ADA T-stat height

[chris kennedy]

Is 54" OK for side approach? Would a T-stat in a Bagel joint be subject to ADA requirements? Baths, parking, seating, ect are.

Thank you.

 

[brudgers]

Why wouldn't a thermostat be subject to ADA?

 

[chris kennedy]

I don't know, isn't there some wording such as "likely to be operated"? Employees or patrons?

 

[brudgers]

The old, "We just won't hire anyone handicapped" scenario?

 

[mark handler]

No

2010ADASAD

Advisory 205.1 General. Controls covered by 205.1 include, but are not limited to, light switches, circuit breakers, duplexes and other convenience receptacles, environmental and appliance controls, plumbing fixture controls, and security and intercom systems

308.3 Side Reach.

308.3.1 Unobstructed. Where a clear floor or ground space allows a parallel approach to an element and the side reach is unobstructed, the high side reach shall be 48 inches maximum and the low side reach shall be 15 inches (380 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground.

 

[SCBO1]

ADA,

1991 standard 54",

2010 standard lowered to 48" effective as of 3/15/12

Q. By lowering the height of a wall mounted thermostat, do you think the furnace would come on more often and use more energy? or it would remain about the same?

Just asking

pc1

 

[mark handler]

Q. By lowering the height of a wall mounted thermostat, do you think the furnace would come on more often and use more energy? or it would remain about the same?

Doesn't matter...If you allow blacks to use the same drinking fountain as whites are you going to use more water. It is a civil rights law.

Heating---- more

AC ---------less

 

[SCBO1]

Inspected two FEMA trailers this week, thermostats set at 48" from FF to the center of the stat. Controls were on top of the stat which puts them at 50-1/2".

pc1

 

[mark handler]

Are they required to be accessible?

were there ramps?

Are they Single family detached? if so not covered by ADA.....

 

[mark handler]

FAIR HOUSING ACT DESIGN MANUAL also requires 48" for thermostat controls.

 

[mtlogcabin]

I wonder if it would include the fake ones we installed in large office buildings so the workers thought they had control over the HVAC settings? They did not control anything.

 

[mark handler]

I wonder if it would include the fake ones we installed in large office buildings so the workers thought they had control over the HVAC settings? They did not control anything.

Equal access,,,,,

 

[north star]

= = =

Placebo environmental controls, ...interesting concept!



= = =

 

[Frank]

= = =Placebo environmental controls, ...interesting concept!



= = =

Years ago my dad was a manager in a photoprocessing plant and the people doing the printing in cubilcle complained of too hot or too cold in adjacent cubes--he bought a box of cheap thermometers and asked each woman what temp they wanted their cubicle, gave them the appropriate thermometer, and the complaints ended.

 

[Min&Max]

Max 48" high. It can be higher if it is secured in a locked box and only accessible by maintenance staff.

 

[mark handler]

Max 48" high. It can be higher if it is secured in a locked box and only accessible by maintenance staff.

Where is that in the code? ADA?

what if the manager is a wheeler?

Why do we always try to go around the code?

2010 ADASAD

Advisory 205.1 General. Controls covered by 205.1 include, but are not limited to, light switches, circuit breakers, duplexes and other convenience receptacles, environmental and appliance controls, plumbing fixture controls, and security and intercom systems

 

[incognito]

Max 48" high. It can be higher if it is secured in a locked box and only accessible by maintenance staff.

Correct. That is the exact response given by an ADA instructor at a seminar that I attended a while back. If it located in a locked box that is controlled by maintenance staff that must be ambulatory to perform their daily duties, the thermostat can be located above the normal 48" max reach requirement.

 

[incognito]

Where is that in the code? ADA?what if the manager is a wheeler?

Why do we always try to go around the code?

2010 ADASAD

Advisory 205.1 General. Controls covered by 205.1 include, but are not limited to, light switches, circuit breakers, duplexes and other convenience receptacles, environmental and appliance controls, plumbing fixture controls, and security and intercom systems

Better question; Why do some always try to interpret the code to be more restrictive than it actually is?

 

[mark handler]

Better question; Why do some always try to interpret the code to be more restrictive than it actually is?

WHAT PART OF THE Department of Justice Advisory 205.1, IS "MORE RESTRICTIVE" than it actually is?

 

[brudgers]

Correct. That is the exact response given by an ADA instructor at a seminar that I attended a while back. If it located in a locked box that is controlled by maintenance staff that must be ambulatory to perform their daily duties, the thermostat can be located above the normal 48" max reach requirement.

If the "ADA instructor" told you something incorrect, for $0.45 you could buy a first class postage stamp.

 

[Jean Tessmer-HI]

Is 54" OK for side approach? Would a T-stat in a Bagel joint be subject to ADA requirements? Baths, parking, seating, ect are.

Thank you.

In case someone is still watching this. Yes, a T-stat that could be commonly used by employees is covered by the ADA.

As of 2010 a 54" side approach is no longer allowed. 48" is the new maximum reach height.
Here is some info on what is required for wall mounted T-Stat
FUNCTIONALITY MEANS.

No tight grasping, pinching, twisting of the wrist, tactile + or – buttons or lever, single hand operation, less than 5 pounds of force to operate. Accessible route to the device, 30x48 clear floor space, reach range that will allow easy eye ball height (they and we all need to see the display meaning we will be using our eyes to reach the data info on the dial) visual reading of the Wall mounted T-stat at 42” AFF.

 

[bill1952]

Nest or similar would seem to be easy solution.

 

[Yikes]

Jean, I've seen CASps allow the following in a commercial setting:

• Thermostat is mounted wherever height MEP engineer prefers, typically 60", AND
• Thermostat is provided with a locked cage/ cover, with sign that says "for authorized maintenance personnel only" [ADA 203.5].
• Optional: If thermostat is to be operated by other than maintenance personnel, it is a Smart Thermostat (e.g. "Nest" or equivalent), or part of an EMS system), and can be operated remotely via smart phone or other external control that itself is accessible.

Would you accept that?

 

[walker.t]

30x48 clear floor space

A117.1-2017 305.3.1 requires 30”x52” minimum in new buildings.

reach range that will allow easy eye ball height (they and we all need to see the display meaning we will be using our eyes to reach the data info on the dial)

ADA 308 (Reach Ranges) and A117.1-2017 308 (Reach Ranges) only address the reaching of something with one’s hand, not “reaching” the object with a convenient line of sight. It’s not a bad idea to consider where something could be placed within the acceptable reach range to facilitate reading the display, but is there a stated requirement for something like a thermostat or other object that is not signage?