Townhouse Attic Access
You also have to decide where the loft stairs will begin and check how much space it will need.
Townhouse attic access. Our townhouse built in 1987ish did not have a connecting attic. A pull down attic stairway is great but some homes have only a small opening for access barely large enough to stick one s head through. The rated separation is required by the code irc 302 2 4 linnrg dec 11 2019. Or the homeowner might have a bureau placed in front of an attic door.
However there s not much room to get stuff through a 14 wide opening. Section r807 attic access r807 1 attic access buildings with combustible ceiling or roof construction shall have an attic access opening to attic areas that have a vertical height of 30 inches 762 mm or greater over an area of not less than 30 square feet 2 8 m 2. Make sure you can easily access your attic your attic needs to be easily accessible in order to fulfill its function well. Some inspectors believe that access must be gained even if it means cutting through a paint seal or moving a bureau.
For example a past renovation might seal up an attic access panel in the ceiling entirely. If you own it how about going into the attic spaces and inspecting them or hire an independent inspector video record the conditions. The firewall should extend into the attic separating your attic space from the attic above the neighboring units. As a result sometimes people install a pull down staircase.
In most towns fire department regulations require attic access in case of a fire. It had fire retardant plywood in the roof which was apparently the usual way fires would spread from one unit to the other. Pull down stairs won t be appropriate in this case and you ll need a permanent staircase. Sometimes there is a closet with drawers below and.
If there is a firewall in your attic the fire rating should be printed on the.