• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Yes, this is a dwelling unit.

jar546

jar546

Forum Coordinator
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
11,028
Location
Somewhere Too Hot & Humid
Since this started out as a cabana near the pool, it has escalated to require door alarms.
Thoughts? Should the alarms also sound in the primary residence?
Accessory Dwelling Unit.png
 
I’m not familiar with door alarms, except in assisted living facilities and retail emergency exits. Why would you need a door alarm here?
And shouldn’t there be a swinging door at one exit?
 
What does your question have to do with a dwelling unit? Is it attached to a residence or is it a pool house on a condo site or other?
 
ADAguy said:
What does your question have to do with a dwelling unit? Is it attached to a residence or is it a pool house on a condo site or other?
Click to expand...

It is a swimming pool code requirement

305.4 Structure wall as a barrier.
Where a wall of a dwelling or structure serves as part of the barrier and where doors or windows provide direct access to the pool or spa through that wall, one of the following shall be required:
1. Operable windows having a sill height of less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the indoor finished floor and doors shall have an alarm that produces an audible warning when the window, door or their screens are opened. The alarm shall be listed and labeled as a water hazard entrance alarm in accordance with UL 2017. In dwellings or structures not required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located 54 inches (1372 mm) or more above the finished floor. In dwellings or structures required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located not greater than 54 inches (1372 mm) and not less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the finished floor.
 
mtlogcabin said:
It is a swimming pool code requirement

305.4 Structure wall as a barrier.
Where a wall of a dwelling or structure serves as part of the barrier and where doors or windows provide direct access to the pool or spa through that wall, one of the following shall be required:
1. Operable windows having a sill height of less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the indoor finished floor and doors shall have an alarm that produces an audible warning when the window, door or their screens are opened. The alarm shall be listed and labeled as a water hazard entrance alarm in accordance with UL 2017. In dwellings or structures not required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located 54 inches (1372 mm) or more above the finished floor. In dwellings or structures required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located not greater than 54 inches (1372 mm) and not less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the finished floor.
Click to expand...

Bingo! I agree and already sent out a note.
 
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission does not say they need interconnection.


U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Safety Barrier Guidelines for Residential Pools
Door Alarms All doors that allow access to a swimming pool should be equipped with an audible alarm which sounds when the door and/or screen are opened. Alarms should meet the requirements of UL 2017 General-Purpose Signaling Devices and Systems, Section 77 with the following features:
  • Sound lasting for 30 seconds or more within 7 seconds after the door is opened.
  • The alarm should be loud: at least 85 dBA (decibels) when measured 10 feet away from the alarm mechanism. The alarm sound should be distinct from other sounds in the house, such as the telephone, doorbell and smoke alarm.
  • The alarm should have an automatic reset feature to temporarily deactivate the alarm for up to 15 seconds to allow adults to pass through house doors without setting off the alarm. The deactivation switch could be a touchpad (keypad) or a manual switch, and should be located at least 54 inches above the threshold and out of the reach of children.
  • Self-closing doors with self-latching devices could be used in conjunction with door alarms to safeguard doors which give access to a swimming pool.

https://www.poolsafely.gov/wp-conte...-Barrier-Guidelines-for-Residential-Pools.pdf
 
I would need to see a site plan. Which (if any) walls serve as part of the pool barrier?

It shouldn't need alarms if it is entirely within the fenced barrier, or the top or left walls serve as part of the barrier.

An alarm will be required if one of the doors opens outside the fence and the other opens inside the fence, because the door opening inside the fence will be in a wall that serves as part of the barrier.
 
jar546 said:
Should the alarms also sound in the primary residence?
Click to expand...

No requirement. I don't think you could connect another alarm to a water hazard entrance alarm in accordance with UL 2017.
The plans don't show if the pool house is completely in the pool area, but if it is the kids in it are already in the pool area.
 
So the plans show a cabana near the built in pool which is in the back yard behind the house. The house is and will be required to have alarms on doors and so will the accessory dwelling. I don't see where I have to interconnect them but certainly the accessory dwelling requires the alarm as per the verbiage of the code.
 
It does have direct access to the pool as does the main house, right?
Is the unit to be a B&B or ADU? Used by owner's kids or relatives? the houses occupants need to be aware of a user of the unit have fallen in, no?
 
ADAguy said:
It does have direct access to the pool as does the main house, right?
Is the unit to be a B&B or ADU? Used by owner's kids or relatives? the houses occupants need to be aware of a user of the unit have fallen in, no?
Click to expand...

Yes, it has the same access issues to the pool as the house.
 
my understanding of the door alarm requirements presume the house is part of the enclosure, and the pool code derived from consumer protection and small children entering the pool areas without the knowledge of the supervising adult though the door from the house to the enclosure.

if small children were to be domiciled in the cabana, and the adults need to be warned about the childe leaving the cabana, the alarms are needed. It seems to me those using the caban already are in the pool enclosure
 
61pwOn6iKnL._AC_UY218_ML3_.jpg

There is no way to hook up a remote alarm to this.
 
This one will
6121.jpg


https://www.diycontrols.com/p-6121-pool-patrol-doorgate-alarm-wwireless-remote-receiver-ga-30.aspx
Overview
The Pool Patrol Gate & Door Alarm is a wireless door/gate monitor that detects entry into your pool or spa area. It is equipped with a reset button to allow a six second pass through without sounding the alarm. The alarm comes complete with all the necessary mounting hardware for installation.

An alarm will sound both at your gate/door and in your house up to a distance of approximately 200 feet. The remote receiver has an on/off switch with an "on" indicator light and is powered by a 120 volt A.C. wall transformer. Gate Alarm is Battery powered and uses one 9 volt alkaline battery (battery not included).

Custom outdoor additional passthrough buttons or Remote Receivers are also available for special order (contact us for details). Note that special orders may take 5 to 10 business days to ship.
Adjustable delay, choose 0 seconds or 7 seconds
 
If this structure serving as an a dwelling unit and part of the pool barrier I would require the doors to have alarms much like I would any residence sering as part of the pool barrier. as far as alarm activation in the main house I don't disagree its a good idea but I don't think its required by code.
 
The unit is a secondary occupancy to the main house and not a rental unit, right? That being so and the unit opening to the pool, its alarm should alert the main houses occupants. This is a cunumdrum if the primary occupants of the main house leave minors in the unit while they are off the property.
 
cda said:
contractors will still have to explain the expense of safety disconnects, especially in locations where it’s not common practice to add outdoor service panelboards
Click to expand...

mtlogcabin said:
This one will
6121.jpg


https://www.diycontrols.com/p-6121-pool-patrol-doorgate-alarm-wwireless-remote-receiver-ga-30.aspx
Overview
The Pool Patrol Gate & Door Alarm is a wireless door/gate monitor that detects entry into your pool or spa area. It is equipped with a reset button to allow a six second pass through without sounding the alarm. The alarm comes complete with all the necessary mounting hardware for installation.

An alarm will sound both at your gate/door and in your house up to a distance of approximately 200 feet. The remote receiver has an on/off switch with an "on" indicator light and is powered by a 120 volt A.C. wall transformer. Gate Alarm is Battery powered and uses one 9 volt alkaline battery (battery not included).

Custom outdoor additional passthrough buttons or Remote Receivers are also available for special order (contact us for details). Note that special orders may take 5 to 10 business days to ship.
Adjustable delay, choose 0 seconds or 7 seconds
Click to expand...

The web site does not say it is UL2017 so it can't be used. Also no one answers the company phone.
 
Not true the AHJ can approve its use under alternate means and methods
Require a UL2017 alarm in the Cabana addition to this one to notify the occupants of the house
There is no code requirement to have them interconnected from the cabana to the house but we all see the need to have this done. So make it an easy solution and a simple suggestion where spending another $150.00 might save a child's life and unwanted grieve for the adults that left a child sleeping in the cabana while they went and had lunch
 
mtlogcabin said:
Not true the AHJ can approve its use under alternate means and methods
Require a UL2017 alarm in the Cabana addition to this one to notify the occupants of the house
There is no code requirement to have them interconnected from the cabana to the house but we all see the need to have this done. So make it an easy solution and a simple suggestion where spending another $150.00 might save a child's life and unwanted grieve for the adults that left a child sleeping in the cabana while they went and had lunch
Click to expand...

A pool alarm might be even a better idea but I can't make them use it or the above! !ethhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...UR5ABTTA&linkCode=as2&tag=bestprodtagl2823-20er
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top