The design of the mechanical systems must be done by or under
the direction of a registered professional (mechanical) engineer approved
by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors to
operate in Texas, and the parts of the plans and specifications covering
mechanical design must bear the legible seal of the engineer. Building
services pertaining to utilities; heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning
systems; vertical conveyors; and chutes must be in accordance with
NFPA 101. Required plumbing fixtures must be in accordance with NFPA
101 and §554.334 of this chapter (relating to Architectural Space
Planning and Utilization) in specific use areas.
(1) Plumbing.
(A) All plumbing systems must be designed and installed
in accordance with the requirements of the plumbing code of the municipality.
In the absence of a municipal code, a nationally recognized plumbing
code must be used. Any discrepancy between an applicable code and
these requirements must be called to the attention of HHSC.
(B) Supply systems must assure an adequacy of hot and
cold water. An average rule-of-thumb design for hot water for resident
usage (at 110 degrees Fahrenheit) is to provide 6-1/2 gallons per
hour per resident in addition to kitchen and laundry use.
(C) Water supply must be from a system approved by
TCEQ, or from a system regulated by an entity responsible for water
quality in that jurisdiction as approved by TCEQ.
(D) The sewage system must connect to a system permitted
by TCEQ, or to a system regulated by an entity responsible for water
quality in that jurisdiction as approved by TCEQ.
(E) The minimum ratio of fixtures to residents shall
be as required in §554.334(c) of this chapter.
(F) For design calculation purposes, resident-use hot
water must not exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit at the fixture. For purposes
of conforming to licensure requirements, an operating system providing
water from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 115 degrees Fahrenheit is acceptable.
Hot water for laundry and kitchen use must be normally 140 degrees
Fahrenheit except that dish sanitizing, if done by hot water, must
be 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
(G) Water closets raised to provide a seat height 17
inches to 19 inches from the floor is required for persons with disabilities.
(H) Showers for wheelchair residents must not have
curbs. Tub and shower bottoms must have a slip-resistant surface.
Shower and tub enclosures, other than curtains, must be of tempered
glass, plastic, and other safe materials.
(I) Drinking fountains must not extend into exit corridors.
(J) Fixture controls easily operable by residents must
be provided (such as lever type).
(K) Plumbing fixtures for residents must be vitreous
china or porcelain finished cast iron or steel unless otherwise approved
by HHSC. Bathing units constructed of class B fire rated fiberglass
are acceptable for use.
(L) Hand-washing sinks for staff use are required in
many areas throughout the facility in accordance with §554.334
of this chapter (relating to Architectural Space Planning and Utilization).
Lavatories are required to be provided adjacent to water closets in
each area.
(M) The soiled utility room must be provided with a
flushing device such as a water closet with bedpan lugs, a spray hose
with a siphon breaker or similar device, such as a high neck faucet
with lever controls and a deep sink that is large enough to submerse
a bedpan. A sterilizer for sanitizing may be used in place of a deep
sink.
(N) Siphon breakers or back-flow preventers must be
installed with any water supply fixture where the outlet or attachments
may be submerged.
(O) Clean-outs for waste piping lines must be provided
and located so that there is the least physical and sanitary hazard
to residents. Where possible, clean-outs must open to the exterior
or areas which would not spread contamination during clean-out procedures.
(P) All boilers not exempted by the Texas Health and
Safety Code §755.022 must be inspected and certified for operation
by The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
(2) Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems.
(A) Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems
must be designed and installed in accordance with the Heating, Ventilating,
and Air-Conditioning Guide of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating,
and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), except as may be modified
by this section.
(B) Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems
must meet the requirements of NFPA 101 and NFPA 90A. The plans must
have a statement verifying that the systems are designed to conform
to NFPA 90A. Requirements for conditions related to smoke compartmentation
must be in accordance with §554.336 of this chapter (relating
to Smoke Compartmentation (Subdivision of Building Spaces)).
(C) Systems using liquefied petroleum gas fuel must
meet the requirements of the Railroad Commission of Texas and NFPA
58.
(D) The heating system must be designed, installed,
and functioning to be able to maintain a temperature of at least 75
degrees Fahrenheit for all areas occupied by residents. For all other
occupied areas, the indoor design temperature must be at least 72
degrees Fahrenheit. The cooling system must be designed, installed,
and functioning to be able to maintain a temperature of not more than
78 degrees Fahrenheit. A facility constructed or licensed after January
1, 2004, must have a central air conditioning system, or a substantially
similar air conditioning system, that is capable of maintaining a
temperature suitable for resident comfort within areas used by residents.
Occupied areas generating high heat, such as kitchens, must be provided
with a sufficient cool air supply to maintain a temperature not exceeding
85 degrees Fahrenheit at the five-foot level. Supply air volume must
be approximately equal to the air volume exhausted to the exterior
for these areas.
(E) Air systems must provide for mixing at least 10
percent outside air for the supply distribution. Blowers for central
heating and cooling systems must be designed so that they may run
continuously.
(F) Floor furnaces, unvented space heaters, and portable
heating units must not be used. Heating devices or appliances must
not be a burn hazard (to touch) to residents.
(G) A combustion fresh air inlet must be provided to
all gas or fossil fuel operated equipment in steel ducts or passages
from outside the building in accordance with NFPA 54. Rooms must also
be vented to the exterior to exhaust heated ambient air in the room.
Combustion air will require one vent within 12 inches of the floor
and one vent within 12 inches of the ceiling.
(H) The location and design of air diffusers, registers,
and return air grilles, must ensure that residents are not in harmful
or excessive drafts in their normal usage of the room.
(I) In areas requiring control of sanitation, the air
flow must be from the clean area to the dirty area. Air supply to
food preparation areas must not be from air which has circulated places
such as resident bedrooms and baths.
(J) Air from unsanitary areas such as janitors closets,
soiled linen areas, utility areas, and soiled area of laundry rooms,
must not be returned and recirculated to other areas.
(K) Intakes for fresh outside air must be located sufficiently
distant from exhaust outlets or other areas or conditions which may
contaminate or otherwise pollute the incoming fresh air. Fresh air
inlets must be appropriately screened to prevent entry of debris,
rodents, and animals. Provision must be made for access to such screens
for periodic inspection and cleaning to eliminate clogging or air
stoppage (see paragraph (3)(C)(i) of this subsection).
(L) Systems must be designed as much as possible to
avoid having ducts passing through fire walls or smoke barrier walls.
All openings or duct penetrations in these walls must be provided
with approved automatic dampers. Smoke dampers at smoke partitions
must close automatically upon activation of the fire alarm system
to prevent the flow of air or smoke in either direction.
(M) Ducts with smoke dampers must have maintenance
panels for inspections. The maintenance panels must be removable without
tools. Means of access must also be provided in the ceiling or side
wall to facilitate smoke damper inspection readily and without obstruction.
Location of dampers must be identified on the wall or ceiling of the
occupied area below.
(N) Fusible links are not approved for smoke dampers.
(O) Central air supply systems and/or systems serving
means of egress must automatically and immediately shut down upon
activation of the fire alarm system. (An exception must be approved,
engineered smoke-removal systems.)
(P) Ducts must be of metal or other approved noncombustible
material. Cooling ducts must be insulated against condensation drip.
(3) Ventilating and exhaust.
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