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Attic staircase units w/ insulation placed in stair step cavity zone.

A

ajweaver

Bronze Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Messages
41
Location
Austin, TX
1) Is this considered a trip hazard when placed in stair cavity or does code default to manufacturer install guidelines ?

2) Does R13 batt meet IECC requirements for Texas or is the intent of the energy code to require additional ( full depth ) insulation ( ie, are there any exceptions for small attic areas like this that allows to provide only R 13 where code may require R- 30 or R 38 for the envelope )

Thanks
 
1. Manufacturer's Installations

Any time I climbed attic stairs to do an inspection, that insulation stuffed behind the treads kept my boots out where I would be stepping with my toes. It never felt safe. I haven't seen installation instructions in a while, I believe they may have allowed for some 1" foam board to be placed behind the treads, but this will still not give you the R value required.

2. No exceptions, unless your state has approved some. The attic stair assembly must meet the minimum for ceiling R value. Typically we require a box built over the attic stairs that allows for sealing of the penetration with the stairs up. Box usually consists of 1" foam board with foam weather strip to seal to the framing on the attic side, and a piece of unfaced batt glued to the top of the box in the R value required for the zone.
 
where o where does the 06 IECC stipulate the attic stair assembly must meet minimum ceiling R value?

seal it per 402.4.1

15 square feet of glazed fenestration per dwelling unit shall be permitted to be exempt from U-factor

and SHGCX requirements (includes skylights)

your worried about maybe 8 square feet of attic access?
 
comes IN in a BIG way in 09 IRC N1102.2.3 "access hatches and doors". Both attics and crawl spaces are affected.
 
Thanks.. why even have Chapter 11 in IRC, when the IECC and 10 (20, 30% better) kick in?
 
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