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How to Make Your Basement Comply with the Ontario Building Code

If you are planning to finish your basement, it is important that you make sure that it complies with the Ontario Building Code. There are a number of things that you need to take into accounts, such as the height of the ceilings and the type of insulation that is used. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most important aspects of making your basement comply with the building code. Let’s get started!

Permit

A building permit is required for any finishing work that is done in a basement, including the installation of new walls, ceilings and floors. The permit must be obtained from your local municipality before any work can begin. Architect, structural engineer and BCIN designers can help you with drawing of the permit. Mechnical engineer may need to be involved in certain scenarios for heat loss calculation and mechanical design. When applying a permit that involving a rental unit basement, it must first go through zoning department. Ontario is currently looking to build affordable housing (2022), many of the red tape from zoning department has lifted and more affordable for home owner that looking to build attached dwelling unit (known by legal basement to some).

Ceiling

Building Code 9.5.3.1. states 2100 mm (~82″) over at least 75% of the basement area except that under beams and ducts the clearance is permitted to be reduced to 1 950 mm (~77″). This is to ensure that there is enough headroom for people to move around comfortably. If your basement ceiling is lower than this, you will need to install new framing to raise it up to the required height.

Insulation

All basements must be properly insulated in order to comply with the building code. The type of insulation that is required will depend on the climate in your area. In most cases, fiberglass batts or spray foam insulation will be sufficient.

In Supplementary Standard SB-12, the required R-value for the basement is R20. The insulation must be installed that eliminates thermal bridging.

If furnace room is unfinished, insulation should fill the gap above the top plate for fire blocking.

Fire Safety

One of the most important aspects of the building code is fire safety. All basements must have a working smoke alarm and an emergency exit in case of a fire. The emergency exit can be a window or door that leads to the outside of the house.

Adding a bedroom in the basement requires additional fireproof measures. In 9.10.9.14. Separation of residential Suites it states, a fire-resistance rating of either 30 min to 1h is required. To achieve this, fire-resistant drywall is to be used. the ceiling membrane of a basement or below-grade dwelling unit shall be constructed of at least one layer of 15 mm (5/8 in.) Type X gypsum board, or an equivalent material that provides equivalent fire resistance. (9.10.15)

9.9.10.1 states that an egress window is required for bedrooms in case of fire. The egress window must have a well.

A smoke alarm is required in every bedroom and it must be hardwired not battery power.

Framing

2×4 and 2×6 are mandatory for framing with 16 inches spacing.

Squash block shall be placed when a load-bearing wall is present in the level above.

There are numerous framing requirements in general. Follow the standard guideline for those.

HVAC

Heating

There are multiple paragraph in 6.2.4.4 . two important to take notes are

Section 4, at least one warm-air supply outlet shall be provided for each 40 m² of floor surface area in unfinished basements serving dwelling units, located so as to provide adequate distribution of warm air throughout the basement.

and section 5, At least one warm-air supply outlet shall be provided for each 80 m2 of floor surface area in heated crawl spaces serving dwelling units, and it shall be located so as to provide adequate distribution of warm air throughout the crawl space.

Plumbing

We recommend all contractor get familiar with section 7 (OBC) of plumbing code. Most failed inspection are related to the following three sections.

7.2- Pipe and fitting: OBC Section 7.2 sets out the requirements for determining the size of pipes in a plumbing system. Properly sized pipes are essential for maintaining the desired water flow rate. If pipes are too small, it can lead to reduced water pressure and flow, causing inconvenience for building occupants. Also, Properly sized pipes contribute to the overall efficiency of the plumbing system. Oversized pipes can lead to wastage of water and energy, while undersized pipes can lead to increased pumping costs and reduced efficiency. In addition, OBC Section 7.2 helps prevent blockages in the plumbing system. When pipes are correctly sized, it reduces the risk of blockages, which can lead to backups, clogs, and maintenance issues.

7.5- Venting:  Sections 7.5.1 to 7.5.5 provide detailed requirements for venting systems in plumbing. Proper venting is essential to prevent the siphonage of traps, which are U-shaped bends in drainpipes. When traps are siphoned, sewer gases can enter the living space, posing health risks. Adequate venting ensures that traps are protected and maintained.

7.6.5.1-Maximum Temperature of Hot Water: 7.6.5.1 of Ontario building code is the maximum temperature of hot water supplied by fittings to fixtures in a residential occupancy shall not exceed 49°C. This is a less known code. Water heater must be locked at 49°C. If the water heater can not be locked, then a mixing valve need to be installed.

Electrical (Canadian Electrical Code)

ESA inspection is required for finishing basement electricals. We highly recommend hire a license electrical contractor to complete the work.

A receptacle is required every 6′ (26-710) – According to Section 26-710, “Receptacles shall be installed so that no point along the floor line in any wall space is more than 1.8 m (6 ft) horizontally from a receptacle outlet.” This means that there must be a receptacle installed within 6 feet of any point along the floor line in a wall space. All electrical boxes are secured in place, flush with the finished wall or ceiling. (12-303) – Boxes, cabinets, and fittings shall be installed so that the front edge of the box, cabinet, or fitting is not set back from the finished surface more than 3 mm (1/8 in.) or as permitted by the manufacturer’s installation instructions.” 

TR receptacle (26-710)- Receptacles located in dwelling units, child care facilities and places of assembly, other than stage areas, shall be of the grounding type and shall be of the tamper-resistant type. This means that in dwelling units (such as houses, apartments, and condos), as well as in child care facilities and places of assembly (such as schools, community centers, and places of worship), all receptacles must be of the grounding type and must also be tamper-resistant.Tamper-resistant receptacles are designed with built-in safety features that make it difficult for foreign objects to be inserted into the slots. This is intended to protect children from electrical shock or burns caused by tampering with electrical outlets.

GFI outlet (26-722)- All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in bathrooms, garages, outdoors, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, kitchens, and within 1.5 m (5 ft) from the inside walls of a swimming pool shall have ground-fault circuit interrupter protection for personnel. This means that GFCI protection is required for electrical outlets in these specific locations in order to protect people from electrical shock. GFCIs are designed to detect ground faults, which occur when electrical current leaks from a circuit, and to quickly shut off power to the circuit to prevent electric shock.

The outlet cover should not be painted over. Painting material can cause sparking and a fire in certain circumstances. These plates will need to be removed and replaced.

Maximum of 12 outlet (8-304) for a 15 A branch circuit where the fused switch or circuit breaker is marked for continuous operation at 80%; 15 outlets is permited if circuit breaker is marked for continuous operation at 100%.

Drilling through Joist (12-516) – Bored holes and notches in framing members shall be located not less than 32 mm (1 1/4 in.) from the edge of the framing member.” This requirement applies to all types of framing members, including studs and joists, and is intended to prevent weakening of the framing member and maintain its structural integrity. The section goes on to provide specific requirements for the size and shape of holes and notches in framing members. For example, holes and notches must not exceed one-third the depth of the framing member, and they must not be located in the middle third of the span of the framing member.

These are just some of the most important things to keep in mind when finishing your basement. By following these guidelines, you can be sure that your basement will comply with the Ontario Building Code. For more information on this topic, please visit the website of the Ontario Building Code Commission. Thanks for reading!

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