Hi Rick,
Rick Vernon wrote:Jerry, do you know if this requirement was in effect 25 years ago?
IRC 2009 R302.6 table R302.6
From the 2009 IRC.
- R302.6 Dwelling/garage fire separation. The garage shall be separated as required by Table R302.6. Openings in garage walls shall comply with Section R302.5. This provision does not apply to garage walls that are perpendicular to the adjacent dwelling unit wall.
2009_IRC_Table_302_6.jpg
The first IRC was in 2000, as were the first other ICC codes. The ICC (International Code Council) was formed when the other model code agencies joined together to assimilate their respective codes into one national (international) code.
Thus, prior to 2000, there was no IRC. However, the IRC was patterned after the old BOCA 1- & 2-Family Dwelling code, with changes of course.
Prior to that, as an example, There was the SBCCI (Southern Building Code Congress International) series of codes: Building, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas (those were the basic codes the model code agencies had prior to the ICC). In addition, the BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators) had the BOCA 1- & 2-Family Dwelling Code for 1- & 2-Family Dwellings.
The BOCA code was expanded in the IRC to include attached dwellings which exceeded 1- & 2-Family, i.e., townhouses which is defined in the IRC as "Three or more ... ", the reason for this is there are still some differences in the requirements between 1- & 2-Family Dwellings (duplexes) and Townhouses, Triplexes, Quads, Row-houses, also known by many other names.
Now, back to your question as stated: No. that IRC requirement did not exist 25 years ago, in fact it did not exist before 2000.
Now to change your question to its intent (as I understand the questions intent): Maybe, possibly not, as it would depend on if the local area was using the BOCA 1- & 2-Family Dwelling Code or the Building Code for dwellings, and it would also depend on which of the building codes was in effect, and if the codes were adopted intact. As you can see, too many variables to give an answer.
However, as an example, 25 years ago puts that around 1980, from the ICBO (International Council of Building Officials) UBC (Uniform Building Code), 1979 Edition: (my historical codes are a pain to search as they are not well laid out on the program which contains them)
- Sec. 1214. A one-story carport entirely open on two or more sides need not have a fire separation between the carport and the dwelling.
- - Windows between the carport and the dwelling shall not be operable. Doors may be of any type, provided that any sash used in a door be fixed; doors between a dwelling and a carport shall be self-closing.
- 302.4 Fire Ratings for Occupancy Separations. Occupancy separations shall be provided between various groups and divisions of occupancies as set forth in Table 3-B. For required separation of specific uses in Group I, Division 1 hospitals and nursing homes, see, Table 3-C. See also Section 504.6.1
- Exceptions: 1. (not included here as it is not applicable to the question)
- - 2. (not included here as it is not applicable to the question)
- - 3. In the one-hour occupancy separation between Group R, Division 3 and Group U Occupancies, the separation may be limited to the installation of material approved for one-hour fire-resistive construction on the garage side and a self-closing, tight fitting solid-wood door 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, 2. or a self-closing, tight fitting door having a fire-protection rating of not less than 20 minutes when tested in accordance with Part II of U.B.C. Standard 7-2, which is part of this code, is permitted in lieu of a one-hour fire assembly. Fire dampers need not be installed in air ducts passing through the wall, floor or ceiling separating a Group R, Division 3 Occupancy from a Group U Occupancy, provided such ducts within the Group U Occupancy are constructed of steel having a thickness not less than 0.019 inch (0.48 mm) (No. 26 galvanized sheet gage) and have no openings into the Group U Occupancy.
What is Group R, Division 3 you ask?
- Chapter 12
- - Requirements for Group R Occupancies
- - - Group R Occupancies Defined
- - - - Division 3. Dwellings and lodging houses.
I do not find it listed or defined, but Group U is "Utility", which include Private Garages, that is from newer codes. Even newer codes have now gone to Group S for storage which is where garage are now.
Did that answer your question? No, I suspect it did not, but that is from a typical code of the time period, and which (due to the program I have them, which is the only way to get them, searching is rather cumbersome).
Now for the clincher: If there is a fire in that garage, and that 25 year old structure does not have the separation you asked about because it was not required at the time, is that fact going to stop a fire from starting or is that fact going to put the fire out? No it is not. Being in compliance to an old code and not in compliance to a newer, safer, code does not in any way reduce the damage from the same type of incident happening in an older home versus a newer home, and, in fact, because the codes have changed so much, the likelihood of an incident happening in an older home is increased.
"Time" is not a safety factor. Conversely, one can even say that "time is running out".
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