USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1931 > Part 2
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
FLOOR TIMBERS
Section 11. Floor timbers in dwelling houses when of good sound timber set 16 inches on centres shall be of the following sizes : for a span not exceeding ten feet the timbers shall be not less than two by seven inches; for a span not exceeding fourteen feet the timbers shall be not less than two by eight inches; for a span not exceeding sixteen feet the timbers shall be not less than two by nine inches; for a span not exceeding eighteen feet the timbers shall be not less than two by twelve inches; for a span not exceeding twenty feet the timbers shall be not less than two by fourteen inches ; for a span not exceeding twenty- two feet the timbers shall be not less than three by twelve inches ; for a span not exceeding twenty-four feet the timbers shall be not less than three by fourteen inches in size or of a size giving their equivalent in strength; there shall be girders not less than six by eight inches under main partitions; there shall be floor timbers doubled or their equiva- lent under all cross partitions in the first floor of all dwellings. Head- ers and timbers of all openings more than four feet square in first floor of dwellings shall be floor joists doubled or their equivalent ; beams carrying main or cross partitions in first floor shall be supported on piers or filled iron posts not more than seven feet apart; trimmers on first floor over twelve feet in height shall be supported by a pier or post. The attic floor timbers shall not be less than two by six inches and spaced not more than twenty inches on centres for any attic, whe- ther finished or unfinished, to which there is access and which can be used for storage or other purposes; all floor timbers with a span of from ten to sixteen feet shall have one row of bridging; all floor timbers with a space of sixteen feet or more shall have a bridging at lcast every eight feet, and all bridging stock shall be not less than one by two inches ; all cutting of floor timbers for the passage of pipes shall be on their upper edges and no cut shall exceed two inches in depth or be made more than three feet from the point of support of the timber unless the consent of the Inspector has first been obtained. No cutting in on the under side of a floor timber will be allowed for any reason.
ROOF TIMBERS
Section 12. In buildings which are eighteen feet or more in width, rafters for pitched roofs shall measure not less than two by six inches and spaced not more than twenty inches on centres; in buildings which
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are less than eighteen feet in width valley rafters shall be of such size, but in no case shall be less than two by eight inches, all timbers herein mentioned to be solid, stocks excepting plates which may be in two pieces each two by four inches thoroughly spiked together. Flat roofs shall be timbered same as floors.
DOUBLE HOUSES
Section 13. Every double house shall have a separating partition plastered on metal lath on both sides or wholly filled between the studs with brick and mortar or concrete up to the ceiling of the upper finished story and resting on an eight-inch brick wall in the cellar.
Section 14. Every block of three or more dwelling houses shall have a brick division wall at least eight inches thick between each two dwellings said wall to extend up to the under side of the roof covering.
PROJECTIONS
Section 15. No bay windows or other structures except a cornice shall be placed on any building so as to project over any public way or square without the permission of the Board of Selectmen given after due notice and hearing and then only in such manner as shall be approved by the Inspector.
LEADERS AND SNOW BARRIERS
Section 16. Water from the roof of a building shall not be allowed to flow upon or across the surface of a sidewalk. No person shall permit a leaders or conductor from the roof of a building owned by him to be placed or maintained so as to direct a volume of water upon or across. the surface of a sidewalk.
Section 17. Every building erected upon the line or within eight feet of the line of any street or travelled way having a slated pitched roof sloping toward said street or way shall be provided with suitable snow barriers or guards to prevent the snow sliding therefrom.
BRICK BUILDINGS
Section 18. In all 2-story buildings the brick external and division- al walls above ground and in first-story above basement shall be at least twelve inches thick and at least eight inches in the second story but no eight-inch wall shall be more than twenty feet long without adequate lateral support.
Section 19. Provided, however, that dwelling houses of not over two and one-half stories may have ten inch hollow walls bonded every two feet in length and every five courses in height with metal or brick ties. Wherever joists are built into the wall, it shall be solidly bonded with brick for three courses below the joist.
Section 20. In all buildings of more than two stories the brick external and divisional walls shall be not less than twelve inches thick throughout the three upper stories and throughout every two stories
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below shall be four inches thicker than the wall directly above. Not more than twelve feet shall be counted as a story.
Section 21. Vaulted walls shall contain, exclusive of widths, the same amount of material required for solid walls and be tied together with ties not more than two feet apart every five courses.
Section 22. The walls of brick buildings except dwelling houses shall be anchored to each other at all corners every ten feet in their height by tie anchors made of at least one and one-quarter inch by three-eights of an inch wrought iron.
Section 23. Each floor and also roof of all masonry buildings except dwelling houses shall have its beams so tied to the walls and to each other with wrought iron straps or anchors at least one and one-quarter inches by three-eighths of an inch in section so as to form continuous ties across the building not more than eight feet apart. The walls running parallel with the floor joist shall be properly tied to the floor beams once in eight feet by iron straps or anchors of the size above specified.
All materials shall be of such quality for the purpose for which they are to be used to insure ample safety and security to life and limb and the neighboring property.
Section 24. No opening or doorway shall be cut through or formed in a party wall of any building without a permit from the Inspector of Buildings, and every such doorway shall have its top, bottom and sides of stone, brick or iron and shall be closed by two doors or sets of doors of wood covered with metal, with an air space between them of at least four inches and said doors shall be hung to slide or swing in wooden frames entirely covered with metal or to iron hinges or track in brick or stone rabbets.
EXCAVATIONS and FOUNDATIONS
Section 24A. Excavations shall be properly guarded by the person making the same against danger to life, so that the adjoining soil shall not cave in and no injury be done to any adjoining wall, building or struc- ture thereby. In case a wall or foundation which is used in common or which projects into the lot where the new excavation is to be made is in good condition and sufficient for the nearby building and the new one, then the person causing the excavation to be made shall at his own expense preserve such wall or foundation from injury. . Before a permit is issued, the architect, builder or owner presenting plans shall furnish to the Building Inspector satisfactory proof that all necessay or legal agreements have been made to carry out the same.
When doubt arises as to the safe sustaining power of the soil upon which the building is to be erected, borings shall be made or tests of the sustaining power of the soil at the expense of the owner of the proposed building. In the absence of an actual test of the sustaining power of the soil, the area of the footing shall be proportioned so that
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the load per square foot upon the respective characters of soil shall not exceed those in the following table.
Solid ledge rock
Tons per square feet
100
Shale and hard pan
10
Gravel compact, sand and hard yellow clay
6
Dry or wet sand of coarse or
medium-sized grains
66
66
.
5
Disintegrated ledge rock
Medium stiff or plastic clay mixed or unmixed with sand
..
4
Fine-grained dry sand
4
Fine-grained wet sand (confined)
3
Soft clay protected against lateral displacement "
2
Foundation walls shall be at least four inches thicker than the required thickness of the walls of the first story. The thickness herein given shall apply to all masonry walls unless they are reinforced by a frame or skeleton or steel or reinforced cement concete. Block stone foundations shall have the lowest course well bedded in mortar upon the ground. In projecting foot courses, the projecting portion of each stone shall be less than the width of the portion built in.
Reinforced concrete foundations and footings shall conform to general requirements for concrete, but the concrete shall be no poorer than one part Portland cement and eight parts aggregates : and there shall be not less than two inches of concrete between reinforcements and the earth or top of piles.
Structural steel grillage foundations shall have at least six inches of concrete below, and shall be entirely embedded in and surrounded by concrete at least three inches thick between steel and earth: and the concrete shall be no poorer than one part Portland cement and seven and one-half parts aggregates.
Cellar walls above grade not more than six feet high for wooden frame buildings shall have the following minimum thickness in inches. Concrete, 8 inches-brick, 8 inches-block stone and concrete block, 8 inches-rubble laid in mortar, 16 inches. Any of these shall be in- creased four inches if more than six feet high.
Section 24 B. Foundations shall have the following minimum dimensions.
Wooden buildings exceeding 15 feet in height.
Retaining not over six feet. Retaining 6 to 10 feet.
5
5
Hard blue clay mixed or unmixed with sand
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Wall thick
Footing width
Thickness Footing
width
Masonry Building
Concrete
10"
16“
12"
20"
12"
Brick
12"
16"
16"
20"
12"
Concrete block
12"
16"
Block stone
16"
20"
16"
24"
16"
Rubble laid in mortar 20"
20"
24"
24"
24"
Rubble laid dry
24"
24"
28"
28'
Foundations shall extend at least three feet and six inches below any adjoining surface exposed to frost unless they rest on bed rock and they shall reach through loam or (except by special approval) through fill to undisturbed natural earth or shall rest on piles. All trench- es shall be kept reasonably free from water when laying foundations and no foundation shall be started on frozen ground.
Mortar for foundations for all masonry buildings shall be Port- land cement mortar : except that walls may be laid dry as elsewhere mentioned. Mortar for parapets and any walls less than 12 inches thick and exposed to the weather shall be no poorer than cement lime mortar. Rubble foundations retaining more than 15 feet of earth shall be laid in cement mortar.
Battered walls may be built provided they give the same cross sectional area as required above.
The Inspector may allow a reduction in the required thickness if the walls are of properly reinforced concrete or are properly strength- ened by steel columns or beams or are held laterally by intermediate floors.
Isolated piers may be used instead of continuous foundation walls if the character of soil, building or structure make it necessary or advisable.
When rubble foundations are used under masonry buildings, the lowest course, if of stone, shall be good flat stones full width of foot- ing, well bedded in mortar upon the ground.
PIERS AND COLUMNS
Section 25. All brick piers shall be built of the best quality of good, well-burnt hard brick laid in cement and sand mortar and well wet when laid in warm weather.
Brick piers under lintels, girders or columns of brick buildings shall have a properly proportioned cap of stone, cast iron or steel, the full size of the pier, said cap to be approved by the Inspector.
Section 26. Every pier column, pillar or post resting on the earth shall have a base course of stone or concrete and if supporting walls of masonry shall have for a footing course a broad leveller of granite or ledge stone not less than twelve inches wider on all sides than the bottom area of said piers, columns, pillars or posts and not less than twelve inches thick: and every column carrying superim-
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posed columns or girders shall have outside caps and base plates and connections of iron or steel with proper lugs, sockets, etc. Where foundations rest on piles, a sufficient number shall be driven to insure proper support.
FLOOR LOADS
Section 27. All new or renewed floors, shall be so constructed as to carry safely the weight to which the proposed use of the building will subject them, but the least capacity per superficial sq. foot exclusive of materials shall be for floors of dwellings, 40 pounds. School houses and offices, 60 pounds. Stores and buildings for light mechanical pur- poses, 120 pounds. Public and School assembly rooms, 120 pounds. Fixed seat public and school assembly rooms, 80 pounds. Storehouses, manufactories, machine shops, 120 to 250 pounds as may be required by the Inspector. For flat roofs, 40 pounds. For fire escapes, 70 pounds. The full floor loads specified in this section shall be included in pro- portioning all parts of buildings designed for warehouses or for heavy mercantile and manufacturing purposes in other buildings, however, reductions may be allowed as follows: for girders carrying more than one hundred square feet of floor, the live load may be reduced ten per cent. For columns, piers, walls and other parts carrying two floors, a reduction of fifteen per cent of the total live load may be made. When three floors are carried, the total live load may be reduced twenty per cent; four floors, twenty-five per cent, five floors, thirty per cent, six floors, thirty five per cent.
Section 28. The ends of all floor beams of a brick building shall enter the wall at least four inches and shall be cut with a splay of three inches in their width or shall be carried by some approved form of a joist hanger. All chimneys shall have a suitable foundation of stone masonry or cement concrete unless resting on ledge rock.
Section 29. Roof of floor timbers entering a division wall from opposite sides shall have at least four inches of solid brick work between them.
FIRE GUARDS
Section 30. The inside of all furred brick walls shall have a fire stop at least six inches wide of some incombustible material thoroughly set up between furrings at the top and bottom of each floor.
All stud walls and partitions shall have the spaces between the floor joists immediately under said walls and partitions fire stopped with two inches of wood tightly fitted in place or fire stopped as de- scribed in Section 32.
Section 31. All walls and partitions in hospitals and places of public assemblage over one story high, and walls and partitions in theatre shall hereafter be built of brick, stone, hollow or solid blocks of cement, concrete or terracotta, solid blocks of gypsum, or metal
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lath and Portland cement plaster or metal studding or other incom- bustible construction.
Section 32. All stud walls and partitions shall have the space between the floor joints immediately under said walls and partitions and between studs from the under side of said floor joist to a line four inches above the top of said joist filled solidly with brick and mortar or some other incombustible material. If such stud wall and par- titions shall rest on a solid timber or joist to the same height as above described where there is no wall or partition below, a strap of metal two inches wider than the said studding may be substituted for the filling above described.
Section 33. All air spaces around chimneys, pipes, shafts, etc., and all other spaces which form concealed air spaces from one story to another shall have similar stops at each story.
Section 34. All ducts, chutes and shafts for ventilation or other purposes shall be of or lined with incombustible material.
Section 35. The spaces between stringers of all wooden stair- cases unless said strings are left exposed, shall be closed at inter- vals not exceeding four feet by substantial stops of incombustible ma- terials. The soffits of wooden stairs, if plastered and the ceilings in and under staircase halls shall be plastered on metal lath.
Section 36. The partitions enclosing staircase halls shall be plas- tered on metal lath on both sides or be filled solidly between the studding with brick and mortar or concrete so as to form with the metal-lathed ceiling above described a complete enclosure with no open- ings except for windows in external walls and for doors. In cellars or basements, staircases or staircase halls shall be enclosed by brick walls except in the case of a flight of cellar stairs not opening from a staircase hall on the first floor.
CHIMNEYS and HEATING APPARATUS
Section 37. All chimneys hereafter erected shall be built from the ground with brick, stone or other fireproof non-heat-conducting mater- ials and shall be built plumb or nearly so, so as to be self sustaining; provided however that brick flues may be securely built into the brick work of walls of the buildings to which they are hung when the walls are not less than twelve inches thick.
Section 38. All brick chimneys shall be built of hard-burned brick plastered outside below the roofing after having been examined and approved by the Inspector of Buildings, except that exposed por- tion of said chimneys may be left unplastered upon the outside. Said chimneys shall be topped out with brick or stone laid in cement and the topping out shall not have more than two inches projection unless the bricks are covered by a cap of stone or other incombustible material in one piece, properly secured and approved by the Inspector ; and in
24
no case shall a nail be driven into the masonry of any flue. All chim- neys shall be, lined with vitrified clay flue lining.
Section 39. Every chimney shall be carried to a height suf- ficient to protect adjoining buildings from fire and smoke and the chimney shall extend at least six feet above the highest point of contact with the roof, providing however that the top of chimneys need not be higher than two feet above the ridge of the roof to which they be- long. No structural woodwork of any kind shall be placed at a less distance than one inch from the outside of any chimney.
Section 40. No smoke pipe in any building with wooden or com- bustible floors or ceilings shall hereafter enter any flue except at a distance not less than twelve inches from said floor or ceiling or pro- jecting beams; and in all cases where smoke pipes pass through stud or wooden partitions of any kind whether the same be plastered or not, they shall be guarded by a soapstone ring having a thickness radial to said pipe of not less than two inches and extending through said par- tition, and in cases where smoke pipes pass through woodwork of any kind in such near proximity to the brickwork of the flue that the space between said woodwork and flue is inaccessible, said pipe shall be guarded by a soapstone ring or thimble, or its equivalent, having a thickness of at least two inches and extending from the outer face of said woodwork to a point at least two inches within the brick work of the flue in which it shall be firmly set.
Section 41. All smoke pipes passing through closets shall be en- closed in metal pipes with ventilated air space of at least two inches all around. No earthenware pipe shall be used for any flues. No wood work shall be placed at a less distance than six inches from any metal flue or smoke pipe unless a circular sheet-metal shield is placed between the smoke pipe and the woodwork in which case the wood- work may be four inches from the smoke pipe. Provided that such floors, ceiling or beams may be protected by a sheet-metal shield sus- pended at least two inches below said floors, ceiling or beams in which case the pipe may be placed within eight inches of ceiling floor or beams.
Section 42. All hearths shall be supported upon trimmer arches of brick or stone or upon bars of iron supporting a bed of brick work, and shall project at least six inches beyond the edges and shall be at least twelve inches longer than the width of the fireplace opening and at least eighteen inches wide in front of the chimney breast. Wooden centering, supporting a trimmer arch shall be removed before plaster- ing. A cast-iron frame and cleanout door shall be placed at the base of every smoke pipe flue and for access to every ash vault below a fire- place.
Section 43. Brickwork of all grates, fireplaces and ranges shall be not less than eight inches thick and when it adjoins a wooden or
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stud partition shall have at least two four-inch walls, with at least two- inch air space between. No woodwork shall be secured to the brick work of any flue. Open fireplaces shall have fireproof foundations.
Section 44A. No furnace boiler or range set in masonry shall hereafter be placed or its location changed in any building without a permit from the Inspector of Buildings. No portable furnace or boiler shall be set on a floor of combustible material.
Section 44B. The top of every heating furnace or steam boil- er shall be kept at least one foot below the lowest part of the ceiling or floor next above it and such protective covering shall be placed on such ceiling as the Inspector may require.
Section 44C. Registers connected with hot-air furnaces shall be set in nonconducting, incombustible borders at least two inches wide. Register boxes shall be made of metal with a flange on the top to fit a groove in the border and shall have a one-inch air space all around.
Section 44D. Furnace or other pipes conveying heated air shall be of tinplate or its equal and except those from hot water or steam rad- iators, in partitions or between floors shall be double with a free air space between, and elsewhere shall be kept at least one inch away from any woodwork.
Section 44E. No wooden flue or air duct of any description can be used for heating or ventilating purposes.
Section 44F. A space of at least one inch to be left between all woodwork and the chimneys, with the exception of floor timbers which shall not be less than two inches from chimneys, also around all hot air, steam and hot water pipes; the spaces around chimneys and pipes where they pass through floors to be stopped with metal or other fireproof material, smoke tight. Steam and hot water pipes to have metal sleeves and collars.
Section 44G. All channels and pockets for gas, water and soil pipes to be made smoke tight at each floor.
Section 44H. Where a building is occupied above the first floor tenement or lodging house and the lower floor is occupied for stores or other purposes not connected with the upper floors the stairway lead- ing to such upper floor must be enclosed with brick walls or with wood- en partitions filled solid with brick laid in mortar or other fireproof material and plastered on both sides of metallic lathing, and all doors in such partitions covered with tin plate lock-jointed.
Section 44I. The smoke flue of every high pressure steam boil- er and every appliance producing a corresponding temperature in a flue if built of brick, stone, or reinforced concrete or other approved masonry, shall have walls not less than 12 inches thick, and the inside four inches of such walls shall be fire brick laid in fire clay mortar for a distance of at least 25 feet from the point where the smoke connec- tion of the boiler enters the flue.
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STEAM PIPES
Section 45. Steam pipes shall be kept at least one inch from all woodwork, or shall be protected by an incombustible ring or tube or rest on iron supports with air space of at least one-half inch all around and when passing through partitions or floors shall be surrounded by incom- bustible funnels at least three-quarters of an inch larger in diameter than the pipes.
NOTICE OF UNSAFE CHIMNEY
Section 46. If any chimney flue or heating apparatus shall be found by the Inspector to be unsafe, he shall at once notify in writing the owner. agent or other party having an interest in said premises, who upon receiving said notice shall make the same safe.
Section 47. Rooms for power boilers shall be enclosed in brick, stone or concrete walls. Roofs or floors over such rooms or houses shall be made iron or masonry arches or slabs or if wood shall be protected with fireproof tile or plastered on metal lath. All doors and frames leading to such boiler room shall be covered with metal. The ceiling over all stationary boilers except those used for heating dwell- ing houses shall be plastered on metal lath or covered with metal.
Section 48. The floors of rooms containing stationary boilers shall be made of incombustible materials for at least five feet in front and for a suitable distance on the sides and rear. Wooden floors under portable boilers shall be protected by incombustible materials.
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