Yankee Chronicler
Registered User
Things I thought I knew -- but didn't:
Horizontal exits. They've been in the building code since BOCA days. I only recently came across a provision that says horizontal exits must have a standpipe on each side of the opening (doorway). That was news to me, so I did a deep dive into the historical ICC codes to see when that provision first happened. To my surprise, it has been with us since the 2003 IBC (which is the first IBC I worked with - my state didn't adopt the 2000 IBC).
In the 2003 IBC, section 905.4, Item #2, requires a standpipe hose connection on each side of a horizontal exit. No exceptions. This is in chapter 9, and section 905 covers standpipes. There is no reference to this in the section on horizontal exits in Chapter 10.
In the 2006 IBC, there is still no reference to standpipes in the section of Chapter 10 that discusses horizontal exits, but the requirement is again found in Chapter 9, section 905.4, Item #2. But in 2006 they added an exception: If the horizontal exit is within 130 feet (a 100-foot hose plus a 30-foot hose stream) of a hose connection in a stairwell, no standpipe is needed at the horizontal exit.
2009, 2012, and 2015 are the same as 2006.
In 2018 the IBC added section 1026.5, specifying that horizontal exits must have standpipes as required by sections 905.3 and 905.4.
The 2021 IBC is the same as 2018.
Boy, do I feel dumb for not having picked up on this when it first came into the building code.
Horizontal exits. They've been in the building code since BOCA days. I only recently came across a provision that says horizontal exits must have a standpipe on each side of the opening (doorway). That was news to me, so I did a deep dive into the historical ICC codes to see when that provision first happened. To my surprise, it has been with us since the 2003 IBC (which is the first IBC I worked with - my state didn't adopt the 2000 IBC).
In the 2003 IBC, section 905.4, Item #2, requires a standpipe hose connection on each side of a horizontal exit. No exceptions. This is in chapter 9, and section 905 covers standpipes. There is no reference to this in the section on horizontal exits in Chapter 10.
In the 2006 IBC, there is still no reference to standpipes in the section of Chapter 10 that discusses horizontal exits, but the requirement is again found in Chapter 9, section 905.4, Item #2. But in 2006 they added an exception: If the horizontal exit is within 130 feet (a 100-foot hose plus a 30-foot hose stream) of a hose connection in a stairwell, no standpipe is needed at the horizontal exit.
2009, 2012, and 2015 are the same as 2006.
In 2018 the IBC added section 1026.5, specifying that horizontal exits must have standpipes as required by sections 905.3 and 905.4.
The 2021 IBC is the same as 2018.
Boy, do I feel dumb for not having picked up on this when it first came into the building code.
