Building Consistency Meeting
Residential
Date: 3/7/2007
Recorder and minutes prepared by: Danny Wooten/Jeff Griffin
Staff present: Steve Kellen, Jeff Griffin, Danny Wooten, David Morton, Tim Taylor,
David Williams, Harold Sinclair, Barry Human, Walt Nash, Don Sprinkle, Jeff Rudisill,
Ron Dishman, Jacki Templeton.
Public present: Bob McKee (Ryan Homes), Jim Brodnik (Mattamy Homes), Frank
Burke (J.S. Kempf & Assoc), Aaron Ringel (Eastwood Homes), Bob Otto (R.E. Otto
& Sons-NARI), Dave Reynold (Builders 1st source), David R. Schwieman (Public),
Daniel McBride (The Cunnane Group), Evan Weiss/Mike Goubran (Meeting Street),
Bill Green (Barefoot and Company), Wayne Carter (Evergreen Homebuilders), Jason
Mulholland/Hans Kasak (Ryland Homes), Jason Whitener (Dienst Custom Homes),
Charlie O’melveny (Shea Homes), Kent Bublitz (Royce Homes).
Topics/Subject
Decisions/Conclusions/Actions
Old
Business
New Code
Books 2006
residential
According to ICC the print date has been moved out and is currently set
for late April early May.
New
Business
Issue discussed
at State level
Emergency
egress in
sleeping rooms
Bluewood
products
There is a case in the court system that was discussed by some
members of the Building Code Council in regards attic storage areas
that are floored by a builder. The issue that comes up deals with a
homeowner who stepped off the floored area and fell through the ceiling
line causing severe injury. Discussion is centered around requiring
guards on all floored areas and mechanical platforms in attic spaces. No
changes have been made but builders may have some liability if you
floor those areas, case is being watched for further review.
Passed around an example of a product that is used as a carpet shim and
could be used for windows that don’t have the 44” maximum height for
emergency egress from sleeping areas. This product will elevate the
floor up to 2”maximum. This product was used in a townhouse
community to resolve a problem on a plan where casement windows
were 45” from finished floor and 1” carpet shims were installed to meet
code. Question asked about using toy boxes mounted under windows so
that someone could step up on the box and then be below 44” to sill
height. Because these boxes are not necessarily permanent in nature
they cannot be allowed for this installation to meet egress.
There is a new product starting to show up in the area that is a
treatment process for wood members. The product name is bluwood and
information from their website is attached to these minutes. The product
is allowed and typically seen as an all blue house upon review. The
chemicals used help prevent mold and insect damage but currently don’t
replace any other code provision and are not recognized by the NC State
Townhouse
party wall
Notching and
boring of
bearing studs
Department of Agriculture, structural pest control division. Although
allowed the foundation or slab termite treatment is still required, or
other approved method of treatment. Currently the code doesn’t
recognize mold issues and only address moisture control and treatment
for mold is above code.
Issue has come up with the area separation clip wall system where there
is an offset on townhouse front walls and the clip system extends
beyond one of the units. At this offset the wall is only clipped on one
side and osb is applied to the other with brick veneer being installed.
This area separation wall cannot support brick veneer and has not been
tested in this application. Issue or available options will be discussed
with the suppliers of those products but currently is not allowed.
There is an issue with the code not specifying as to what extent can a
bearing stud be notch like full length and there is no reference to what
side and how close. Code says just cannot occupy the same space as
hole. Recommendation taking to the Residential Ad Hoc Committee to
see if language below can be added to the changes found in the 2006
IRC. Issue arose with a 1st floor of a 3 story house bearing walls that
where notched on both sides of the stud within 3” of each other and
additional holes (several) found in the stud.
R602.6 Drilling and notching-studs.
1. New sentence at the end “Notching of bearing stud shall be on
one edge only and not to exceed ¼ the height of the stud.
Notching shall not occur in the bottom or top 6” of bearing
stud”.
2. Change sentence in Drilling #2 from “and the hole is not
located in the same section as a cut or notch” to “and the hole
shall not be closer than 6” from an adjacent hole or notch”.
6” from adjacent
hole, not within
6” of top plate
and sole plate,
must be on same
side of stud
If language is adopted which will be in the 2009 code a formal
interpretation will be worked up for review to address the issue before
the 09’ print. Discussion are concerning currently if spacing should be
6” or 3”.
Aluminum
flashing behind
fiber cement
siding
Window on
sidewall of
stairway
Gutter
requirements
for roof
drainage
Aluminum flashing is not allowed behind cementitious material like
fiber cement siding products, this includes a paint coated aluminum
product. NC language is very specific preventing the use of aluminum
under section R703.8. and because coatings can be damaged or nail
penetration can affect surface of material, coated aluminum cannot be
used. A galvanized or poly type flashings are being used in these
applications and does meet the code.
Question asked about glazing in a side wall of a stairway having to be
tempered because of the glass is below what would be considered
guardrail height. The example was a stairway that is adjacent to an
outside wall and is open on the other side. Windows located in this
outside wall are not required to be tempered under section R308.4
simply because they are located in this side of the stairway. Glazing
used in the open side of a stairway would have to comply because it is
being used as a guard under section R308.4 item #7 but not in the wall
side. Item #9 under R308.4 would still required at top and bottom of
stairs and at landings when in the direction of travel.
Mecklenburg County does not require gutters to be installed on a single
family dwelling site unless houses are too close to each other without 6”
fall in 10’to the side grade and roofs drain to side yard areas. Roof
drainage will need to be incorporated into the swale and drainage
system as listed in R401.3 drainage. If there is an issue with soil
conditions an inspector could ask for an evaluation of the soil for proper
drainage or gutters to be installed per Section R801.3 but is on a case by
case basis. Here is an example of house close to each other each
contributing to roof drainage on the side yard causing significant
pooling down center of homes.
Screened in
porch and
sunroom
Paper faced
fiberglass
insulation
behind
fireplaces
Discussion centered around when does a screened in porch become a
enclosed room and appendix M (deck code) can no longer be used. A
screened in porch can have solid wall surface up to a guardrail height
and screening above the guardrail (36”) and still be considered a
screened in porch not an enclosed room. Example given was tempered
glass used as a guardrail system for viewing but remainder of area
above was simply screening. Other material for this small kneewall
application like T1-11 siding can be used but if window frames are
installed above the guardrail height this will be considered a room
addition and cannot be built on a deck unless engineering is provided.
Currently the code no longer requires a vapor barrier over insulation
(any type) in our climate zone. Behind fireplaces paper face can be
installed as long as it is properly secured to prevent falling out and has
the required clearances from the firebox and or flue as required for
combustibles.
Next meeting is on April 4th , 2007 and will in the Ed Woods meeting room 1st floor of the
Hal Marshall building at 8:00am.