Delegation of authority is how enforcement is organized: the building official may appoint deputies to carry out duties under the code. This setup lets the official extend their reach and keep inspections and enforcement running smoothly, with deputies acting under the official’s supervision and within the powers that are specifically granted to them. They don’t have independent power to override the building official’s decisions, and stop-work orders require explicit authorization rather than being issued by a deputy on their own. Deputies do have enforcement powers, but only within the scope given by their appointment. That makes the statement about the building official appointing deputies to perform duties under the code the correct one.

Masonry foundation walls need a mortar with high compressive strength and low permeability to handle loads, moisture, and soil conditions. Mortar types are defined by strength and composition, and for foundations the standard practice is to use the stronger end of the range. Type M and Type S deliver the required structural performance: Type M offers the highest strength, making it well-suited for footings and below-grade walls, while Type S provides strong performance with good bonding and durability in damp exterior conditions. Type N is a normal-strength, general-purpose mortar more common for above-grade, non-submerged walls, so it isn’t as suitable for foundations. The weaker mortars, Type O and Type K, are intended for non-load-bearing or special-purpose uses and wouldn’t meet the demands of foundation walls.

Common walls that separate dwelling units are meant to act as fire separations, slowing the spread of fire between units and giving occupants time to escape. Automatic sprinklers help control a fire, but they don’t replace the need for passive fire resistance in the wall. Because of that, the wall between units must be fire-resistance-rated for at least one hour, ensuring the separation remains intact long enough for safety even if the sprinklers aren’t operating perfectly. Choosing a rating higher than one hour isn’t required for typical residential construction, while a zero-hour rating would fail to provide the necessary protection.

Misleading customers about where a business comes from rests on honest naming and advertising. Using a fictitious name to imply a geographic origin that isn’t true is not allowed because it deceives consumers about who you are and where you’re based. Registering a DBA with the county doesn’t authorize deception; even with a registered name, you must avoid calling a location into question or suggesting origins you don’t actually have. Simply including a city in the name isn’t automatically acceptable either, unless that city accurately reflects the business’s true origin or location. The size of the business doesn’t justify misrepresentation. In short, intentionally using a fictitious name to misrepresent geographic origin is prohibited.