Chapter 13 — HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND MEDICAL GAS AND MEDICAL VACUUM SYSTEMS
1323.2 Pipe Protection — 2025 California Plumbing Code
California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-10-19 · California
CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
Cite as: 2025 California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5) § 1323.2 · Effective January 1, 2026 · Official source: Building Standards Commission
Piping shall be protected against freezing, corrosion, and physical damage. [NFPA 99:5.1.10.11.2] 1323.2.1 Exposed Piping. Piping exposed in corridors and other areas where subject to physical damage from the movement of carts, stretchers, portable equipment, or vehicles shall be protected. [NFPA 99:5.1.10.11.2.1] 1323.2.2 Underground Piping. Piping underground within buildings or embedded in concrete floors or walls shall be installed in a continuous conduit. [NFPA 99:5.1.10.11.2.2]
TABLE 1323.1.4(1) PRESSURE LOSS FOR MEDICAL AIR
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
PRESSURE DROP (psi) PER 100 FEET2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
1⁄2 INCH PIPE | 3⁄4 INCH PIPE | 1 INCH PIPE |
| 5.30 | 0.126 | 0.024 | – |
| 10.59 | 0.430 | 0.082 | – |
| 15.89 | 0.886 | 0.168 | – |
| 21.19 | 1.485 | 0.281 | – |
| 26.48 | 2.220 | 0.419 | – |
| 31.78 | 3.089 | 0.581 | – |
| 37.08 | 4.087 | 0.766 | – |
| 42.37 | – | 0.975 | – |
| 47.67 | – | 1.206 | – |
| 52.97 | – | 1.460 | 0.361 |
| 58.26 | – | 1.736 | 0.429 |
| 63.56 | – | 2.033 | 0.502 |
| 68.85 | – | 2.352 | 0.580 |
| 74.15 | – | 2.692 | 0.663 |
| 79.45 | – | 3.054 | 0.752 |
| 84.74 | – | 3.436 | 0.845 |
| 90.04 |
– |
3.840 |
0.943 |
| 95.34 | – | 4.264 | 1.046 |
| 100.63 | – | 4.709 | 1.154 |
| 105.93 | – | – | 1.267 |
| 116.52 | – | – | 1.508 |
| 127.12 | – | – | 1.768 |
| 137.71 | – | – | 2.046 |
| 148.30 | – | – | 2.344 |
| 158.90 | – | – | 2.660 |
| 169.49 | – | – | 2.994 |
| 180.08 | – | – | 3.347 |
| 190.67 | – | – | 3.719 |
| 201.27 | – | – | 4.108 |
| 211.86 | – | – | 4.516 |
| 222.45 | – | – | 4.942 |
| 233.05 | – | – | – |
| 243.64 | – | – | – |
| 254.23 | – | – | – |
| 264.83 | – | – | – |
| 275.42 | – | – | – |
| 286.01 | – | – | – |
| 296.60 |
– |
– |
– |
| 307.20 | – | – | – |
| 317.79 | – | – | – |
For SI units: 1 standard cubic foot per minute = 28.32 SLPM, 1 inch = 25 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 pound-force per square inch = 6.8947 kPa
Notes: 1 Based on the pressure of 14.7 psig (101 kPa) at 68°F (20°C). 2 Based on the pressure of 55 psig (379 kPa) at 68°F (20°C).
For SI units: 1 standard cubic foot per minute = 28.32 SLPM, 1 inch = 25 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 pound-force per square inch = 6.8947 kPa
Notes: 1 Based on the pressure of 14.7 psig (101 kPa) at 68°F (20°C). 2 Based on the pressure of 55 psig (379 kPa) at 68°F (20°C).
TABLE 1323.1.4(3) PRESSURE LOSS FOR NITROUS OXIDE AND CARBON DIOXIDE
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
PRESSURE DROP (psi) PER 100 FEET2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
1⁄2 INCH PIPE | 3⁄4 INCH PIPE | 1 INCH PIPE |
| 0.35 | 0.004 | – | – |
| 0.71 |
0.013 |
0.003 |
– |
| 1.06 |
0.025 |
0.005 |
– |
| 1.41 |
0.041 |
0.008 |
– |
| 1.77 |
0.060 |
0.012 |
– |
| 2.12 |
0.082 |
0.016 |
– |
| 2.47 |
0.107 |
0.021 |
– |
| 2.82 |
0.135 |
0.026 |
– |
| 3.18 | 0.166 | 0.032 | – |
| 3.53 | 0.199 | 0.038 | – |
| 4.24 | 0.274 | 0.053 | – |
| 4.94 | 0.359 | 0.069 | – |
| 5.65 | 0.454 | 0.087 | – |
| 6.36 | 0.558 | 0.107 | – |
| 7.06 | 0.672 | 0.129 | 0.033 |
| 7.77 | 0.795 | 0.153 | 0.039 |
| 8.47 | 0.927 | 0.179 | 0.045 |
| 9.18 | 1.066 | 0.205 | 0.052 |
| 9.89 | 1.218 | 0.233 | 0.059 |
| 10.59 | 1.377 | 0.263 | 0.066 |
| 12.36 | 1.811 | 0.346 | 0.087 |
| 14.12 | 2.298 | 0.438 | 0.110 |
| 15.89 | 2.837 | 0.539 | 0.135 |
| 17.66 | 3.456 | 0.650 | 0.163 |
| 19.42 | – | 0.771 | 0.193 |
| 21.19 | – | 0.900 | 0.225 |
| 22.95 | – | 1.038 | 0.260 |
| 24.72 | – | 1.185 | 0.295 |
| 28.25 | – | 1.505 | 0.375 |
| 31.78 | – | 1.859 | 0.463 |
| 35.31 | – | 2.247 | 0.559 |
| 38.84 | – | 2.667 | 0.663 |
| 42.37 | – | 3.121 | 0.775 |
| 45.90 | – | 3.607 | 0.895 |
| 49.43 | – | 4.125 | 1.022 |
| 52.97 | – | – | 1.157 |
| 56.50 | – | – | 1.299 |
| 60.03 | – | – | 1.449 |
| 63.56 | – | – | 1.607 |
| 67.09 | – | – | 1.772 |
| 70.62 | – | – | 1.944 |
| 81.21 | – | – | 2.503 |
| 91.81 | – | – | 3.127 |
| 102.40 | – | – | 3.813 |
For SI units: 1 standard cubic foot per minute = 28.32 SLPM, 1 inch = 25 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 pound-force per square inch = 6.8947 kPa
Notes: 1 Based on pressure of 14.7 psig (101 kPa) at 68°F (20°C). 2 Based on pressure of 55 psig (379 kPa) at 68°F (20 °C).
TABLE 1323.1.4(6) PRESSURE LOSS FOR VACUUM (CATEGORY 3)
| TABLE 1323.1.4(5) PRESSURE LOSS FOR VACUUM | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
VACUUM LOSS (inch of mercury) PER 100 FEET FOR COPPER TUBE2 |
VACUUM LOSS (inch of mercury) PER 100 FEET FOR COPPER TUBE2 |
VACUUM LOSS (inch of mercury) PER 100 FEET FOR COPPER TUBE2 |
VACUUM LOSS (inch of mercury) PER 100 FEET FOR COPPER TUBE2 |
VACUUM LOSS (inch of mercury) PER 100 FEET FOR COPPER TUBE2 |
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
3⁄4 INCH TUBE |
1 INCH TUBE |
11⁄4 INCH TUBE |
11⁄2 INCH TUBE |
2 INCH TUBE |
| 0.35 | 0.019 | – | – | – | – |
| 0.71 | 0.061 | – | – | – | – |
| 1.06 | 0.120 | – | – | – | – |
| 1.41 | 0.194 | – | – | – | – |
| 1.77 | 0.284 | – | – | – | – |
| 2.12 | 0.387 | – | – | – | – |
| 2.47 | 0.504 – | – | – | – | |
| 2.82 | 0.634 | – | – | – | – |
| 3.18 | 0.777 | – | – | – | – |
| 3.53 | 0.932 | 0.238 | – | – | – |
| 4.24 | 1.277 | 0.325 | – | – | – |
| 4.94 | 1.669 | 0.424 | – | – | – |
| 5.65 | 2.106 | 0.534 | – | – | – |
| 6.36 | 2.586 | 0.655 | – | – | – |
| 7.06 | 3.110 | 0.787 | 0.272 | – | – |
| 7.77 | 3.674 | 0.929 | 0.321 | – | – |
| 8.47 | 4.280 | 1.081 | 0.373 | – | – |
| 9.18 | 4.927 | 1.243 | 0.429 | – | – |
| 9.89 | – | 1.416 | 0.488 | – | – |
| 10.59 | – | 1.597 | 0.551 | 0.242 | – |
| 11.30 | – | 1.789 | 0.616 | 0.270 | – |
| 12.01 | – | 1.990 | 0.685 | 0.300 | – |
| 12.71 | – | 2.200 | 0.757 | 0.332 | – |
| 13.42 | – | 2.419 | 0.832 | 0.365 | – |
| 14.12 | – | 2.648 | 0.911 | 0.399 | – |
| 14.83 | – | 2.886 | 0.992 | 0.435 | – |
| 15.54 | – | 3.132 | 1.077 | 0.471 | – |
| 16.24 |
– |
3.388 |
1.164 |
0.510 |
– |
| 16.95 | – | 3.652 | 1.254 | 0.549 | – |
| 17.66 | – | 3.925 | 1.348 | 0.590 | – |
| 18.36 | – | 4.207 | 1.444 | 0.632 | 0.167 |
| 19.07 | – | 4.498 | 1.543 | 0.675 | 0.179 |
| 19.77 | – | 4.797 | 1.646 | 0.720 | 0.190 |
| 20.48 | – | – | 1.751 | 0.766 | 0.202 |
| 21.19 | – | – | 1.859 | 0.813 | 0.214 |
| 24.72 | – | – | 2.441 | 1.066 | 0.281 |
| 28.25 | – | – | 3.092 | 1.350 | 0.356 |
| 31.78 | – | – | 3.811 | 1.662 | 0.438 |
| 35.31 | – | – | 4.596 | 2.004 | 0.527 |
| 38.84 | – | – | – | 2.373 | 0.624 |
| 42.37 | – | – | – | 2.770 | 0.728 |
| 45.90 | – | – | – | 3.194 | 0.838 |
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
VACUUM LOSS (inch of mercury) PER 100 FEET FOR PLASTIC TUBE2 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
3⁄4 INCH TUBE |
1 INCH TUBE |
11⁄4 INCH TUBE |
11⁄2 INCH TUBE |
2 INCH TUBE |
| 0.35 | 0.005 | – | – | – | – |
| 0.71 | 0.010 | – | – | – | – |
| 1.06 | 0.015 | – | – | – | – |
| 1.41 | 0.021 | – | – | – | – |
| 1.77 | 0.026 | – | – | – | – |
| 2.12 | 0.060 | 0.010 | – | – | – |
| 2.47 | 0.077 | 0.020 | – | – | – |
| 2.82 | 0.096 | 0.025 | – | – | – |
| 3.18 | 0.118 | 0.031 | 0.011 | – | – |
| 3.53 | 0.141 | 0.036 | 0.013 | – | – |
| 4.24 | 0.192 | 0.050 | 0.017 | – | – |
| 4.94 |
0.249 |
0.064 |
0.023 |
0.010 |
– |
| 5.65 |
0.313 |
0.081 |
0.028 |
0.012 |
– |
| 6.36 | 0.383 | 0.099 | 0.035 | 0.015 | – |
| 7.06 | 0.459 | 0.118 | 0.041 | 0.018 | – |
| 7.77 | 0.541 | 0.139 | 0.049 | 0.021 | – |
| 8.47 | 0.628 | 0.161 | 0.056 | 0.024 | – |
| 9.18 | 0.722 | 0.185 | 0.065 | 0.027 | – |
| 9.89 | 0.821 | 0.210 | 0.073 | 0.031 | – |
| 10.59 | 0.925 | 0.237 | 0.083 | 0.035 | – |
| 11.30 | 1.035 | 0.265 | 0.092 | 0.039 | 0.010 |
| 12.01 | 1.151 | 0.294 | 0.102 | 0.043 | 0.011 |
| 12.71 | 1.270 | 0.324 | 0.113 | 0.048 | 0.012 |
TABLE 1323.1.4(6) PRESSURE LOSS FOR VACUUM (CATEGORY 3) (continued)
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
VACUUM LOSS (inch of mercury) PER 100 FEET FOR PLASTIC TUBE2 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLOW RATE (SCFM)1 |
3⁄4 INCH TUBE |
1 INCH TUBE |
11⁄4 INCH TUBE |
11⁄2 INCH TUBE |
2 INCH TUBE |
| 13.42 | 1.396 | 0.356 | 0.124 | 0.052 | 0.014 |
| 14.12 | 1.525 | 0.389 | 0.135 | 0.057 | 0.015 |
| 14.83 | 1.662 | 0.424 | 0.147 | 0.062 | 0.016 |
| 15.54 | 1.803 | 0.460 | 0.160 | 0.068 | 0.017 |
| 16.24 | 1.948 | 0.496 | 0.172 | 0.073 | 0.019 |
| 16.95 | 2.099 | 0.535 | 0.186 | 0.078 | 0.020 |
| 17.66 | 2.256 | 0.574 | 0.199 | 0.084 | 0.022 |
| 18.36 | 2.415 | 0.615 | 0.213 | 0.090 | 0.023 |
| 19.07 | 2.581 | 0.657 | 0.228 | 0.096 | 0.025 |
| 19.77 | 2.750 | 0.699 | 0.243 | 0.102 | 0.026 |
| 20.48 | 2.925 | 0.744 | 0.258 | 0.109 | 0.028 |
| 21.19 | 3.106 | 0.790 | 0.274 | 0.115 | 0.030 |
| 24.72 | 4.074 | 1.034 | 0.358 | 0.151 | 0.039 |
| 28.25 | – | 1.307 | 0.452 | 0.190 | 0.049 |
| 31.78 | – | 1.608 | 0.556 | 0.234 | 0.060 |
| 35.31 | – | 1.936 | 0.669 | 0.281 | 0.072 |
| 38.84 | – | 2.291 | 0.791 | 0.332 | 0.085 |
| 42.37 | – | 2.672 | 0.922 | 0.387 | 0.099 |
| 45.90 | – | 3.078 | 1.062 | 0.446 | 0.113 |
| 49.43 | – | 3.510 | 1.211 | 0.508 | 0.129 |
| 52.97 | – | 3.969 | 1.368 | 0.574 | 0.146 |
| 56.50 | – | 4.450 | 1.534 | 0.643 | 0.163 |
| 63.56 | – | – | 1.890 | 0.792 | 0.201 |
| 70.62 | – | – | 2.278 | 0.954 | 0.242 |
| 77.68 | – | – | 2.699 | 1.130 | 0.286 |
| 84.74 | – | – | 3.151 | 1.318 | 0.334 |
| 91.81 | – | – | 3.634 | 1.520 | 0.385 |
| 98.87 | – | – | 4.148 | 1.734 | 0.439 |
| 105.93 | – | – | 4.691 | 1.961 | 0.496 |
| 112.99 | – | – | – | 2.200 | 0.556 |
For SI units: 1 standard cubic foot per minute = 28.32 SLPM, 1 inch = 25 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 inch of mercury = 3.386 kPa Notes: 1 Based on the pressure of 14.7 psig (101 kPa) at 68°F (20°C). 2 Based on the pressure of 19 inches of mercury gauge vacuum (64 kPa) at 68°F (20°C).
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