[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of County Commissioners (now County Council) of Cecil County 6-3-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-02. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 157.
Electrical standards — See Ch. 191.
Energy conservation standards — See Ch. 195.
Housing standards — See Ch. 225.
Plumbing — See Ch. 270.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide basic and uniform HVAC regulations in terms of performance objectives implemented by specific requirements, establishing reasonable safeguards for the installation and repair of HVAC systems.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CODE OFFICIAL
The officer or other designated authority charged with the administration and enforcement of the applicable codes.
CONTRACTOR
A heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and/or refrigeration contractor.
COOLING SYSTEM
A system in which heat is removed from air, surrounding surfaces or both; includes an air-conditioning system.
HEATING SYSTEM
A system in which heat is transmitted by radiation, conduction, or convection, or a combination of any of these methods, to the air, surrounding surfaces or both. Does not include a fireplace or wood-burning stove not incorporated into or used as a primary heating system.
HVAC CONTRACTOR
An individual who provides heating, ventilation, air-conditioning or refrigeration services.
HVAC SERVICES
To install, maintain, alter, remodel or repair heating systems, cooling systems, refrigeration systems, ventilation systems or hydronic systems.
HYDRONIC SYSTEM
A heating and cooling system using liquids or steam to transmit or remove heat.
LICENSE
Unless the context requires otherwise, a license issued by the State of Maryland to provide or to assist in providing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, or refrigeration services.
PERSON
A natural person, the heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns and includes a firm, partnership or corporation, its or their successors or assigns.
PREMISES
The building(s) and that part of the grounds of one parcel of property where an installation would affect the safety of those buildings or adjacent property.
REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
A combination of interconnected refrigerant-containing parts constituting one closed circuit in which a refrigerant is circulated for the purpose of extracting heat.
VENTILATION SYSTEM
The natural or mechanical process of supplying conditioned or unconditioned air to or removing such air from any space.
[Amended 11-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-12]
Any HVAC mechanical work commenced within Cecil County shall be conducted by a corporation, firm or person licensed by the State Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, as outlined in the Business Regulation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, Title 9A, Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors.
A. 
An owner, authorized agent or contractor who desires to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace a mechanical system or to cause such work to be done shall first make application to the Division of Permits and Inspections and obtain the required permit for the work. Exception: Where equipment and appliance replacement or repairs must be performed in an emergency situation, the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day of the Division of Permits and Inspections.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
B. 
The County will grant permits to companies, corporations, individuals, and/or organizations that provide and place on file with the Office of Permits and Inspections the following:
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
(1) 
Certification of liability insurance, for mechanical contracting only.
(2) 
Identification (documentation) of a person(s) authorized to bind the company in legal matters.
(3) 
A copy of a Maryland mechanical/HVAC license.
C. 
No work shall be commenced in the County until a permit to do such work has been issued by the Division of Permits and Inspections to a licensed contractor.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
D. 
Application for such a permit shall be made on forms prepared and provided by the Division of Permits and Inspections and accompanied by the required plans, description of work and specifications and the applicable fees.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
E. 
Permits not required. Permits shall not be required for the following:
(1) 
Portable heating appliances.
(2) 
Portable ventilating appliances and equipment.
(3) 
Portable cooling units.
(4) 
Steam, hot water or chilled water piping within any heating or cooling equipment regulated by this code.
(5) 
The replacement of any minor part that does not alter the approval of equipment or an appliance or make such equipment or appliance unsafe.
(6) 
Portable evaporative coolers.
(7) 
Self-contained refrigeration systems that contain 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or less of refrigerant, or that are activated by motors of one horsepower (0.75 kw) or less.
(8) 
Portable fuel cell appliances that are not connected to a fixed piping system and are not interconnected to a power grid.
A. 
At any time that the Division of Permits and Inspections or any designated Code Enforcement Officer or inspector of the County determines that any person, firm, or corporation erects, constructs, alters, repairs, removes, demolishes or utilizes a mechanical system, or causes same to be done in violation of this code or the Mechanical Code as adopted by the Cecil County Council, notice shall be sent to said person, firm or corporation advising of said violation and corrections necessary. Said notice shall be presumed received upon being mailed to the address of said person, firm or corporation provided on any permits issued or other information obtainable for such person, firm or corporation three days after mailing. Until such violation(s) has been corrected, the Division of Permits and Inspections and/or any appropriate Code Official of the County shall have the power to suspend any permit issued to said person, firm or corporation, withdraw any permits issued to said person, firm or corporation and/or deny any further permits requested by said person, firm or corporation.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
B. 
For the purpose of this section, "person, firm or corporation" shall be defined to mean the party to whom the permit and/or property not in compliance was issued and shall also include any party actually performing work upon such property. The person, firm or corporation shall include any officer of any corporation, any partner of any partnership or any related corporation, partnership, limited-liability company or limited-liability partnership owned in whole or in part by any aforementioned party.
C. 
Any person shall have the right to appeal any decision of the Code Official. An application for appeal shall be filed in writing to the Division of Permits and Inspections within 10 days of receipt of any notice. All appeals shall be heard by the Mechanical Board appointed by the County Executive in accordance with the Charter.
[Amended 11-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-12; 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
A. 
In the case where a contractor signs an application for a permit and does not desire to do the work covered by it, either in part or in its entirety, he shall notify the County Division of Permits and Inspections in writing, requesting that he be released from responsibility for that part of the work which he does not desire to do. He will, however, be held responsible for any work he has completed and an inspection shall be performed to verify his responsibility. The Division of Permits and Inspections' records will indicate the extent of such completed work and such responsibility, and the permit will be revised accordingly and held in abeyance.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
B. 
In the event that the contractor who signed the application for a permit dies and the owner calls in a new contractor, the original permit will remain active upon request, in writing, from the homeowner. An inspection will be required prior to a new contractor being designated, and the new contractor will be responsible for all of the uncompleted work.
C. 
In the case where the contractor who originally signed the application (and to whom the permit was issued) is removed from the work by the owner and is replaced by another contractor, the owner shall notify the Division of Permits and Inspections, in writing, of the proposed change. The first contractor will be notified by the Division of the proposed change and no transfer of the permit will be made without his consent in fewer than seven days. The transfer will be made by the Division once an inspection is performed and completed. The new contractor will be held responsible for the entire work performed under the scope of the permit.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
Inspection of all HVAC work required before and during any construction must be requested by the contractor who holds the HVAC permit prior to covering any work performed. The County Inspector shall be notified by the contractor, at least 24 hours in advance, to perform an inspection before covering any rough work. The Inspector shall be requested to perform a final inspection at such time when all work is completed.
This chapter does not apply to the following:
A. 
An employee of a public utility service company regulated by the Public Service Commission when engaged in the development, construction, maintenance, or repair of electric or gas appliances in the service area of the public utility.
B. 
An employee of the United States, the State of Maryland, or the local government, or an independent agency while that employee is practicing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning or refrigeration services on or within buildings or structures owned or solely occupied by those entities.
C. 
An individual possessing a master electrician's license issued by the state or the County, when engaged in the installation, alteration, service, repair or replacement of individually controlled electric resistant heat.
D. 
An individual who assists in providing services as an employee or subordinate of a licensee if the individual assists in providing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning or refrigeration services while under control of the licensee. The licensee is responsible for the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning or refrigeration services that the individual provides.
E. 
An individual who installs, alters, remodels, maintains or repairs oil burners exclusively.
All licensed HVAC contractors shall display the company name and license number on all work vehicles.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
Fees shall be established by resolution by the Cecil County Council as provided for by law. Copies of the fee schedule will be available in the offices of the Cecil County Council and the Division of Permits and Inspections.
[Amended 11-20-2019 by Bill No. 2019-18]
The 2018 edition of the International Mechanical Code shall be the code in effect and will be enforced within Cecil County. Any provisions of the Maryland Building Performance Standards that deal directly with mechanical installations as adopted by the State of Maryland shall also be complied with.