Sheet rocked interior stairway.

[JIM MURPHY]

House built in 1981. Stairway under stairs to the 2nd level does not have sheetrock installed for fire protection. Is it required? Closet door separating hallway from area under the stairway.

Thanks,

Jim

[Gunnar Alquist]

Hi Jim,

Yes, it is required for most stairways. I don't have the code handy, otherwise I would quote it for you.

[JIM MURPHY]

Thanks,

When you say most, can you clarify that please


Jim

[James Duffin]

NC Code



R311.2.2 Under stair protection. Enclosed accessible space
under stairs shall have walls, under stair surface and any soffits
protected on the enclosed side with 1/2-inch (13 mm) gypsum
board.

[Jerry Peck]

If the stair is open below (the underside of the stair is visible), then no protection is needed.

If the stair is enclosed below, whether it be a non-accessible concealed space or an accessible concealed space (i.e., a closet with a door), then the underside of the stair needs to have protection.

The reason is that if there is a fire under the stairway, either the occupants need to be able to see the fire (i.e., the area under the stair is not enclosed), or the occupants need to have the stair protected (i.e., they cannot see the fire down there and need time to be able to escape down the stairs before the stairs catch on fire). If the occupants can see the fire under the stairs, they will take some other way out and not go down the stairs.

[JIM MURPHY]

Thank you all!

Jim

[JIM MURPHY]

Does this apply to a 1981 house?

[Billy Stephens]

.
Does this apply to a 1981 house?
.
Jim,

It's a Fire Hazard !

Code or No.

Correct Fire Hazard.

Safety Never Goes Out of Style. ;)
.

[Jerry Peck]

Does this apply to a 1981 house?

It should have, not that it matters because ... :)


.
Jim,

It's a Fire Hazard !

Code or No.

Correct Fire Hazard.

Safety Never Goes Out of Style. ;)
.

A fire is not going to look up and decide if it was allowed to burn or not when the structure was built, it is just going to burn (fires are dumb, stubborn things, they simply do not care about the written word and its rules). :)

[James Duffin]

Does this apply to a 1981 house?

Since this involves safety I would not be concerned about the code in 1981. I would include it in the report and let someone else decide it is important or not.