Dumbwaiter firecode?

[Terry Beck]

Encountered my first dumbwaiter today - in a 2008 house. Searched IRC, and the only reference was that you can't run gas piping through it.
Would seem like a great place for a fire to spread from the 1st to 3rd floor. Is there any fire code restrictions such as to the door material or other concerns?

[James Duffin]

I searched the NC Residential Code and did find anything about dumbwaiters and fire codes. It seems to me that the fire spread would not be any worse with a dumbwaiter than it would be with an open stairway.

[Terry Beck]

All I could find from one manufacturer's website was reference to check with local authority. We ain't got no authority around this county, so it must be ok.

[Scott Patterson]

I have always treated dumbwaiters like an elevator shaft. The entire shaft needs to be drywalled with min 1/2 gypsum drywall. Then the door opening at each floor must also have a 20 min burn rating.

[Richard Soundy]

I have the space set aside for a dumbwaiter in my own home - the rules and regulations were far too restrictive to have it implemented ( also Laundry chutes).

All "vertical space" has fire spreading problems - stair well included. But a stairwell is unavoidable and also serves the essential ingress/egress necessary in a fire.

In addition to what Scott stated, the dumbwaiter has to also take into account the child safety rules, sensors and basically all the same garage door requirements. It all costs money ..... I will just carry up my own food on a tray. Boy, am I a dumb waiter or not!

All the best - Richard

[James Duffin]

Thi is what the NC Building Code says about shaft enclosures. This is not in the NCIRC the best I can tell.


SECTION 708
SHAFT ENCLOSURES

708.1 General. The provisions of this section shall apply to
shafts required to protect openings and penetrations through
floor/ceiling and roof/ceiling assemblies. Shaft enclosures
shall be constructed as fire barriers in accordance with Section
707 or horizontal assemblies in accordance with Section 712,
or both.

708.2 Shaft enclosure required. Openings through a
floor/ceiling assembly shall be protected by a shaft enclosure
complying with this section.

Exceptions:

1. A shaft enclosure is not required for openings totally
within an individual residential dwelling unit and
connecting four stories or less.

[Fred Comb]

What Scott said - A dumbwaiter is an elevator. Check out International Building Code (IBC). Elevator codes are scattered throughout IBC and may not be easy reading. Regulations are not listed in IRC. In addition, many cities will have special regulations.

[James Duffin]

The NC version of the IBC makes an exception for shafts in dwellings....your state may not.

[Ted Menelly]

Some things go to far. Someone wants a dumbwaiter in their home there should be their own restriction on it not the worlds restrictions.

Vents into an attic from a mechanical room. Basically a hole in the ceiling and not a flue pipe running thru the roof. That is more wide open to the roof and attic burning than a dumb waiter.

A dumb waiter does not go into an attic and the restrictions for such are foolish. Maybe at the kitchen level there should or might be a fire damper in the opening so if fire starts the shaft gets blocked off. An elevator carries people, not food. and the openings are made for humans to walk thru, not to pull a tray of food thru.