Garage side egress doors

Nearly every side egress door in the garage (in CA) built in the 1980’s or before has no threshold. There is a 3/4" to 2" gap at the bottom of the door. Any old-timers have the building code back then specifying this design?

why worry about the code. Can’t you just recommend installing them?

Pete
I seems like many want to quote codes.

I don’t recall ever hearing of a code about requiring door thresholds for unconditioned space. Don’t know why anybody would install a door with a 2" air gap on the bottom unless there was maybe a need for combustion air of gas appliances or flood venting. Of course CA has there own set of rules of which I would not be acquainted with.

I don’t cite code. I have a client who is mad that my inspector did not call this out as a defect. We pointed to all the other townhouse a in the complex which are the same. Also, it is very typical for houses built in the 1980’s to have doors with no threshold.

So it was not ‘missed’ but she is not satisfied with my answer. Just looking for a little back up.

What is her concern?

I’m not following.

She thinks we should have called out the lack of a sweep. I said no, that was standard at time of construction. She said no, your guy missed it and should pay to fix it. I said no he didn’t miss it.

This is what they look like.

If the garage floor is pitched and the door opens towards the house then a sweep might make it hard to open all the way. That’s why a threshold is nice because it allows the door to swing over things like uneven floors or carpets and still seal out the weather. I would not call it a defect on a garage door. Many of the vehicle doors never had gasket on them either. It would be a personal preference in my opinion.

Phil - Being reported on the inspection report, then it was the clients duty to get this negotiated into the Real Estate “Request For Repairs” form - and negotiated by buyers RE agent. Let her blow smoke, she is not getting you to pay for this. See R311.4 - Means of Egress - Exit Door Required Not through Garage space but from habitable space to exterior only.

I agree with Mike L. What are you looking for?
Explain the deficiency and move on.

An Egress does not have a threshold.

A frame and door is fine.

A egress maybe notched in the basement foundation in Montreal Quebec.
Observations to look for… water or weather entering the garage? Concrete damage around the egress opening OR on the garage floor.

Any cracks in the 4 corners? Hypothesis may be leaning towards structural issues. Settling, uplift, heaving from frost.

Look for structural defects or deficiencies.
Serpentine cracking in brick, block or stone veneer. Deflection in lintel, Is the lintel bearing properly? etc…

All the best.
Robert