Title 24
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Get answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding Title 24
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What is Title 24?
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What does Title 24 affect?
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For Duct Sealing/Insulation what are Climate Zones?
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How do I determine what Climate Zone a city is in?
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What exactly is meant by air conditioning/furnace or duct replacement?
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What is “Duct Sealing”?
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Is there any duct system that is exempt from testing?
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When are ducts in Compliance?
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What is meant by Accessible in relation to sealing Ducts?
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Central gas furnace stopped working. 30 years old. Decision is made to replace with a new more efficient unit rather than repair the existing one. What are the requirements?
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Ductwork is being replaced because of failure due to normal wear and tear. What requirements apply to the replacement duct?
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How will I know when a duct sealant test is required?
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Who pays for the duct sealant test?
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What happens when the homeowner agrees to pay for the duct sealant test and technician determines that the total leakage exceeds 15% of fan airflow?
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What if the ductwork is made of or has insulation made of asbestos, and the tech will be disturbing it in order to complete the job?
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A single family residence with one gas water heater is replacing the water heater with a new gas water heater. How does this comply?
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What is Title 24?
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Title 24 is part of the California Code of Regulations.
Part 6 of Title 24 deals with California’s energy efficiency standards for residential and non-residential buildings.
Effective October 1, 2005
The Energy Efficiency Standards for residential and non-residential buildings were established in 1978 in response to a legislative mandate to reduce California's energy consumption. The standards are updated periodically to allow consideration and possible incorporation of new energy efficiency technologies and methods.
California's building efficiency standards (along with those for energy efficient appliances) have saved more than $56 billion in electricity and natural gas costs since 1978. It is estimated the standards will save an additional $23 billion by 2013.
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What does Title 24 affect? |
Duct Insulation – Levels depending on climate zone<./div>
Pipe Insulation – Hot water pipes to the kitchen have to be insulated.
Duct Sealing – required when air conditioner/furnace is replaced or ducts are replaced.
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For Duct Sealing/Insulation what are Climate Zones? |
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To standardize calculations and to provide a basis for presenting the prescriptive requirements, the Energy Commission has established a set of standard climate data for each of the 16 climate zones. Cities may occasionally straddle two climate zones. In these instances, the exact building location and correct climate zone should be verified with the building department or by the person preparing the compliance documentation before any calculations are performed. If a single building development is split by a climate zone boundary line, it must be designed to the requirements of the climate zone in which 50% or more of the dwelling units are contained.
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How do I determine what Climate Zone a city is in? |
Click on HERE for a list of California Climate Zones by city from the California Energy Commission. |
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What exactly is meant by air conditioning/furnace or duct replacement? |
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Duct sealing is now required in climate zones 2 and 9 through 16 when an air conditioner or furnace is replaced and when new ducts are added or ducts are altered in an existing home.
The state had determined that the replacement is an “Alteration”.
Examples of an Alteration that do require duct testing:
- Replacement of an air conditioning condenser, heat pump condenser, Gas/ Electric/Heat Pump package unit or indoor air handler/coil of a split system air conditioner.
- Replacement of a furnace.
The state has determined that a “Repair” does not fall under these rules.
Examples of a repair that does not require duct testing:
- Replacing a failed compressor in an air conditioner but not replacing the entire air conditioner.
- Replacing a failed fan motor or gas valve in a furnace but not replacing the entire furnace.
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What is “Duct Sealing”? |
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Duct Sealing and Insulation
A significant new requirement in the 2005 Standards is that an existing duct system must be sealed and verified by a HERS Rater when portions of the heating and cooling system are altered. The requirement applies in climate zones 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. The ducts must be sealed (as described later below) under any of the following circumstances:
- An air handler is installed or replaced.
- An outdoor condensing unit of a split system air conditioner or heat pump is installed or replaced.
- A cooling or heating coil is installed or replaced.
- A furnace heat exchanger is installed or replaced.
- When more than 40 feet of new or replacement ducts are installed in unconditioned space, in addition to the duct sealing requirements described above, the ducts must also meet the duct insulation requirements.
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Is there any duct system that is exempt from testing? |
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Yes
- Ducts that have already been sealed, tested and certified by a HERS Rater.
- Duct systems with less than 40 linear feet of duct in unconditioned spaces.
- Duct systems that are insulated or sealed with asbestos.
- If a residence has more than one duct system, only the ducts connected to the altered equipment need to be sealed and verified.
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When are ducts in Compliance? |
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There are four options to showing compliance for existing duct systems:
- Total leakage is less than 15% of fan airflow.
- Leakage to the outside is less than 10% of fan airflow.
- Leakage is reduced by more than 60% compared to before the alteration and a smoke test shows that all accessible leaks have been sealed.
- If the three leakage targets cannot be met, then compliance can be achieved by sealing all accessible leaks verified by a HERS Rater inspection.
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What is meant by Accessible in relation to sealing Ducts? |
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Accessibility
Accessible is defined as having access thereto, but which first may require removal or opening of access panels, doors, or similar obstructions. For example, if walls and drywalls have to be moved or removed, or if the ducts are buried under insulation, or if a joint in the duct system is in too small a space between framing member for someone to be able to get to the joint to seal it, then the duct system is not accessible. All other duct systems must meet the duct sealing requirements of the Standards.
- Note that only the inaccessible portions of the duct systems do not have to be sealed; all other parts of the duct system that are accessible must still be sealed.
- A smoke test may be employed to locate the leaks and to assess whether or not they are accessible.
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Central gas furnace stopped working. 30 years old. Decision is made to replace with a new more efficient unit rather than repair the existing one. What are the requirements? |
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Mandatory requirements apply to the components being replaced.
- The furnace must meet minimum efficiency requirements.
- If the thermostat is being replaced then the new thermostat must be a setback.
- Any new ducts must meet insulation and construction requirements.
- The new heating unit must also be a natural gas unit (or a heat pump that provides equal or better Time Dependent Valuation (TDV) energy performance).
- An electric resistance furnace is not an option.
- If the home is located in climate zones 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16, then the most significant requirement is that duct sealing and testing is required.
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Ductwork is being replaced because of failure due to normal wear and tear. What requirements apply to the replacement duct? |
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This is an alteration since no new conditioned space is being added. The mandatory measures for ducts apply. If more than 40 feet of duct is replaced, Package D duct insulation and sealing requirements also apply which require diagnostic testing of the whole duct system.
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How will I know when a duct sealant test is required? |
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The technician will inform First American that he has confirmed via the Title 24 standards that this alteration to the HVAC system does require duct sealant testing.
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Who pays for the duct sealant test? |
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The duct sealant test will be classified as a cost relating to permits and is not covered by First American as per the contract. The cost to perform the test will go to the homeowner.
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What happens when the homeowner agrees to pay for the duct sealant test and technician determines that the total leakage exceeds 15% of fan airflow? |
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Depending on contract version, First American will cover the cost to seal all accessible duct leaks.
Please review your contract for details of coverage.
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What if the ductwork is made of or has insulation made of asbestos, and the tech will be disturbing it in order to complete the job? |
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Existing duct systems with asbestos are exempt from the duct testing process, however, First American maintains its zero tolerance policy for asbestos.
If the repair or replacement will disturb the asbestos the homeowner will need to have this abated prior to our technician proceeding with the job.
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A single family residence with one gas water heater is replacing the water heater with a new gas water heater. How does this comply? |
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This system must comply with the mandatory requirements for alterations. This includes a certified water heater and pipe insulation on the first five feet of hot and cold water pipes. Since compliance with the annual water heating budget is not required, no water heating calculations are required.
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