Building Code Glossary
Sweep: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009 define sweep, 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
Sweep is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “A drainage fitting designed to provide a change in direction of a drain pipe of less than the angle specified by the amount necessary to establish the desired slope of the line. Sweeps provide a longer turning radius than bends and a less turbulent flow pattern (see "Bend" and "Elbow") .” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IRC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 6 chapters of this corpus, most often in Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009), Definitions (IRC 2009), Explosives and Fireworks (IFC 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?
Sweep — IRC 2009, Definitions:
A drainage fitting designed to provide a change in direction of a drain pipe of less than the angle specified by the amount necessary to establish the desired slope of the line. Sweeps provide a longer turning radius than bends and a less turbulent flow pattern (see "Bend" and "Elbow") .
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Sweep is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009:
A drainage fitting designed to provide a change in direction of a drain pipe of less than the angle specified by the amount necessary to establish the desired slope of the line. Sweeps provide a longer turning radius than bends and a less turbulent flow pattern (see "Bend" and "Elbow") .
Where sweep 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Soils and Foundations | IBC 2009 | 4 |
| Definitions | IRC 2009 | 4 |
| Explosives and Fireworks | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Flammable Finishes | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Combustible Fibers | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IRC 2009 | 1 |
Sweep compared with Bend
These two are the closest pair in the 2009 I-Codes: about 73 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 | |
|---|---|
| Sweep (IRC 2009) | sweeps, longer, turning, radius, bends, turbulent, flow, pattern, bend |
| Bend (IRC 2009) | sweep |
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 sweep and bend.
The terms sweep is built out of
The definition above leans on 5 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what sweep covers:
- Drainage Fitting — IRC 2009: A pipe fitting designed to provide connections in the drainage system that have provisions for establishing the desired slope in the system.
- Fitting — IRC 2009: An accessory such as a locknut, bushing or other part of a wiring system that is intended primarily to perform a mechanical rather than an electrical function.
- Slope — IRC 2009: The fall (pitch) of a line of pipe in reference to a horizontal plane.
- Drain — IRC 2009: Any pipe that carries soil and water-borne wastes in a building drainage system.
- Elbow — IRC 2009: A pressure pipe fitting designed to provide an exact change in direction of a pipe run.
Sweep: 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 IRC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Explosives and Fireworks (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable Finishes (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Drainage Fitting | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Fitting | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Slope | |
| 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
- Drainage Fitting: Building Code Definition
- Fitting: Building Code Definition
- Slope: Building Code Definition
- Elbow: 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 sweep?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “A drainage fitting designed to provide a change in direction of a drain pipe of less than the angle specified by the amount necessary to establish the desired slope of the line. Sweeps provide a longer turning radius than bends and a less turbulent flow pattern (see "Bend" and "Elbow") .” 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 sweep?
In this corpus the term is used across 6 chapters, led by Soils and Foundations in the IBC 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 the definition of a conduit sweep?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IRC 2009 states, in Definitions: “A drainage fitting designed to provide a change in direction of a drain pipe of less than the angle specified by the amount necessary to establish the desired slope of the line. Sweeps provide a longer turning radius than bends and a less turbulent flow pattern (see "Bend" and "Elbow") .” It is defined in IRC 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 does IRC mean in building code?
Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” That is not the same as sweep, which the IRC 2009 defines as “A drainage fitting designed to provide a change in direction of a drain pipe of less than the angle specified by the amount necessary to establish the desired slope of the line. Sweeps provide a longer turning radius than bends …” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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