Window height - InspectionNews

Richard Stanley · #1 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 01:11 PM

2nd floor windows less than 18" above floor. 'thought I had read that they were not allowed any more. I can only find that they have to be safety glazing unless protective guard installed. I still recommend protective guard / barrier. The glass may not cut you, but, the fall wont improve your health. IRC 308.4.7 Applicable (2406.4.7 UBC) Comments welcome.

John Arnold · #2 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 01:56 PM

They need to be 9 square feet or larger to "have" to have safety glass, if memory serves.

Jerry McCarthy · #3 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 02:56 PM

Actually it goes something like this:
2006 IRC - 613.2 - Window Sills: In dwelling units, where the opening of an operable window is located more than 72 inches (1829mm) above the finished grade or surface below, the lowest part of the clear opening of the window shall be a minimum of 24 inches (610mm) above the finished floor of the room in which the window is located. Glazing between the floor and 24 inches (610mm) shall be fixed or have openings through which a 4-inch-diameter (102 mm) sphere cannot pass.
Exceptions:
1. Windows whose openings will not allow a 4-inch-diameter (102mm) sphere to pass through the Opening when the opening is in its largest opened position.
2. Openings that are provided with window guards that comply with ASTM F 2006 or F 2090.

2007 CBC Ditto.

Jerry Peck · #4 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Stanley

IRC 308.4.7 Applicable (2406.4.7 UBC)

From the 2006 IRC. (underlining is mine)

- R308.4 Hazardous locations.

The following shall be considered specific hazardous locations for the purposes of glazing:

- - 7. Glazing in an individual fixed or operable panel, other than those locations described in Items 5 and 6 above, that meets all of the following conditions:

- - - 7.1. Exposed area of an individual pane larger than 9 square feet (0.836 m2).

- - - 7.2. Bottom edge less than 18 inches (457 mm) above the floor.
- - - 7.3. Top edge more than 36 inches (914 mm) above the floor.
- - - 7.4. One or more walking surfaces within 36 inches (914 mm) horizontally of the glazing.

That leaves out a lot of windows.

I've always had a feeling that those windows should not only be tempered, but should also be laminated impact resistant glass.

Face it, there really is not a lot of difference in falling through a non-tempered window and a tempered window from 30 feet up, other than the size of the glass pieces you will be landing on.

Laminated impact resistant glass will at least stay in the frame when you fall against it hard enough to break it. Keeping you up there where you were.

Jerry McCarthy · #5 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 06:26 PM

I cannot find any reason to disagree with EC Jerry on this issue and what this clearly demonstrates, at least to me, is that the fingerprints of the NAHB are still all over the 2006 IRC.

Richard Stanley · #6 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 06:38 AM

The 613.2 is what I was looking for. 24" instead of 18". Thanks wcj. I noticed that it was not referenced in 2003 IRC.

Jerry Peck · #7 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 07:22 AM

Richard,

Correct, new wording to the 2006 IRC.

The old South Florida Building Code - Broward County Edition required guards at windows when the drop outside was greater than 4' and the sill was less than 30" if 24" wide or wider, and, where the drop is 4' or less outside, there were other options.

The above was changed in the 2001 Florida Building Code, HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone, which is Broward and Miami-Dade counties), but still required safeguards in many instances (to long to post here, and that went out with the 2004 Florida Residential Code anyway).

That's called 'consensus weakening of the codes', just another example of how codes become weaker the more people are involved in making of the code.

Richard Stanley · #8 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 07:30 AM

Thanks JP