Section 1805.1    General

Walls, or portions thereof that retain earth and enclose interior spaces and floors below grade, shall be waterproofed and dampproofed in accordance with this section. With the exception of those spaces containing groups, other than residential and institutional where such omission is not detrimental to the building or occupancy, ventilation crawl spaces shall comply with Section 1203.4.

General Code Interpretation

This section implies that all occupied below grade spaces require the application of a waterproofing or dampproofing material. The exception is to all unoccupied spaces. Once it has been determined that waterproofing or dampproofing is required, the next important decision is to determine where it is required. Typically, waterproofing or dampproofing should be applied over all below grade concrete surfaces (walls and floors). There are several established building components that require waterproofing or dampproofing protection.