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  1. P

    New 2-hour fire wall construction at existing building?

    so you're saying that depending on the length of where the buildings adjoin, it could kick the existing building into non-compliance, since it changes the open space increase percentage? Although, it's only going to affect a 9% of the existing building perimeter, so the existing building should...
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    Exterior Wall ratings and Fire Sprinklers

    Distance from property line vs. a neighboring building seems to be a bit of a gray area. Although you should be able to build ~10' away with no exterior rating, what if those 2 buildings and 2 properties are bought by one owner in the future, and combined into a single property? Now both...
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    New 2-hour fire wall construction at existing building?

    2-hour fire wall (structurall independent) adjacent to an existing building: I'm guessing CMU or other masonry or concrete design is probably the only viable solution? We have a church facility that has been added on several times over the years. It's a mixture of A-3 and E, with a small area...
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    Adding continuous insulation for interior renovation?

    Okay we got it figured out, using the U-value method. R-20 in the cavity framed wall results in the same U value as the R-13 + 3.8 Ci. So we can do 3 inches of closed-cell spray foam insulation in the stud cavity and get it into compliance. Yes this jurisidiction requires COMcheck even on...
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    Adding continuous insulation for interior renovation?

    apparently the only 2 exceptions in COMcheck are: 1) exterior wall framing exposed but insulation left intact, or 2) wall framing not exposed. In our case the exterior wall framing has been exposed and there is NO insulation. So it seems those 2 exceptions would not apply, so the CI is still...
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    What is the difference between a "metal building" and a "metal framed building"?

    This is correct. Metal framed = framed walls using metal studs (not wood framed, wood studs). Metal building is short for "pre-engineered metal building" which is a system of rigid steel frames, with horizontal wall girts (purlins at the roof) spanning between the frames, usually 20-25 foot...
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    Adding continuous insulation for interior renovation?

    We have an existing building that we have to run through COMcheck for our local jurisdiction, which requires R13+R3.8 CI. The building is currently uninsulated framed walls, with sheathing and brick on the exterior. Since we're opening up the walls, and the walls currently have no insulation...
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    Heavy-timber addition to non-combustible building?

    don't think that will work, as those sections mainly cover 1-hour or lower rated walls, or exterior walls. We're wanting to do HT posts and beams, HT floor planks etc. So it sounds like a 3-hour self-supporting wall is going to be required to make it work.
  9. P

    Heavy-timber addition to non-combustible building?

    I have a church building, Group A-3, Type II-B construction, 2 stories, fully sprinkled, open space all around. It's had several previous additions, and is currently near the limit of of mixed-use nonseparated, at ~31,000 SF per floor (35,625 allowed with multi-story sprinkler and frontage...
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    what determines if an establishment is a restaurant or a bar?

    Have an existing restaurant building renovation that has the word "Bar" in the name. According to Chapter 29, bars require a higher plumbing count than restaurants. If the establishment is considered a restaurant, the existing restroom counts work. But if they're considered a bar, the...
  11. P

    Please help me understand hazardous classifications for oil-based paint

    Thanks for the detailed explanation. That's a big help. Since this is a tenant in a larger building, I doubt there will be any sprinklers added.
  12. P

    Please help me understand hazardous classifications for oil-based paint

    Product page: https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/setfast-solventborne-acrylic-traffic-marking-paint
  13. P

    Please help me understand hazardous classifications for oil-based paint

    So the paint in question is Sherwin-Williams Setfast solventborne traffic paint, which apparently does indeed have a flash point of -3°F. Doesn't that technically make it a Class IA flammable liquid? 60 gallons max storage in approved cabinets, if the building is not sprinkled, right?
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    Please help me understand hazardous classifications for oil-based paint

    We have a client with a pavement paint striping business, that moved into about half of a ~6.000 SF building several months ago. The city is now looking for some sort of letter or code analysis regarding the building and the amounts and types of paint this business is storing in the building...
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    Ideas for church egress through fenced playground area?

    Unfortunately no, most of it is under the existing roof canopy (attached to building), and is less than 50' away from the building.
  16. P

    F-1 Occupancy Load

    For F-1 I typically use the Industrial area occupant load, which as you know is 100 SF/person, which I've always thought is a little high as far as occupant count goes. But I've done it in the past, and designed toilet fixtures to account for that load. But I've also done the toilet count...
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    Ideas for church egress through fenced playground area?

    But there will be people going in and out of the building exterior doors when the building is in use. It's the gates on the enclosed area I'm wondering about. Are you suggesting an audible alarm on the gates?
  18. P

    Ideas for church egress through fenced playground area?

    Working on a church doing an addition and renovations. They have an existing covered driveway that they want to fence and put playground equipment. The issue is that I have 2 different egress doors coming out to this area. We have a double gate shown in the fence that could have panic...
  19. P

    Insulation above suspended ceiling

    On warehouse/manufacturing projects with accessory office spaces, or restrooms or any other similar small space inside the large building, we typically show it as a self-contained "box" inside the large volume. It has surrounding walls that go up so high, and then a cap or "dust cover" on top...
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    Curb ramp landing in alteration

    Is there no way to attach a photo? I don't have an online photo hosting source at the moment.
  21. P

    Curb ramp landing in alteration

    This is what the ADA consultant told me just now "We often recommend automatic door openers when there is no level landing provided at a door. When the door remains open for at least 30 seconds it eliminates the need for a level area to sit and operate the door. We would consider this equivalent...
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    Curb ramp landing in alteration

    It's a curb ramp between a row of parking and the sidewalk running along the building between the parking and the building wall. The concrete extends out from the building 17 feet. That's why I'm thinking the HC parking will need to be raised up so that a 6' long 6" rise curb ramp can be...
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    Curb ramp landing in alteration

    I have an existing retail facility with multiple ADA issues that we're trying to correct. One of them is that the ADA parking in front of the entry doors was originally installed too low. The parking spaces themselves are fine, but the curb ramp slopes at a constant 6.5% from the access aisle...
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    2021 IBC commentary?

    In the past we have always purchased either book or PDF versions of codes with the commentary included. I can't seem to find the 2021 IBC with commentary. I see several other 2021 ICC codes with commentary, but not the IBC. Has it not been published yet? Does it typically lag behind the...
  25. P

    NFPA 101 Business Occupancy storage room protection

    Oh I'm sure of that, I just have to convince them. Building is not sprinkled, only 2,500 SF. No rated walls are required from what I can tell from the IBC. Corridors serve under 30 occupants, no storage rooms over 100 SF.
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