Residential required exit door opens to screened-in porch.

[Jobsaver]

What parameters are appropriate where the required exit door opens to a screened-in porch? I am having trouble determining the rules where the required exit door opens to various confiqurations of porches or sunrooms. Any commentary or references to applicable threads are welcome.

 

[Frank]

As long as the door from the screen porch or sunroom conforms with the exit door requirements as well no problem.

 

[Francis Vineyard]

Appendix H - Patio Covers



AH103.2 Light, ventilation and emergency egress.

Exterior openings required for light and ventilation shall be permitted to open into a patio structure conforming to Section AH101, provided that the patio structure shall be unenclosed if such openings are serving as emergency egress or rescue openings from sleeping rooms. Where such exterior openings serve as an exit from the dwelling unit, the patio structure, unless unenclosed, shall be provided with exits conforming to the provisions of :Next('./icod_irc_2012_3_par147.htm')'>Section R311 of this code.

What defines unenclosed; more than 40 percent opening per ventilation requirements?

 

[peach]

Kind of the same as the exit door opening into a regular porch.

 

[RJJ]

I agree with Frank!

 

[Francis Vineyard]

Is additional illumination required for the screen enclosure doors?

 

[peach]

that's the exit door, so yes

 

[Francis Vineyard]

I meant to say light fixture but the term illumation is accurate. The code only requires illumination to be provided on the exterior side of the door unlike habitable rooms, bathroom, stairways and its landings, etc. that call for lighting outlets. There is no minimum foot-candle specified outside of the exit door having grade level access.

Similar discussion; Lighting outlets at exterior doors

Playing devil’s advocate what if there's just a door way; no door provided?

 

[Jobsaver]

So, in the event of a screened-in porch where this exit is the required exit door, does the door leading from the home to the porch and the screen door leading from the porch to outside both need to meet the requirements for the exit door, or just the door from the house to the porch? Given the same example for a sunroom instead of a screened in porch, what rule applies? My perspective is that a door leading from the home to either an open or screened-in porch in this example would be the only door that has to meet exit door criteria, and that any confiquration of screen door leading from the porch is permissable. But, for a sunroom, the door leading from the sunroom to outside is the door considered to be the exit door.