Originally Posted By: wmoran
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Does the elevation of an attached garage floor (single family home) need to be lower than the basement floor?
Does the elevation of an attached garage floor (single family home) need to be lower than the basement floor?
Originally Posted By: rcloyd
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Walter:
Depends on local codes as to required elevation. As a general rule (and code IRC) the garage floor should slope towards the main vehicle entry door.
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Russell G. Cloyd
Intra-Spec Home Inspections
& Code Consulting, LLC
859-586-4591
www.intra-spechomeinspections.com
Originally Posted By: wmoran
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Thanks RC,
I recently inspected a single family home where the attached garage was on the same level as the finished basement. There is a 3/4 hr fire rated self closing door, but the floor from the garage to the finished space are at the same height. Would there be a concern about gas vapors entering the finished space? How would you identify (or flag it) in the report?
Walter
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“FIRST LOOK…Before you buy!”
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Originally Posted By: rcloyd
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Yes fuel vapor accumulation in the garage is a concern. The sloped floor requirement in the IRC addresses this as fuel vapors are heavier than air and will follow the sloped surface of the floor to the vehicle doorway.
I would simply write that without a difference in elevation or sloped floor that I am concerened about fuel vapor build up in the garage area that can find its way into the living area.
Regards,
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Russell G. Cloyd
Intra-Spec Home Inspections
& Code Consulting, LLC
859-586-4591
www.intra-spechomeinspections.com
Originally Posted By: ccoombs
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My understanding of the code (UBC/CBC) there is no requirement for a step between the house and the garage. Only that you have a minimum slope of 2% and 6" between the mud sill and the finished grade. If you have a 20 ft. deep garage with a 6" curb at the front you will end up with about a 4" step to the finish floor of the slab.
In retirement communities it is common to have no step so there is less trip and fall danger.
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Curtis
Originally Posted By: dvalley
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In my area, I call it a fume barrier.
If I find an entry door from the garage to the living area with no fume barrier (minimum 4" high), I write it up.
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David Valley
MAB Member
Massachusetts Certified Home Inspections
http://www.masscertified.com
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
Originally Posted By: mcyr
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There should be a minimum of 4" in elevation differential between the garage and the living quarters.
Marcel
Originally Posted By: ecrofutt
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Marcel,
What is your reference source?
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Erby Crofutt
B4U Close Home Inspections
Georgetown, Kentucky
www.b4uclose.com
Originally Posted By: jmurray
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I’m looking at “The Illustrated Home” by Carson & Dunlop (not the definitive source by any means) and they state a 6" step up into the house on a attached garage w/ manual living quarters door. I could not find any specifications on a l.q. door with a auto closer in this book.
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“A little less conversation and a little more action”!
Originally Posted By: mcyr
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Can not find you the reference right now, but I know that here in Maine it is required and needs to be within 4 to 6 inches elevated from living quarters.
Marcel
P. S. Logic would dictate that living quarters need to be protected from a garage at the same level as the quarters, from fumes, gas leaks and oil leaks, water, etc.. (common sense)
Originally Posted By: Monte Lunde
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Russel & Curtis are right about the elevations separation, for there is no requirement in the UBC, IRC and IBC on elevation separation. The IBC 2003 only talks about the slope of the garage floor. I quote from the IBC 2003 code “Sloped to facilitate the movement of liquids to a drain or toward the main vehicle doorway”.
I believe that the reason that you see this elevation change is because most concrete garage floors are Slab-on-grade or commonly called a "floating slab" .
Curtis
I think that who have a typo mistake in the 2% slope. A 2% slope on 20' equals .4 tens or 4.8 Inches. The 6" curb in front will equal 1.2" step to the finish floor of the slab.
I have always used a minimum of 1/4" per 10' for a concrete floor drain and the same minimum of a 1/4" per 10' for the slope out the garage door. This is a .02% slope.
Walter
Your local code might require something different, check the local code for any modifications.
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Monte Lunde CCI, CCPM, CRI
Viking Construction Services Inc.