it works well once you understand what it all means and that takes time.

Once your state adopts the code you should be able to download it and print it for your use. Copy write does not apply when it becomes a state law.


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