(a) Electrical Connections.
(1) On new construction of environmental air conditioning,
commercial refrigeration, and process cooling or heating systems,
licensees may connect the appliance to the electrical line or disconnect
that is provided for that purpose.
(2) Licensees may replace and reconnect environmental
air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, process cooling or heating
systems, or component parts of the same or lesser amperage. On replacement
environmental air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, process
cooling or heating systems where the electrical disconnect has not
been installed and is required by the applicable National Electrical
Code, the licensee may install a disconnect and reconnect the system.
(3) Control wiring of 50 volts or less may be installed
and serviced by a licensee. Control wiring for commercial refrigeration
equipment of any voltage may be installed by a licensee with the commercial
refrigeration endorsement as long as the control wiring is on the
equipment side of the disconnect installed for that purpose.
(4) All electrical work shall be performed in accordance
with standards at least as strict as that established by the applicable
National Electrical Code and the International Residential Code, where
applicable.
(b) Piping.
(1) Fuel gas piping for new or replaced environmental
air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, or process cooling or
heating systems may be installed by a licensee. Fuel gas piping by
a licensee is limited to the portion of piping between the appliance
and the existing piping system, connected at an existing shut-off
valve for such use. Existing piping systems, stops, or shut-off valves
shall not be altered by a licensee.
(2) Drain piping associated with environmental air
conditioning, commercial refrigeration, or process cooling or heating
systems shall be installed by a licensee if it terminates outside
the building. If the piping terminates inside the building, a licensee
may make the connection if the connection is on the inlet side of
a properly installed trap. Such drain piping shall be installed in
accordance with applicable plumbing and building codes.
(3) Other piping, fittings, valves and controls associated
with environmental air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, or
process cooling or heating systems shall be installed by a licensee.
(c) Duct cleaning.
(1) Duct cleaning and air quality testing, including
biomedical testing, may be performed by a person or entity that does
not hold a contractor license under Texas Occupations Code Chapter
1302 if:
(A) the task is limited to the air distribution system,
from the supply plenum to the supply grilles of the unit and from
the return air grill to the air handler intake of the unit;
(B) no cuts are made to ducts or plenums;
(C) no changes are made to electrical connections;
and
(D) the only disassembly of any part of the system
is opening or removal of return and supply air grilles, or registers
that are removable without cutting or removing any other part of the
system.
(2) Biomedical testing may be performed by a person
or entity that does not hold a contractor license under Texas Occupations
Code, Chapter 1302.
(3) Biomedical remediation requires a contractor license
under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1302.
(d) Process Cooling and Heating.
(1) Process cooling and heating work does not include
cryogenic work.
(2) Process cooling and heating work is limited to
work performed on piping and equipment in the primary closed loop
portions of processing systems containing a primary process medium.
Once a primary closed loop process system has been deactivated and
rendered inert by a licensee, a person or entity that does not hold
a contractor license under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1302 may
perform maintenance, service and repairs on the secondary open loop
components including piping, heat exchangers, vessels, cooling towers,
sump pumps, motors, and fans.
(e) Standards.
(1) The standard for the practice of air conditioning
and refrigeration in a municipality is the code the municipality adopted
by ordinance that is consistent with the standards established under
the Act and this chapter.
(2) The standard for the practice of air conditioning
and refrigeration in an area where no code has been adopted is:
(A) The applicable edition of the International Residential
Code for one- and two-family dwellings, and multiple single family
dwellings (townhouses) not more than three stories in height with
separate means of egress, together with the applicable editions of
the International Fuel Gas Code and the International Energy Conservation
Code;
(B) For commercial work and any multiple family residential
work that exceeds the limitations of subparagraph (A), the contractor
performing the work may choose between:
(i) the applicable edition of the Uniform Mechanical
Code; or
(ii) the applicable editions of the International Mechanical
Code, International Fuel Gas Code and International Energy Conservation
Code.
(f) System Testing and Balancing.
(1) System testing may be performed by a person or
entity that does not hold a contractor license under Texas Occupations
Code, Chapter 1302.
(2) System balancing requires a contractor license
under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1302.
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Source Note: The provisions of this §75.100 adopted to be effective July 21, 1999, 24 TexReg 5469; amended to be effective March 7, 2001, 26 TexReg 1833; amended to be effective November 5, 2001, 26 TexReg 8814; amended to be effective March 27, 2002, 27 TexReg 2225; amended to be effective December 1, 2003, 28 TexReg 10465; amended to be effective August 1, 2006, 31 TexReg 5944; amended to be effective April 1, 2011, 36 TexReg 1975; amended to be effective November 17, 2021, 46 TexReg 7782; amended to be effective December 31, 2022, 47 TexReg 7681; amended to be effective August 31, 2023, 48 TexReg 4654 |