Can a bedrooom(with proper window size)in a basement be considered legal if there is a door leading to the garage which is properly fire proofed?
In one word… no
Regards
Gerry
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In two words: absolutely not.
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In three words; unsafe to do.
next. 
Four words, all of which gerry understands: Not on your nelly
What’s a basement?
And why not?
Nope, bedrooms should NOT open into a garage. Has nothing to do with the basement, just the bedroom to the garage.
Openings from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping purposes shall not be permitted.
If you really needed a bedroom in that area, a simple solution would be to build an ante-room (a small entry room) between the new bedroom and the garage. This could be a small closet-sized space, with a fire-rated, self-closing door on the garage side, for firewall compliance. In this way, you could have your attached garage, your added bedroom, and no direct access between the two. Check with your local building department to see if they would accept this approach.
Mr. Valley quotes from R309.1 of the International Residential Code. I’m looking at the 2003 edition, but I can’t imagine that this provision would change in any later edition.
This clause further staes that “Other openings betweenthe garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than 1 3/8 inches in thickness, solid or honeycombed steel doors not less than 1 3/8 inches in thickness, or 20-minute fire-rated doors.”
Here’s the information from the latest edition. I thought I would throw in a few extras, I hope that some of you find this information to be useful.
2006 International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings
SECTION R309
GARAGES AND CARPORTS
R309.1 Opening protection.
Openings from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping purposes **shall not be permitted.**Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than 13/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb core steel doors not less than 13/8 inches (35 mm) thick, or 20-minute fire-rated doors.
R309.1.1 Duct penetration.
Ducts in the garage and ducts penetrating the walls or ceilings separating the dwelling from the garage shall be constructed of a minimum No. 26 gage (0.48 mm) sheet steel or other approved material and shall have no openings into the garage.
R309.1.2 Other penetrations.
Penetrations through the separation required in Section R309.2 shall be protected by filling the opening around the penetrating item with approved material to resist the free passage of flame and products of combustion.
R309.2 Separation required.
The garage shall be separated from the residence and its attic area by not less than ½-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board applied to the garage side. *Garages beneath habitable rooms *shall be separated from all habitable rooms above by not less than 5/8-inch (15.9 mm) Type X gypsum board or equivalent. Where the separation is a floor-ceiling assembly, the structure supporting the separation shall also be protected by not less than 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board or equivalent. Garages located less than 3 feet (914 mm) from a dwelling unit on the same lot shall be protected with not less than ½-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board applied to the interior side of exterior walls that are within this area. Openings in these walls shall be regulated by Section R309.1. This provision does not apply to garage walls that are perpendicular to the adjacent dwelling unit wall.
R311.4 Doors.
R311.4.1 Exit door required.
Not less than one exit door conforming to this section shall be provided for each dwelling unit. The required exit door shall provide for direct access from the habitable portions of the dwelling to the exterior without requiring travel through a garage. Access to habitable levels not having an exit in accordance with this section shall be by a ramp in accordance with Section R311.6 or a stairway in accordance with Section R311.5.
**R311.4.2 Door type and size. **
The required exit door shall be a side-hinged door not less than 3 feet (914 mm) in width and 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) in height. Other doors shall not be required to comply with these minimum dimensions.
R309.4 Carports.
Carports shall be open on at least two sides. Carport floor surfaces shall be of approved noncombustible material. Carports not open on at least two sides shall be considered a garage and shall comply with the provisions of this section for garages.
SECTION R310
EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESCUE OPENINGS
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.
Frank, thanks for posting this.
My question is when did this code become effective?
I inspected a 1985 home in a PUD which most of them are this way.
thanks,
pb
Peter,
Code dates do not matter IMO.
It’s simply a safety issue…
The requirement dates back to the 50’s. Perhaps even earlier.
Should you run into a used house salesman who wants to argue that a violation like this should be ignored since the house was built before the rule was implemented…explain that you would be happy to apply the 1950 standard with the written guarantee from the broker that all vehicles entering the garage will also be pre-1950, that no pesticides, weed killers or other household poisons developed after 1950 will be stored in the garage…as well as pre-1950 manufactured petroleum products, paint products and yard/household tools.
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Dah!
Thanks Jeff and James.
You ask a “Duh” question, you get a “Duh” answer…
Had one yesterday on a 1985 ranch where they put a garage door in the basement next to the driveway (they said it was put in to make bringing furniture in easier;)). The basement was wide open with suspended ceiling tiles and an open stairway with no door into the house.
David, I am joking with you. The condition is obviously unsafe. My question was more directed to what the others responded, i.e. when. I wanted a specific answer, if possible, so I could speak to all with authority, instead, “I don’t know, but I know it’s not safe and not permitted” etc.
Have a happy IR day.
PB
1927 Section 1505 “Under no circumstances shall a private garage have any openings into a living or sleeping room.”