If the permitting department doesn’t miss anything, are new homes constructed along the west coast of Florida going to “generally” be compliant with A & A1 opening protection?
2010 Florida Building Code: 105.4.1 Permit intent.</B>
A permit issued shall be construed to be a license to proceed with the work and not as authority to violate, cancel, alter or set aside any of the provisions of the technical codes, nor shall issuance of a permit prevent the building official from thereafter requiring a correction of errors in plans, construction or violations of this code. Every permit issued shall become invalid unless the work authorized by such permit is commenced within six months after its issuance, or if the work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of six months after the time the work is commenced.
110.1 General. </B>
Construction or work for which a *permit *is required shall be subject to inspection by the *building official *and such construction or work shall remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved. Approval as a result of an inspection shall not be construed to be an approval of a violation of the provisions of this code or of other ordinances of the jurisdiction. Inspections presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this code or of other ordinances of the jurisdiction shall not be valid. It shall be the duty of the *permit *applicant to cause the work to remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes. Neither the *building official *nor the jurisdiction shall be liable for expense entailed in the removal or replacement of any material required to allow inspection.
Should be. Unless protection has been removed.
Also, another question about the opening protection chart. Both the glazed and non-glazed sections mention the front entry door. Are we supposed to verify the front door’s glazing in the glazing section and the door’s solid section in the non-glazed? Or does the glazed section address a door with glazing and the non-glazed a door without glass?
Thanks
if the front entry has a window it is thought as one.
Glazed opening.
All new construction will be A1 Opening Protection since the 2001 FBC will be the minimum building criteria. There are still some discrepancies pertaining to glass block/ OIR 1802 & FBC. The wind mit form will ask if the glass block is protected… In my area (outside HVHZ - Miami Dade County) you do not have to have shutters as per the Building Dept. — but the Wind Mit form asks you whether they are protected… So in a strict interpretation of the wind mit form, you need shutters over glass block to get the A1 rating. In the real world (underwriters & Building Dept) you do not.
Also… A glazed door is reported only under “Glazed Openings - Windows and Entry Doors”. It is not also listed under “Non Glazed” ---- Basically a product is either glazed or non glazed.
I think you may have misunderstood the question, as I do not see how this applies.
OK - so, if the home is constructed after the 2001 FBC taking effect and the home has not been altered in any way by removing opening protection, can inspectors assume an opening that is missing a label/sticker/engraving is complaint, based on the permit date of the property?
Let’s say for example a 2012 house where all the windows are hurricane glass, the garage door has the rating sticker intact but the front door had the sticker removed for painting. The customer does not have the receipt but the door is HEAVY. Is that a situation where an inspector can reasonably assume the door is compliant?
Thanks
It was in response to just part of his question, if there’s a permit and the city/AHJ inspects the property is it compliant? The qustion wasn’t specifically worded that way, I just wanted to relay that just because there’s a permit and the AHJ inspects it doesn’t mean it’s installed or even meets minimum code.
In regards to the main question, you need to inspect the shutter system and determine under which approval the product qualifies. There are different levels of approval for impact rated products, case in point: ASTM E1996 has 5 levels of impact rating starting at 2 gram missile, 2 lbs missile, 4 lbs. missile, 9 lbs missile @ 50fps, and 9 lbs. missile @ 80fps.
The manufacturer need to meet 4 lbs. missile to qualify for a Florida Product approval under large missile, that only qualifies as section 2 (4-8 lbs. missile under ASTM E 1996 C ). If you look under section 1, skylights are only required to meet this application, ASTM E 1996 C. That being said, the deflection and impact testing for a NOA and FL Product Approval are night and day differnet.
NOA approval considers deflection (*separation from glazing during impact) *while FL product approval does not. I am seeing shutters installed with a NOA that do not have the minimum separation from the glazing, and they qualify under section 2 as any shutter system with a NOA qualifes as FL product approval. But, any shutter system with a FL product apporval does not automatically qualify as NOA approved as the testing and impact standards are completely different.
Also, garage doors outside of the HVHZ are not required to be impact per the Florida Building Code as they are not glazed openings (unless they have glazing installed). In combination, there are no less than `12 different qualifications to determine complaiance for impact and non-impact rated opening protection listed on the 1802. Anyone perfroming these inspections should know each one inside and out.
Another thing to consider, the form asks “was the structure built in compliance with” in section one. It is entirely possible a structure built many years before the 1994 SFBC and 2001 FBC could be built in compliance with either of those codes way before their adoption. Just something to chew on…
I’ll make this easy, can you prove it is rated and if so how?
Answer that question and you will have an answer to your question. Most of the ones you have been asking as well.
If you can’t prove it, it doesn’t count.
N. Opening Protection products that appear to be A or B but are not verified
It’s important to remember one thing, the permit means nothing when it comes to compliance. It’s written right into the code, the AHJ accepts no liability for code complaince AND any damages to the structure should reinspection be required to confirm complaince.
Think of it like this, if all the underwriter needed was the permit date to confirm compliance, why would he send an inspector? We could all save a bunch of time and just call the AHJ. The form states “verification inspection”, you are there to verify compliance with code. The previous forms stated this leading up to the 1802, it was extremely dumbed down for MSFH program and HI’s.
The form is riddled with code and standard references, some sections more than others. Uplift is just one example. Hi’s were not added as qualified until we were licensed, take away the provisions of your licensure and we are not qualified per FS 627.711.
Anyway…just something to chew on…
What Rob is trying to say is that the building department is not responsible for making sure the home is built to code. They are only a minimal check.
Take two examples and what would you do with them. 2004 townhome that had a breach in the attic firewall. This was done at the time of construction to accommodate the AC vent into the master bedroom. Are you going to say and certify on Question 1 of the 1802 that the unit was built to the Florida Building Code. I know most of you will. I will not. If there is ever a fire in that unit the insurance company now has a form that says it was built to the building code, when in fact, it was not. Any yes I know the chances of getting sued may be slim, but I am not willing to take that chance. I will let one of you $75 guys have at it.
Now, there is also a case going on in a condo building in south Miami where an outside engineer was hired to sign off on all of the permits. The city will accept this. The building is leaking and falling apart in several areas do to non code compliant work, but yet has all permits signed. Once again, are you going to sign an 1802 that the building was built to the code. Same answer from me.
Impact resistant requirements for the WBDR (outside HVHZ) did not really go into effect until the FBC 2004 cycle, which did not start until 10/01/2005. You still have to verify each opening though. Some doors or windows may have been switched out since year built and may not always comply, or they flat out did not comply in the first place. Beware…
That’s not entirely accurate, many coastal counties adopted the SSTD-12 standard pre-2001. Palm Beach County being just one example, they adopted the provisions of impact standards SSTD-12 in 1997.