# Using reclaimed/recycled material



## Junk man matt (Jul 3, 2017)

Hi, im looking to find out information about south carolina building codes reguarding using reclaimed or recycled material such as masonry, lumber, plumbing, electrical and roofing. 
Mostly wanting to know what restrictions or leniencies there are. 
Thank you in advance to anyone with valuable information  regarding this matter.


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## cda (Jul 3, 2017)

Just have to meet the codes that are adoted where you live 

More than likely you can use some but not all 

Talk to your local people


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## fatboy (Jul 4, 2017)

Yeah, it is going to be up to your local jurisdiction..............

R104.9.1 Used materials and equipment. Used materials, equipment and devices shall not be reused unless approved by the building official.


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## Junk man matt (Jul 4, 2017)

Well , guess ill have to ride down to the county office and see if i can pry a straight answer out of someone from building codes.


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## conarb (Jul 4, 2017)

fatboy said:


> Yeah, it is going to be up to your local jurisdiction..............
> 
> R104.9.1 Used materials and equipment. Used materials, equipment and devices shall not be reused unless approved by the building official.


Fatboy:

The Green Code requires the reuse of materials, I suggest the junk man first check and see if the Green Code has been adopted in his area, if it isn't buy a copy and take it to the AHJ screaming that they are "destroying the planet", a sin as great as failing to kiss the feet of disabled people.


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## Junk man matt (Jul 4, 2017)

conarb said:


> Fatboy:
> 
> The Green Code requires the reuse of materials, I suggest the junk man first check and see if the Green Code has been adopted in his area, if it isn't buy a copy and take it to the AHJ screaming that they are "destroying the planet", a sin as great as failing to kiss the feet of disabled people.



Thanks for the advice. I will definetly look into seeing if my area participates in green code.


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## cda (Jul 4, 2017)

Junk man matt said:


> Well , guess ill have to ride down to the county office and see if i can pry a straight answer out of someone from building codes.



What do you want to reuse

And where??

I do not think most inspectors ask for a sales receipt


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## tmurray (Jul 4, 2017)

If what you want to use meets code and is safe, I don't really care if it is re-used.


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## Junk man matt (Jul 4, 2017)

Ok maybe i should elaborate a bit. I collect up discarded scrap material from job sites as well as material from buildings being torn down. A breif list of things i collect other than lumber masonry and metal roofing are kitchen and bathroom fixtures, electrical outlets, switches, conduit, breaker boxes, meter socket boxes, plumbing parts and lengts of pipe worth using, doors windows. Pretty much what ever i can get for free or cheap. The goal is to build my family home from at least 80% salvaged material. With the exclusion of wiring due to the obvious danger of splicing together used wire.


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## cda (Jul 4, 2017)

Do you know if a building permit and inspections are required in your area??


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## Junk man matt (Jul 4, 2017)

Yep inspections are required at every phase of a project around here its quite the money racket at $145 a pop


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## cda (Jul 4, 2017)

Well the other thing is more than likely you will have to submit plans showing how you are going to build the house, not so much as where you will get the material.

So that might be another starting point. Find that person and tell them what you want to do, so they can advise you and give you some direction.


And you know how to build or have people that can help you ???


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## Junk man matt (Jul 4, 2017)

Ive built barns and decks and done a lot of general home maintnance but not a full on build and my father in law is a contractor so hes more than willing to supply a hand and expertice however he was also unsure of local laws governing use of reclaimed material as well.


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## tmurray (Jul 5, 2017)

Just to provide an example of an issue you may have, here we require you to prove compliance with the A440 window, door and skylight standard. The way this is done is by a factory placed temporary label on the window or door that is removed prior to building occupancy. It would not be quite challenging to  to prove compliance on these products without this.


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## JCraver (Jul 5, 2017)

And don't forget that if your State or municipality has adopted any Energy Code nonsense, you'll have to verify U-factors and SHGC numbers for the windows and doors, too.  This can be difficult if they're very old, and/or the manufacturer is no longer around.


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## Junk man matt (Jul 5, 2017)

Here is a link to my areas adopted codes im a pretty forign to the meanings of the titles for the codes without reading them all word for word.
http://www.oconeesc.com/Departments/AJ/CommunityDevelopment/BuildingCodes/AdoptedCodes.aspx


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## ICE (Jul 5, 2017)

If I were your inspector: You will have to forget about using reclaimed electrical other than outlet boxes and conduit.  A good looking service panel with new breakers might be ok. 
Being a realist I know that you could fool me with previously installed wire and cable.  If it's not dirty or sun bleached, how would I know.  A friend cashes in thousands of dollars worth of copper each year.  He gets it from demo work.  There is no reuse market for the wire....big stuff too.  500kcml

As I recall, there used to be a rule of thumb that you could use recycled lumber if it were doubled up.  Instead of one stud there's two etc.  Could be just my lousy memory.  There was a log house that I was working on.  The floor joists were used 4x that the owner found.  That was a stout floor.  Everything on that job was stout including my right arm from swinging a single jack.


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## cda (Jul 5, 2017)

If no nail holes in it how can you tell it is a used 2x4

Do they loose strength over the years?


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## fatboy (Jul 5, 2017)

Junk Man...........quick glance at your adopted codes, doesn't look like they are amended at all, just a couple small administrative sections.I would suggest sitting down ASAP with the local building official, and get some direction. As Conarb and others mentioned, the energy code alone with be a huge factor in preventing you moving to far down your future recycled path. 

Time spent on the front end with pay dividends in the future, in frustration alone.

Good Luck!


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## steveray (Jul 6, 2017)

If it doesn't "look" used you can probably use it, but as others said, energy codes might kill older windows and doors and plumbing fixtures....Not that I have ever checked flow rates on a plumbing fixture....I would probably let used pipe go as it will be pressure tested anyway, and lumber would be back to if it looks in good shape...


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## ADAguy (Jul 6, 2017)

Toilets and shower heads will have to comply with current codes for water consumption.
Check for markings and UL labels on electrical products.


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## cda (Jul 6, 2017)

There is always alternative materials or performanced base design


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## conarb (Jul 6, 2017)

This thread really tells me something, as you all know I've complained about our social engineering codes even recommending that they all be dropped to meet the new administration's regulation reduction requirements but have had no response from anyone here, this thread tells me you don't know what we are going through with our infamous "Green code", one good inspector I know even has a poster on his cubicle wall that says: "Green is the new red".  I'm posting that part of Wikipedia's analysis here and I suggest all read it as a start in enforcing these new social engineering codes, to start with it has nothing to do with saving energy, we have a separate Energy Code.  To start with the basic Green code has certain mandatory measures, then a qualified green company has to do an analysis and the results are incorporated within the codes as "G Sheets", here is Wikipedia's statement on recycling, basically about half of all materials must be reused or recycled so others can use them, and lumber is a big part of that, with every permit application we have to submit a recycling plan with our application.



			
				Wikipedia said:
			
		

> About construction waste reduction, disposal, and recycling, the code says that at least 50% of nonhazardous construction and demolition debris have to be recycled and/or salvaged. This has to be done through the development of a waste management plan submitted for approval to the enforcing agency.
> 
> CALGreen Appendix A4 contains the voluntary measures (Tier 1 and Tier 2) that were developed in response to numerous stakeholder requests for a statewide method of enhancing green construction practiced beyond the Code’s minimum levels. To meet Tier 1 or Tier 2, designers, builders, or property owners must increase the number of green building measures and further reduce percentages of water and energy use and waste to landfills in order to meet the threshold levels for each tier (these measures are listed in Section A4.601.4.2 (Tier 1) and Section A4.601.5.2 (Tier 2))¹



¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Green_Building_Standards_Code


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## steveray (Jul 6, 2017)

Reduce, reuse, recycle.....See which one is last because it should be?


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## mtlogcabin (Jul 6, 2017)

2012 IBC
[A] 104.9 Approved materials and equipment.
Materials, equipment and devices approved by the building official shall be constructed and installed in accordance with such approval.

[A] 104.9.1 Used materials and equipment.
The use of used materials which meet the requirements of this code for new materials is permitted. Used equipment and devices shall not be reused unless approved by the building official.

2012 IRC
R104.9 Approved materials and equipment.
Materials, equipment and devices approved by the building official shall be constructed and installed in accordance with such approval.

R104.9.1 Used materials and equipment.
Used materials, equipment and devices shall not be reused unless approved by the building official.

2012 IMC
Hydronic piping
1202.2 Used materials.
Reused pipe, fittings, valves or other materials shall be clean and free of foreign materials and shall be approved by the code official for reuse.

2012 IPC is silent on used materials


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## conarb (Jul 6, 2017)

Mountain Man, so how are you going to enforce it, you approve a set of plans for a new house, you come out to inspect it and find I've used lots of used lumber, in many cases the grade stamp has been cut off, what do you do?


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## tmurray (Jul 6, 2017)

conarb said:


> Mountain Man, so how are you going to enforce it, you approve a set of plans fro a new house, you come out to inspect it and find I've use lots of used lumber, in many cases the grade stamp has been cut off, what do you do?



That's a really good question. 

For me it would depend on the contractor. If they could identify what acceptable grading stamps were. A while back we had a surplus of lumber that was destined for you folks down there when there was an economic downturn. All of a sudden, Canadian lumber mills had lots of lumber sitting around with the extra "S" added to the SPF mark. We started finding it in roof trusses of all places. You want to see a truss company get excited...tell them they used the wrong grade of lumber to manufacture their trusses. 

Just as an FYI, SPF South is about 15% weaker than what we use up here.


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## conarb (Jul 6, 2017)

Reading the code years ago every piece of lumber had to have a grade stamp, we always cut blocks and other short pieces off longer stamped pieces and it's always been let go, I don't think that has been changed.  I'd say inspectors have always exercised discretion on lumber, except for Tiger.


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## ADAguy (Jul 6, 2017)

There you go, kicking Tiger when he's down; not nice conarb.
At least he didn't do an OJ.


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## conarb (Jul 6, 2017)

ADAguy said:


> There you go, kicking Tiger when he's down; not nice conarb.
> At least he didn't do an OJ.


Yeah but he kicks old people in wheelchairs, he loves sticking sticks and canes into their spokes, then laughs.  He's another Hillary, 'We came, we saw, he died, ha,ha,ha, ha, ha, ha,ha,ha, ha, ha, ha,ha,ha, ha, ha, ha,ha,ha, ha, ha."


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## ADAguy (Jul 6, 2017)

I sense a disconnect here, are we speaking of the same "Tiger"?


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