Attic Access Requirements
Buildings with combustible ceiling or roof construction shall have an attic access opening to attic areas that have a vertical height of 30 inches 762 mm or greater over an area of not less than 30 square feet 2 8 m 2.
Attic access requirements. The 2012 international residential code requires an attic access opening for attics with an area greater than 30 square feet and a vertical height in excess of 30 inches. More and more building codes are now requiring the use of fire rated attic access doors to improve the safety of the occupants. Minimum vertical height of 30 inches measured from the top of the ceiling framing members to the bottom of the roof framing members. The rough framed opening.
2 an attic access door helps in improving the building s energy efficiency. Wednesday july 4 2018. The vertical height shall be measured from the top of the ceiling framing members to the underside of the roof framing members. Attics containing appliances requiring access shall have with an opening and a clear and unobstructed passageway large enough to allow removal of the largest appliance but not less than 30 inches 762 mm high and 22 inches 559 mm wide and not more than 20 feet 6096 mm long when measured along the centerline of the passageway from the opening to the appliance.
Attic ceiling attic access panel shall be fully attic drop down stair shall be fully interface gasketed and insulated gasketed and insulated energy star does not supersede code requirements mark d. Size of scuttle and accessibility of the attic dictate the level of entry. Attic area exceeds 30 square feet and. Buildings with combustible ceiling or roof construction shall have an attic access opening to attic areas that exceed 30 square feet 2 8 m2 and that have a vertical height of 30 inches 762 mm or greater over an area of not less than 30 square feet.
The attic must be entered at a minimum by head and shoulders whether access is by pull down stairway or scuttle. The florida building code fbc and international residential code irc both require a minimum of one attic access opening for homes with combustible such as wood roof construction if the attic space meets these two criteria.