History of Codes
Codes have been around since the year 2000 B.C. The first written codes came from the Babylonian Empire, under Hammurabi. These codes required a warranty of the builder, such as his life if life was lost from failure, the replacement of a donkey if a donkey was lost from a failure, and so on. Civilizations learned a lot from each disaster and calamity through history, which helped to shape the codes as written today. A few examples include the Black Plague of Europe, the fires of London in 1666, as well as the fire of Chicago in 1871. California has given us much needed information of earthquake resistance. Today's codes are the results of input by professionals, insurance groups, and manufacturers of new products. They are dynamic and evolve as the country learns new methods, understand problems better, and people invent new things. Once created, States may adopt codes into law if they choose. Overall, they are a minimum standard applied for the safety of the citizens and their property.
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Building permits are required for most construction acts and are for the purpose of allowing an expert to verify compliance to the minimum standards set by the State of Utah.
There are a few items that are exempt from permits, as follows:
- single story accessory structures under 200 square feet.
- fences up to 6 feet in height
- driveways up to 30 inches above grade
- detached decks up to 30 inches in height and less than 200 square feet
- pools that hold less than 24 inches of water
- portable heating and cooling equipment
- changing light luminaries or replacing a switch or receptacle
- minor repairs on plumbing or replacing a fixture
- minor repairs on mechanical equipment
Common items requiring permits are basement completions, decks attached to homes, swimming pools, replacing or adding air conditioning, furnaces, water heaters, water features with electrical pumps, small sheds with electrical, plumbing, or heating and hot tubs.
Useful Links
www.dopl.utah.gov
www.energy.gov
www.iccsafe.org
http://www.energycodes.gov/rescheck/download.stm
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