Firewall between condo units in wisconsin

General Inspection Topics
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Does anybody know if each individual condo unit should have a firebarrier? I ran across a condo today that had the neighbors attic acess next to the clients access. It was my understanding that each unit should be protected by a firebarrier in the attic. Thanks

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It should, but several factors can allow it not to.
The city ordinances, any type of code enforcement and age are a few. Check with local building authorities for current requirements.

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If there isn’t a firewall installed between the units in the attic, I write it up everytime.

Another thing to consider is security, if each unit has an attic access, as most do, the lack of an attic firewall between the units would allow the neighbors access to the unit through the attic.

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I have seen it and noted that it was a safety concern, however it was not required at the time of construction and you can’t force anyone to update to current standards unless the local or state jurisdiction requires it. You should recommend it being installed for safety reason.

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Thanks for all the quick replies. Without going into to much detail I decided to keep it simple and to the point. This is what I wrote.

“It is noted that there is not a fire barrier between the condo units. The neighbors access panel is visible and could pose a security issue. Recommend that a fire barrier be installed for safety and security reasons.”

When I was with the client earlier I mentioned adding a lock to the access panel for security reasons. This isn’t a deal breaker for him but nonetheless a concern.

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Ran into the exact same thing today. Older tri-plex built in the 60’s and fire barriers were not required back then. Wrote it up in much the same way.

There is no fire barrier in the attic space between unit 2 & 3. Both units have attic acces to the space which is a safe concern. Latches should be installed on the inside the units attic access doors, so someone can’t access the other unit through the attic. A licensed contractor should evaluate attic space and install a fire barrier.

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