Residential Elevator Shaft

A.D. Miller · 06-22-2009, 11:17 AM

What sort of fire separation, if any, is required in a residential elevator shaft?

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**Jerry Peck** · 06-22-2009, 11:37 AM

What kind of fire separation is required in a residential stairway?

Same thing for the elevator except that you have a box inside carrying you up and down.

I.e., if you walked up a stairway and could look into the floor system because the floor system was open to the stairway, that would not be good, neither is it when you are in an elevator.

I thought I had a photo of what I was referring to, but I cannot find it.

When looking into the elevator shaft, the shaft should be lined, just like a stairway.

A.D. Miller · 06-22-2009, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

What kind of fire separation is required in a residential stairway?

Same thing for the elevator except that you have a box inside carrying you up and down.

I.e., if you walked up a stairway and could look into the floor system because the floor system was open to the stairway, that would not be good, neither is it when you are in an elevator.

I thought I had a photo of what I was referring to, but I cannot find it.

When looking into the elevator shaft, the shaft should be lined, just like a stairway.

JP: The shaft in question begins in a sub-grade or basement wine cellar and then services two floors above. I understand that it must be "lined", but with Type-X or standard 1/2" drywall? No other provisions apply?

**Jerry Peck** · 06-22-2009, 12:05 PM

1/2" gypsum is all it needs.

It's not like it is an elevator shaft in a non-dwelling unit, where all the other fire resistance ratings also apply and then the elevator wall would need to be 1-2-3 hour fire resistance rated.

**Wayne Carlisle** · 06-22-2009, 12:23 PM

Consider it a draft stop between floors and ceilings.

**Jerry Peck** · 06-22-2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Wayne Carlisle

Consider it a draft stop between floors and ceilings.

Wayne,

Huh?

What is "it"?

How would you draft stop the elevator shaft at the floor/ceiling locations?

Are you referring to the 1/2" gypsum board lining the elevator shaft as the draft stop?

**Wayne Carlisle** · 06-22-2009, 12:47 PM

"It" being the elevator shaft penetrates the floor and ceiling cavities. The elevator shaft in my opinion would need to be lined (1/2" sheetrock) where the shaft is open to keep a fire from traveling from the elevator shaft into a floor or ceiling cavity.

You asked; Are you referring to the 1/2" gypsum board lining the elevator shaft as the draft stop?

Yes

This is the same thing as draftstopping. Stopping the fire from traveling into the floor/ceilng via the elevator shaft.

A.D. Miller · 06-22-2009, 12:59 PM

Same house, different question. The basement is about 900 s.f. Other than the elevator there will be a minimally-sized spiral stair unit. Are there certain restrictions regarding the spiral stair unit as regards emergency egress?

**Jerry Peck** · 06-22-2009, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Same house, different question. The basement is about 900 s.f. Other than the elevator there will be a minimally-sized spiral stair unit. Are there certain restrictions regarding the spiral stair unit as regards emergency egress?

A spiral stair much meet the requirements for "Special Stairs" "Spiral Stairs".

R311.5.8 Special stairways.

Spiral stairways and bulkhead
enclosure stairways shall comply with all requirements of
Section R311.5 except as specified below.

R311.5.8.1 Spiral stairways.

Spiral stairways are permitted,
provided the minimum width shall be 26 inches
(660 mm) with each tread having a 71/2-inches (190 mm)
minimum tread depth at 12 inches from the narrower
edge. All treads shall be identical, and the rise shall be no
more than 91/2 inches (241 mm). A minimum headroom
of 6 feet 6 inches (1982 mm) shall be provided.

R311.5.8.2 Bulkhead enclosure stairways.

Stairways
serving bulkhead enclosures, not part of the required
building egress, providing access from the outside grade
level to the basement shall be exempt from the requirements
of Sections R311.4.3 and R311.5 where the maximum
height from the basement finished floor level to
grade adjacent to the stairway does not exceed 8 feet
(2438 mm), and the grade level opening to the stairway is
covered by a bulkhead enclosure with hinged doors or

other approved means.

A.D. Miller · 06-22-2009, 01:08 PM

So then, the owners have just finished off their 3rd bottle of Napa Zinfandel in the wine cellar when the fire sprinklers go off. They can't take the elevator during a fire, so they must run up a spiral stair unit with 26" wide treads and 9.5" risers only to end up in the center of the house where the fire is?

Ted Menelly · 06-22-2009, 01:23 PM

An elevator sgaft is no more than a staiway in a home. It can be open on each floor just as a staiway. Yes the floor cavities have to be sealed but the elevator needs nothing but a caged type enclosure for safety. The walls next to it on the first and second floor need drywall on them as a stairway.

The door no matter what it is needs to be able to be secured while in operation. Again, no different than a starway other than safety measures.

**Jerry Peck** · 06-22-2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

So then, the owners have just finished off their 3rd bottle of Napa Zinfandel in the wine cellar when the fire sprinklers go off. They can't take the elevator during a fire, so they must run up a spiral stair unit with 26" wide treads and 9.5" risers only to end up in the center of the house where the fire is?

Aaron,

Ahhh ... but you did not ask the right question.

You asked:

The basement is about 900 s.f. Other than the elevator there will be a minimally-sized spiral stair unit. Are there certain restrictions regarding the spiral stair unit as regards emergency egress?

I now see what you should have asked:
'The basement is about 900 s.f. Other than the elevator there will be a minimally-sized spiral stair unit. Are there certain restrictions regarding emergency egress?'

See the difference?

- R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue required. Basements and every sleeping room shall have at least one operable emergency and rescue opening. Such opening shall open directly into a public street, public alley, yard or court. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency egress and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches (1118 mm) above the floor. Where a door opening having a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead enclosure shall comply with Section R310.3. The net clear opening dimensions required by this section shall be obtained by the normal operation of the emergency escape and rescue opening from the inside. Emergency escape and rescue openings with a finished sill height below the adjacent ground elevation shall be provided with a window well in accordance with Section R310.2. Emergency escape and rescue openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.
- - Exception: Basements used only to house mechanical equipment and not exceeding total floor area of 200 square feet (18.58 m2).

That basement does not meet the exception, thus it requires EERO.

All you have to do is ask what you really want to know.