USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1952-1956 > Part 45
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1. Manufacturer's name or registered trade mark.
2. The type or style, or the type and style, of the tempering device.
3. The temperature settings in degrees Fahrenheit plainly marked.
All temperature and pressure relief valves and tem- pering devices shall be subject to the approval of the Inspector of Plumbing or other proper authorities.
No hot water tank shall be installed without be- ing equipped with an approved device properly lo- cated so as to prevent any partial vacuum therein.
C. All parts of temperature and pressure relief valves which are in contact with water shall be made of non- ferrous metals or materials having suitable corro- sion resisting properties. All pipe and fittings be- tween relief valves and the hot water tank shall be of non-ferrous metals.
D. Relief valves shall be marked by the manufacturer, by stamping or casting in the metal of the valve, or on a metal tag permanently attached to the valve as follows:
1. Manufacturer's name or registered trade mark.
2. Type or style, or the type and style, of the valve.
3. The pressure setting of the valve in pounds per square inch.
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4. The temperature setting in degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Temperature relieving capacity in B.T.U. per hour.
E. Temperature and pressure relief valves and other devices referred to in Section shall be subject to the approval of the inspectors of plumbing.
F. All pipes and fittings in the circulating system be- tween a hot water tank and the heating device or appliance shall be non-ferrous, and of ample size so as to make it possible to heat seventy-five percent of the available water in the tank without raising the temperature of any part of the water above two hun- dred and twelve degrees Fahrenheit. Every water tank heater using coal, gas or oil fuel shall be proper- ly connected to the nearest chimney or smoke pipe by a pipe of suitable size. No hot water tank shall be installed without being equipped with an approved appliance for relieving any partial vacuum which may be formed therein unless the construction of the boiler is such that it is able, as shown by test and so stamped by the maker, to withstand an external pres- sure of fourteen pounds per square inch.
CROSS CONNECTIONS
Section 17. Any connection in piping, whereby a public or private water supply used for drinking or culinary pur- poses is connected with a secondary supply or a supply of questionable quality or whereby polluted matter may enter the supply used for drinking or culinary purposes, shall be considered a cross connection.
No cross connection shall be installed unless it meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. All cross connection installations shown by test or inspection to be of such type or condition inadequately to protect the drinking or culinary water supply shall be re- moved.
Where the use of a supplementary private or secondary water supply is necessary it is permissible to install an ap- proved swing joint connection from the potable water supply to the plumbing system or an above rim inlet from the potable water supply to said system.
DEFINITIONS
Section 18.
AIR GAP. In a water supply system is the unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere be- tween the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank or plumbing fixture and the flood level rim of the receptacle.
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BACKFLOW means the flow of water or other liquids into distributing pipes of a supply of potable water from any source. Back siphonage is one type of back- flow.
BACKFLOW PREVENTER (sometimes called vacuum breaker) is a device for installation in a water supply pipe to prevent backflow of water into the water supply system from the connections on its outlet end.
BRANCH is any part of a piping system other than a main.
BUILDING DRAIN is that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a building drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste or other drainage pipe inside the walls of any building and conveys it to the building (house) sewer beginning five feet outside the inner face of the building wall.
BUILDING (HOUSE) SEWER is the extension from the building drain to the street sewer or other place of disposal.
CRITICAL LEVELS of a backflow preventer is the level to which a preventer can be immersed in water before backflow begins.
DEAD END is a branch leading from a soil, waste, vent, house drain or house sewer which is terminated at developed distance of 2 feet or more by means of a cap, plug or other fitting.
EMERGENCY is the installation or replacement of piping or fixture on plumbing systems which must be made at such times as to prevent the filing of an application for a permit to do the plumbing before starting said work.
FLOOD LEVEL in reference to plumbing fixture is the level at which water begins to overflow the top or rim of the fixture.
FLOOR DRAIN is a drain for carrying off surface, over- flow and clean waters from a floor surface.
JOURNEYMAN PLUMBER is a person who himself does any work in plumbing and is registered and licensed under the law.
LOCAL VENT PIPE is a pipe through which foul air is removed from a room or fixture.
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MAIN of any system of continuous piping is the principal artery of the system to which branches may be con- nected.
MASTER PLUMBER is a plumber having a regular place of business and who by himself or journeyman plumbers in his employ performs plumbing work and who is registered and licensed under law.
PLUMBING is the work or business of installing, repair- ing or altering in buildings the pipes, fixtures and other apparatus for bringing in the water supply and removing liquid and water-borne wastes. The term is also used to denote the installed fixtures and pip- ing of a building.
PLUMBING SYSTEM of a building includes the water supply distributing pipes; the fixtures and fixture traps; the soil, waste and vent pipes; the building (house) drain and building (house) sewer; and the storm water-drainage pipes; with their devices, ap- purtenances and connections all within or adjacent to the building.
PLUMBING FIXTURES are receptacles which receive and discharge water, liquid or water-borne wastes into a drainage system with which they are con- : nected.
REPAIR OF LEAKS shall mean such repairs as are neces- sary to protect property and public health but do not involve any rearrangements or change in plumbing or of any pipes or fixtures.
SIZE AND LENGTH is the nominal size unless otherwise stated by which pipe or tubing is commercially de- signed. The developed length of a pipe is its length along the center line of pipe and fittings.
SOIL PIPE is any pipe which conveys the discharge of water closets or fixtures having similar functions with or without the discharges from other fixtures.
SPECIAL WASTE PIPE or indirect waste pipe is any pipe or fitting which does not connect directly with a house drain or soil stack.
STACK is a general term for the vertical main of a sys- tem of soil, waste or vent piping.
TRAP is a fitting or device so designed and constructed as to provide a liquid seal which will prevent the back passage of air without materially affecting the flow of sewage or waste water through it.
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TRAP SEAL is the vertical distance between the crown weir and the dip of the trap.
VENT SYSTEM is pipe or pipes installed to provide a flow of air to or from a drainage system or to provide a circulation of air within such system, to protect trap seals from siphonage and back pressure.
WASTE PIPE is any pipe which receives the discharge of any fixture, except water-closets or similar fixtures and conveys the same to the house drain, soil or waste stack. When such pipe does not connect directly with a house drain or soil stack, it is an indirect waste.
WATER SERVICE PIPE is the pipe from the water main to the building served.
WATER DISTRIBUTION PIPE is one which conveys from the water supply service pipe to the plumbing fixtures and other outlets.
NOTHING IN THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS shall be construed as applying to the business of steam fitting, refrigeration, heating and ventilating or gas fitting beyond the point where any connection is made with the water dis- tribution system carrying water for drinking or culinary pur- poses or the waste pipes carrying wastes or sewage or the vent system. Such connections shall be made subject to the approval and inspection of the plumbing inspectors.
PENALTIES. Every person violating any provision of Sec- tions one to seventeen inclusive, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars.
ARTICLE XX BUILDING REGULATIONS
Section 1. None of the provisions of these building By- Laws shall be construed so as to conflict with the require- ments of State Law or REGULATIONS issued thereunder.
THE DEPARTMENT
Section 2. There shall be a department known as the Building Department which shall be furnished and maintained at the expense of the Town with office room and such supplies and implements as are necessary for the transaction of its business.
Section 3. The Board of Selectmen shall in April of each year appoint an inspector of Buildings sworn in for the term
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of one year from that date and until another is appointed in his stead. Said Inspector shall have charge and control of the enforcement of the regulations relative to buildings or structures and see that such regulations are complied with. His salary or compensation shall be such as the town may from time to time determine.
Section 4. The Inspector shall have no financial nor busi- ness interest in the doing of work, or the furnishing of ma- terials, for the construction, repair or maintenance of any building or structure in this town, or in the making of plans or specifications therefor unless he is the owner of the prem- ises.
DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
Section 5. The Inspector shall keep a record of the busi- ness of the department and submit to the Board of Selectmen a yearly report of such business and such reports as they may call for and his report shall be incorporated into the yearly report of the Town; records to be open for the inspection of any citizen.
Section 6. The Inspector shall examine all buildings in the course of erection, alteration, repair, or relocation in this town as often as practicable and make record of such viola- tions as are found to exist; the name of the owner, architect and builder and all other matters relative thereto. He shall perform all duties incumbent under the provisions of these By-Laws.
Section 7. The Inspector shall examine every building or other structure, or anything attached to or connected there- with, which he has reason to believe is unsafe or dangerous and if he finds it unsafe or dangerous, he shall forthwith in writing notify the owner, agent, or any person having an in- terest therein, to remove it, or make it safe and secure and shall submit a report thereof to the Selectmen and also keep a copy of the notification on file.
Section 8. Whenever an application is made to raise, en- large, build upon, move or alter, any building, the Inspector shall examine the same and make a record thereof. The In- spector so far as may be necessary for the performance of his duties, shall have the right to enter any building or premises, to examine and inspect any buildings in the process of con- struction, and to direct the suspension of any such building operations as shall not conform to the terms of these By-Laws and no person shall continue any building operations of any kind after such Inspector shall in writing direct the suspen- sion thereof for such reasons.
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APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS
Section 9. Every person intending to erect any building or to raise, move or make additions or alterations to any build- ing or its foundations already erected, or hereafter to be built, except necessary repairs not affecting the foundations, ex- ternal partition or party walls, chimneys or stairways or build- ings containing less than 100 square feet, 1 story high, shall before commencing the same, or the foundation thereof, file an application for a permit with the Inspector of Buildings, on forms furnished by the Department, giving a description of the building, or the additions, alterations, or repairs pro- posed; and shall also submit plans and specifications of such work or buildings, for examination and approval, also a plan of the lot on which any proposed building is to be erected, is to be filed with the application. The location of the structure to be drawn on the lot. All drawings are to be submitted in duplicate and one copy is to remain on file, the other copy to be stamped with this department's seal of approval. If the Inspector is of the opinion that the requirements of this By- Law have been complied with, he shall thereupon issue said stamped permits to the applicants.
Section 10. No permit issued shall continue in force for a longer period than 90 days from the date of issue unless work has been started and carried on in good faith within that time limit.
Section 11. A complete set of plans and specifications of any public building or structure to be used by the public, must be filed in the office of the Local Inspector of Buildings. A complete set of plans and specifications bearing the approval of the Inspector of Buildings must be kept on the premises during the process of construction. These plans, before filing in this office, must bear the stamp of approval of the State Building Inspection Department.
Section 12. Any committee for this Town authorized to erect or procure plans and specifications for any building for this Town, is to furnish the architect or engineer with a copy of the Town's Building Laws.
BUILDINGS SUBJECT TO BY-LAWS
Section 13. Every building already erected, or hereafter built, which is to be raised, altered, repaired, moved, or built upon, in any manner, except the making of necessary repairs and the repairing of any building which has been destroyed by fire to an extent of not more than one-half of the estimated cost of said building, shall be subject to the regulations of this By-Law.
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Section 14. No wooden building shall hereafter be erected or altered in such manner that the height of said build- ing shall exceed 30 feet above the foundation level and no wooden building shall be more than three stories in height above the basement. The vertical dimensions are to be from the underside of the first floor to the cornice.
No external wall of any building hereafter erected or moved upon any lot shall be built or placed nearer than three feet to the line of any adjoining lot unless said wall be con- structed of solid brick, cement block, concrete, stone or terra cotta, nor shall any external wall of any building hereafter built, or moved upon the same lot upon which there is an- other building, be built or placed nearer to said other building than eight feet, unless said external wall shall be constructed as a solid brick, concrete, cement block, stone or terra cotta wall.
In no case shall any external wall of any building here- after built or placed, be nearer than eight feet to any other external wall hereafter built, unless said wall be constructed as a solid wall of brick, concrete, stone, terra cotta or cement blocks.
FIRST CLASS BUILDINGS
Section 15. No masonry building shall exceed a height of sixty-five feet above the street level, unless said building shall be constructed as a first class building, with reinforced concrete or steel frame.
FINAL INSPECTION
Section 16. No building hereafter erected, altered, added to or repaired, shall be lathed, plastered, sheathed, or other- wise lined, until the owner or builder shall have notified the Inspector of Buildings to inspect the same, inspection to be made within 12 hours.
DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND TERMS
Section 17.
ALTERATION. Any change or addition.
APARTMENT HOUSE. A building divided into suites of rooms, each suite intended for the occupation of one family and containing the conveniences of a dwell- ing, including the facilities for cooking.
BASEMENT. A story partly, but not more than one-half below the level of the exterior grade.
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DWELLING. A building used, or constructed, adapted to be used, wholly or principally, for human habitation.
FIRST CLASS BUILDING. A building with fireproof floors, walls and roof.
SECOND CLASS BUILDING. A building with fireproof walls, wood floors and roof but with metal sash and incombustible roof covering.
THIRD CLASS BUILDING. A building with fireproof ex- terior walls, wood floors and partitions, combustible roofing, wood sash.
FOURTH CLASS BUILDING. All wood building.
FOUNDATION. That part of a wall below the level of the exterior grade, but foundations of party or parti- tion walls, may be construed by the Inspector to mean that portion below cellar floor.
HEIGHT OF A BUILDING. The vertical distance of the sill to cornice.
PUBLIC BUILDING. A building used or constructed, or adapted to be used in whole or in part as a church, school, hospital, theatre, hotel or place of public as- semblage.
PARTY WALL. A wall that separates two or more build- ings or is to be used or adopted for the use of more than one building and which is centered on the property line.
REPAIRS. The renewal of any part of a building or of its fixtures or appurtenances, and not made, in the opinion of the Inspector, for the purpose of convert- ing the building, in whole or in part, into a new build- ing.
UNDERPINNING. The brick, stone or concrete wall above the foundation to the under side of the first floor.
SOLID WALL. A wall without openings of any kind therein.
FIREPROOF. Shall mean any building material that is non-inflammable in its entire thickness and not de- pendent on any other inflammable substance for its rigidity or support.
HABITABLE. Any room, space or cubicle with finished floor, walls and ceilings properly lighted, heated and ventilated.
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INSPECTOR. Wherever the word Inspector is used in Article XX of these By-Laws it shall mean the local Inspector of Buildings of the Town of Southbridge.
JUNK YARDS
Section 18. Any person owning or controlling property within the residential districts of this town where a number of wrecked or demolished automobiles are kept, is to build and maintain a fence which cannot be seen through at least 8 feet high, properly painted, around such space as is used for this purpose.
FIRE PREVENTION AND HEALTH
Section 19. No chimney is to start on wood floors or beams and if above the cellar floor same is to rest on iron plate full size of chimney at least one inch thick and supported on iron columns or steel beams.
Section 20. At each floor fire stop around chimney with twenty-six gauge strip metal or at least two inches of good concrete all around so as to stop the draught around the chimney.
Section 21. No metal smoke stack or pipe is to run through a combustible floor, roof, or partition and in no case is it to be nearer than eighteen inches of a ceiling or wall un- less said partition or ceiling is metal lath and hard plaster or asbestos.
Section 22. No akron or earthenware pipe is to be used for a chimney on any permanent and combustible building.
Section 23. No building over two and one-half stories high is to be built of wood frame within the fire limit and no addition to existing wooden building is to be made above the two and one-half stories.
Section 24. No cellar is to be used for living quarters unless each room has a window in an outer wall with at least twelve square feet of opening, and otherwise made sanitary and habitable.
Section 25. No new building is to have living quarters in the basement or cellar unless the floors and walls are water and damp-proofed.
Section 26. All hearths shall be supported upon trimmer arches of brick, or stone, or upon bars of iron supporting a bed of brickwork and shall be at least twelve inches longer than the width of the fireplace openings and at least eighteen inches wide in front of the chimney breast. Wooden centering sup- porting a trimmer arch shall be removed before plastering.
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In cases where a fireplace is elevated above the floor and has no hearth, same is to be protected by screen to the satisfaction of the Inspector.
Section 27. Brickwork of all grates, fireplaces and ranges shall be not less than eight inches, and when it adjoins a wooden or stud partition shall have at least two four-inch walls, with at least two-inch air space between. No wood- work shall be secured to the brickwork of any flue. Open fire- places shall have fireproof foundations. The brickwork over all fireplaces and grate openings shall be supported on stone, concrete or brick arches or suitable iron lintels. In all cases the protection against fire shall be satisfactory to the In- spector.
Section 28. Unless the Inspector otherwise directs, all elevator wells and light-shafts, unless built of masonry must be filled in flush between the wooden studs with fire-proof materials or lined with plaster on metal lathing, as may be directed by him, and all woodwork inside of such walls or shafts shall be lined with tin plate lock-jointed.
Section 29. Over all heaters in basement, metal lath and hard plaster or lined with sheet gypsum at least three-eighths inches thick on area directly over the boiler at least ten feet square in residences and twenty feet square in other build- ings.
Section 30. All wood frame buildings to be fire blocked at sill. Cut in two inch fire blockings between studs below and above all floors and ceiling joists. Where the rafters are lined on the underside cut two inch plank the full thickness of the rafters between all rafters halfway up their slope for fire blocking.
Section 31. Where brick walls are strapped, space be- tween strappings and brick wall to be filled above and be- low all floors with a band at least six inches wide of cement mortar and in all cases where floor height is above twelve feet there shall be a similar band of fireproofing, material applied half-way between floors.
Section 32. In each flight of stairs cut two inch plank fire stopping between stringers, at each flight, every six feet of run.
REQUIREMENTS OF BRICK, STONE, TERRA COTTA BLOCK, CEMENT OR CINDER BLOCK OR CONCRETE BUILDINGS
Section 33. The foundations of buildings constructed of brick, stone, terra cotta, cement, cinder block or concrete or other incombustible material, must rest upon solid ground,
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rock, Portland cement concrete, suitably driven piles, or other durable sub-structure. Said foundations must not be less than four feet below the surface finished grade exposed to frost, unless in the opinion of the building inspector a suitable foundation is otherwise provided.
Section 34. Masonry partition walls shall have a footing of concrete or stone at least six inches wider than the wall above and at least ten inches thick.
Section 35. All stone foundations twenty-four inches or less in thickness shall have at least one header extending through the wall in every three feet in height from the bot- tom of the wall and in every three feet in length. Stones shall be firmly bedded in mortar, no poorer than one part lime, one part Portland Cement and six parts sand, and all spaces and joints thoroughly filled.
Section 36. Mortar and Concrete shall not be poorer than the following:
Cement Mortar: 1 Portland cement, 3 sand.
Lime and Cement Mortar: 1 Portland cement, 1 lime, 6 sand.
Concrete: 1 part Portland cement, 21/2 parts sand, 5 parts stone or gravel.
SUPPORTS AND BRACES
Section 37. Supports of buildings other than their founda- tions, shall be of iron, concrete, brick or cement blocks. All iron pipe supports to main girders shall be cement filled and of adequate size.
Section 38. Buildings used as dwellings shall have under all columns or piers a footing of stone or concrete not less than twelve inches thick; buildings used other than for dwellings shall have a footing of stone, or concrete not less than one foot wider, on all sides, than the area of the pier or column resting upon the footing.
Section 39. All brick piers shall be built with and all footings bedded in, cement mortar.
Section 40. Brick piers under buildings, girders, or col- umns of buildings, other than dwellings, shall have an iron plate on top of the pier, at least one inch thick cast iron or one-half inch thick steel and the full size of the pier.
Section 1. Every iron column shall rest on an iron cap and base sufficiently thick to distribute the load and in no case shall any iron plate, to be used as a bearing for an iron column to be set upon anything other than a masonry pier or foundation.
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MASONRY WALLS AND PIERS
Section 42. All frame buildings shall have sills bolted to the foundation by anchor bolts not less than 3/4 inches in diameter; a minimum of 3 feet in length, and spaced at not over 4 feet apart, with nuts and washers.
Section 43. All brick work, other than piers shall be laid in mortar no poorer than one part Portland cement, one part lime and six parts sand.
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