Building Code Glossary
Brazed Joint: Building Code Definition
How the IMC 2009 define brazed joint, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Brazed joint is a defined term in the International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “A gas-tight joint obtained by the joining of metal parts with metallic mixtures or alloys which melt at a temperature above 1,000°F (538°C), but lower than the melting temperature of the parts to be joined.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IMC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 6 chapters of this corpus, most often in Hydronic Piping (IMC 2009), Exhaust Systems (IMC 2009), Sanitary Drainage (IRC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Brazed Joint — IMC 2009, Definitions:
A gas-tight joint obtained by the joining of metal parts with metallic mixtures or alloys which melt at a temperature above 1,000°F (538°C), but lower than the melting temperature of the parts to be joined.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Brazed Joint is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2009:
A gas-tight joint obtained by the joining of metal parts with metallic mixtures or alloys which melt at a temperature above 1,000°F (538°C), but lower than the melting temperature of the parts to be joined.
Where brazed joint is used in the code
The term appears in 6 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Hydronic Piping | IMC 2009 | 5 |
| Exhaust Systems | IMC 2009 | 4 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IRC 2009 | 4 |
| Water Supply and Distribution | IPC 2009 | 3 |
| Fuel Oil Piping and Storage | IMC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IMC 2009 | 1 |
Brazed Joint compared with Joint, Soldered
These two are the closest pair in the 2009 I-Codes: about 52 per cent of their defining words are the same. The code states both and compares neither, so the difference is worth naming.
| Wording unique to it | |
|---|---|
| Brazed Joint (IMC 2009) | temperature, above, 000, f, but, lower, melting, joined |
| Joint, Soldered (IMC 2009) | temperatures, between, 400, p, 204, oooop |
Everything else in the two definitions is shared. If a project turns on which of the two applies, those words are the whole of the test — and a local amendment that edits one of them without editing the other moves the boundary between brazed joint and joint, soldered.
The terms brazed joint is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what brazed joint covers:
- Joint — IBC 2009: The linear opening in or between adjacent fire-resistance-rated assemblies that is designed to allow independent movement of the building in any plane caused by thermal, seismic, wind or any other loading.
Brazed Joint: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IMC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Hydronic Piping (IMC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Exhaust Systems (IMC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Sanitary Drainage (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Water Supply and Distribution (IPC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Joint | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Joint: Building Code Definition
- Building: Building Code Definition
- Construction Documents: Building Code Definition
- Registered Design Professional: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of brazed joint?
The International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “A gas-tight joint obtained by the joining of metal parts with metallic mixtures or alloys which melt at a temperature above 1,000°F (538°C), but lower than the melting temperature of the parts to be joined.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on brazed joint?
In this corpus the term is used across 6 chapters, led by Hydronic Piping in the IMC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is a brazed joint?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IMC 2009 states, in Definitions: “A gas-tight joint obtained by the joining of metal parts with metallic mixtures or alloys which melt at a temperature above 1,000°F (538°C), but lower than the melting temperature of the parts to be joined.” It is defined in IMC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
What is brazing a joint?
Brazing is a separate defined term. The IRC 2009 defines it as: “A metal joining process wherein coalescence is produced by the use ofa nonferrous filler metal having a melting point above 1,000°F (538°C), but lower than that of the base metal beingjoined. The filler material is distributed between the closely fitted surfaces of the joint by …” That is not the same as brazed joint, which the IMC 2009 defines as “A gas-tight joint obtained by the joining of metal parts with metallic mixtures or alloys which melt at a temperature above 1,000°F (538°C), but lower than the melting temperature of the parts to be joined.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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