Heat season falls on October 1 thru April 30 and plumbing contractors are allowed to install salamanders to provide temporary heatings to buildings under construction. They can connect the salamanders by connecting them to gas risers, temporary risers or the boiler in the building. Temporary Heat applications must be completed with either a department inspection or self certification. For those who are unaware, salamanders are portable forced-air or convection heaters, these are usually fueled by kerosene and are often used in ventilated areas in worksites to bring heating especially in the heat season and they are oftentimes seen a construction sites.
Salamander installation via cooking gas or temporary riser
- A LAA (limited alterations application) must be filed by the plumbing contractor for the temporary heat installation and must list the number of salamanders per floor in the section for description of work in the application.
- They must also schedule inspections for gas roughing, test and finish inspections via the DOB NOW: Inspections.
- All Local Law 63, 64 of 2009 inspections must be completed.
Using the existing boiler in the building
- As with the cooking gas or temporary risers, plumbing contractors should file a Limited Alteration Application for temporary heat and indicate in the application’s description of work section the particular boiler that will be used for the purpose and the actual location of the boiler like what floor or section of the building it is in.
- Gas roughing, test should be scheduled thru the DOB NOW: Inspections and when everything is completed, a finished inspection must also be scheduled.
- In case the boiler room is not located in a fireproof enclosure then the following must be completed unless otherwise noted in the approved plans:
Install upto 3 sprinkler heads from the domestic water system (separate LAA) unless the contractor can confirm/prove that the main building sprinkler system is active and has been duly tested, then no additional sprinkler installation is necessary.
Boiler Inspections
Boilers require inspection and approval from the DOB’s Boiler Division for temporary gas authorization. After passing inspection, the Licensed Master Plumber should request gas authorization for the length of time the heating will be used. This should be done via the DOB NOW: Inspections portal. At the end of the heating season, the meter will be withdrawn unless inspection for all other boilers have been completed and other uses for the meter have undergone testing or if they have installed a lock wing gas shut-off valve.