Thread: Door Swings

What is the IBC requrement for exterior doors in condominiums as regards in-swing vs. out-swing?

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Aaron, the answer to your question would be found in the IRC, not IBC and within the new 2009 IRC. Check Means of Egress - 311.1 to 311.3.3 and further on Exterior Doors - 612. (all new stuff)

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

Aaron, the answer to your question would be found in the IRC, not IBC and within the new 2009 IRC. Check Means of Egress - 311.1 to 311.3.3 and further on Exterior Doors - 612. (all new stuff)

JM: This is a 4-stroy, 6-unit building. I do not think IRC applies.

From the 2006 IBC. (underlining and bold are mine)
- 1008.1.2 Door swing. Egress doors shall be side-hinged swinging.
- - Exceptions:
- - - 1. Private garages, office areas, factory and storage areas with an occupant load of 10 or less.

- - - 2. Group I-3 occupancies used as a place of detention.
- - - 3. Critical or intensive care patient rooms within suites of health care facilities.
- - - 4. Doors within or serving a single dwelling unit in Groups R-2 and R-3.
- - - 5. In other than Group H occupancies, revolving doors complying with Section 1008.1.3.1.
- - - 6. In other than Group H occupancies, horizontal sliding doors complying with Section 1008.1.3.3 are permitted in a means of egress.
- - - 7. Power-operated doors in accordance with Section 1008.1.3.2.
- - - 8. Doors serving a bathroom within an individual sleeping unit in Group R-1.
- - Doors shall swing in the direction of egress travel where serving an occupant load of 50 or more persons or a Group H occupancy.
- - The opening force for interior side-swinging doors without closers shall not exceed a 5-pound (22 N) force. For other side-swinging, sliding and folding doors, the door latch shall release when subjected to a 15-pound (67 N) force. The door shall be set in motion when subjected to a 30-pound (133 N) force. The door shall swing to a full-open position when subjected to a 15-pound (67 N) force. Forces shall be applied to the latch side.

Being as dwelling units would have an occupancy rating of less than 50, the doors are allowed to swing inward in the individual dwelling unit, i.e., in the individual condo unit.

As that door is a fire rated door (it is part of the common fire rated wall separating the dwelling units from the common corridor area), that door must be self-closing, and being as it is self-closing that means it has a closer mechanism, which mean the latch much be able to be operated with 15 pound force or less, the door much start to open with a 30 pound force or less, and much not be more than 15 pound force to open the door to its fully open position once the door has started opening.

JP: This door leads to a fourth-floor balcony. How does that affect the citation?

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

JP: This door leads to a fourth-floor balcony. How does that affect the citation?

It is from a single condominium unit, not from a common area, right?

If so, then it falls under the condominium unit and the occupancy of less than 50, allowing it to swing either way or even slide.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

It is from a single condominium unit, not from a common area, right?

If so, then it falls under the condominium unit and the occupancy of less than 50, allowing it to swing either way or even slide.

JP: Thanks.

More info please..... Is there a step down onto the balcony? How high?
Does the balcony serve only that single unit?

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

More info please..... Is there a step down onto the balcony? How high?
Does the balcony serve only that single unit?

JM: No step. Serves only this unit.

Condominiums are under Apartment Houses in the IBC and Aaprtment Houses come under R-2 Occupancies. I would hope that the balcony deck was not flush with the condo interior floor and sloped towards a drain? There must be a threshold, right? Anyhow, door swing? either direction is OK if no step-off.

Curious, was the balcony rail solidly enclosed?

I would hope that the balcony deck was not flush with the condo interior floor and sloped towards a drain?

JM: Correct.

JM: Correct.

Curious, was the balcony rail solidly enclosed?

JM: Yes, it was.

Ah, a solid balcony vertical enclosure. Now did they install floor drains or wall drains, or both? And the 64,000 question is did they install the code required overflow drains? So many builders forget this vital item.

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

Ah, a solid balcony vertical enclosure. Now did they install floor drains or wall drains, or both? And the 64,000 question is did they install the code required overflow drains? So many builders forget this vital item.

JM: Two floor drains and four overflow drains.

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

I would hope that the balcony deck was not flush with the condo interior floor and sloped towards a drain?

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

JM: Correct.

To clarify that question and answer: The question was two-fold while the answer was only addressing one of the questions - I presume the answer of "correct" was to the sloping balcony.

Is that answer also to the "was not flush with the condo interior floor?

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

Condominiums are under Apartment Houses in the IBC and Aaprtment Houses come under R-2 Occupancies. I would hope that the balcony deck was not flush with the condo interior floor and sloped towards a drain? There must be a threshold, right? Anyhow, door swing? either direction is OK if no step-off.

I made the presumption that the balcony was flush with the interior floor with a threshold as the unit may need to comply with Fair Housing/ADA. Yes, that sometimes leads to water intrusion issues, but with a proper threshold and with it properly installed that should be minimal.

WC Jerry is correct, if there is a step, then no, the door is not allowed to swing out over it.

Sometime we make too many presumptions without verifying them with questions.

To clarify that question and answer: The question was two-fold while the answer was only addressing one of the questions - I presume the answer of "correct" was to the sloping balcony.

Is that answer also to the "was not flush with the condo interior floor?

JP: You just cannot stand someone else's attempt to economize verbiage.

I made the presumption that the balcony was flush with the interior floor with a threshold as the unit may need to comply with Fair Housing/ADA. Yes, that sometimes leads to water intrusion issues, but with a proper threshold and with it properly installed that should be minimal.

JP: Threshold with a slight drop in elevation from the interior floor to the balcony deck. Not enough to be donned a "step".

Sometime we make too many presumptions without verifying them with questions.

JP: You would never . . .