Welcome to Week 5 of 
Building Safety Month

NEWEST TRENDS: Solar and EV Chargers

"I am considering adding solar panels to my home or business, do I need a permit?"

• YES, you do need a permit for brand-new solar panel installation, and when your solar panels are removed and reinstalled for roof replacement.
• The solar company you hire must be licensed with the Town and apply for a solar permit through the online permitting system.  Solar permit submittals will be reviewed to verify they meet Firestone’s current adopted building codes and requirements. Once the permit is issued, Inspectors will inspect to ensure the equipment is installed according to the approved plans.
• Inspections can identify safety risks, such as loose wiring or damaged panels, that could endanger your family, the public, and your property.  
• Detection of these issues might help you avoid mishaps and guarantee the safety of everyone.

"I want an EV charger installed at my home or business. Do I need a permit? What is required?"

• YES, you do need a permit before you install an Electric Vehicles (EV) charger or Energy Storage Systems (ESS) system at your home or business.

The main safety concern is Lithium Ion batteries and a situation called Thermal Runaway. Thermal runaway is an uncontrollable chain reaction in a battery that gives off immense heat, toxic smoke, and sometimes enough power to make it explode.  From the Firefighter's point of view, the biggest challenge of battling a thermal runaway fire is the amount of water it takes to extinguish the fire. A combustion engine car fire takes anywhere from 500 to 1000 gallons of water to extinguish, whereas an EV car fire can take as much as 40,000 gallons. The Town of Firestone has safeguards in place for the installation of an EV charger or ESS.

• The first safeguard is the installation of a heat detector in the garage above the car bay that the EV will occupy while charging or above the energy storage system. This heat detector will be interconnected with the existing smoke detectors throughout the house and serve as an early warning device of impending danger.
• The second safeguard requires installing a minimum of 5/8 type X drywall throughout the garage. Type X drywall is denser than normal drywall and has glass fibers added to the board to help slow down a fire and give residents time to get out of their houses before a fire spreads from the garage to the rest of the house.

BE SAFE and get a permit for your Solar Panels and EV Charger!

View more information about the Town of Firestone’s Building Division online.

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