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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    St. Louis, Mo. area.
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    280

    Default Garage or Carport?

    Photos are of a house I inspected on Saturday. The firewall area of the garage is original fiber-cement siding, with a jalousie windowed door leading in to the kitchen, which I cited of course for not being a fire rated door. The agent is telling me that because of the screen wall at the back of the garage, it's not technically a garage, and the fire rating requirements shouldn't apply. I told her I took it to be a garage, but that I'd check with my excellent sources, and let her know what you all say. What say you, garage or carport?

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Texas
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    745

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Carports are open on at least three sides.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Burleson, Texas
    Posts
    90

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    garage

    Dylan Whitehead

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Hercules, CA
    Posts
    159

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Carports are open on two (2) or more sides; see 2009 International Residential Code Section R309.2. Fire separation requirements are in Section R302.6.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Memphis TN.
    Posts
    4,311

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
    Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Hill (Nashville), TN
    Posts
    5,851

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Tell them that the old "man" door to the house was fine untill they put the garage door on. Once this was done it changed the classification from carport to a garage and the "man" door should have been changed as well.

    Tell your clients and agent that it is a safety thing...

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Texas
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    745

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Sorry... that's our adopted ordinance ...


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
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    28,032

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Carport or garage?

    Doesn't matter.

    The separation requirements apply to BOTH.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    St. Louis, Mo. area.
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    280

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Peck View Post
    Carport or garage?

    Doesn't matter.

    The separation requirements apply to BOTH.
    Now that's interesting! What makes the difference between either a garage or carport with the separation requirements, and an open driveway where a vehicle can be parked right up alongside the house, having a roof?

    Hey, thanks to everyone for the quick replies to my inquiry. They pretty much mirror my understanding of it as well, but since the question was raised, I wanted to get some extra confirmation on it. Y'all came through splendidly - as usual!


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Maryland
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    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    This is a chicken or egg question.
    It would appear to me that there was a garage first that was altered.
    Taking the rear wall out and adding a screen room does not negate the original garage.
    Therefore a fire rated door would still be appropriate
    I realize the argument could be that when the garage door is up then the area is a carport, but when the door is down it is a garage.


  11. #11
    Ted Menelly's Avatar
    Ted Menelly Guest

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Quote Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells View Post
    This is a chicken or egg question.
    It would appear to me that there was a garage first that was altered.
    Taking the rear wall out and adding a screen room does not negate the original garage.
    Therefore a fire rated door would still be appropriate
    I realize the argument could be that when the garage door is up then the area is a carport, but when the door is down it is a garage.
    If you look at the exterior siding on the inside of the garage it would kind of knock down your idea as a garage first. I would say it was a carport with just an outside wall at best or even all open with the roof over and then closed in.


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    St. Louis, Mo. area.
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    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Menelly View Post
    If you look at the exterior siding on the inside of the garage it would kind of knock down your idea as a garage first. I would say it was a carport with just an outside wall at best or even all open with the roof over and then closed in.
    That was my impression as well. The house was first, then the garage was added later. From the inside of the garage, it was obvious that you're looking at the original exterior end of the house. Whoever did it however, did a good job of it. The house roof structure is truss, and the garage is rafters, but from the roof level, you can't see the transition. Also, so many of these conversions still have the original driveway in place, but this garage floor was a separate garage floor pour. There was no evidence of any original carport roof support structure either. This was a 42 yr. old house by the way.


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Southern Vancouver Island
    Posts
    4,607

    Default Re: Garage or Carport?

    Call for a new door. I don't see what the big deal is over a $200 item.

    John Kogel, RHI, BC HI Lic #47455
    www.allsafehome.ca

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