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What is it?

Mr. Inspector

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
4,073
Location
Poconos/eastern PA
It's attached to a house. Floor is 16" above grade.
Has a floor made from treated lumber but rests directly on concrete piers and on a ledger attached to a house.
Has a roof is supported by the house and posts with screens all the way around.
What would you call it?

1. Owner calls it a porch
2. Some may call it a covered deck.
3. The IRC defines it as a Category I Sunroom.
4. Is it addition?
5. All the above?

A. Would you require it to be attached to the house as the IRC requires for a deck per IRC R507.2?
B. Would you require it to be built per AAMA/MPEA/NSA 2100 (Sunroom code book) as required by IRC R301.2.1.1.1?
C. Would you require receptacle spacing as required for sunrooms per IRC E3901.2?
D Would you require smoke and CO2 detectors in the existing house as required when an addition is added per IRC R314.2.2/R315.2.2?
 
Category I: A thermally isolated sunroom with walls that are open or enclosed with insect screening or 0.5 mm (20 mil) maximum thickness plastic film. The space is nonhabitable and unconditioned.

In the sample image you provided, there appear to be no walls, therefore it's not a sunroom.
C0 detectors would not work and are not needed, because the screens provide full ventilation.
 
Used to call that an "enclosed porch" but yea, IRC would call it a sunroom nowadays I think.

A. Yes
B. Yes
C. Yes...if we're calling it a sunroom it's going to comply with a sunroom
D. Just good practice to improve upon the existing where life & safety is concerned

jmo
 
In the sample image you provided, there appear to be no walls, therefore it's not a sunroom.
C0 detectors would not work and are not needed, because the screens provide full ventilation.

It also says or enclosed with insect screening which it is.
Category I: A thermally isolated sunroom with walls that are open or enclosed with insect screening or 0.5 mm (20 mil) maximum thickness plastic film. The space is nonhabitable and unconditioned.

What does walls that are open mean to you anyway?

And I was talking about smoke and CO2 alarms inside the existing house which are required if adding an addition but not if the construction is outside of the house.

SDS - So sunrooms always need to be attached to the house like a deck? What section would you say requires this?
 
Has a floor made from treated lumber but rests directly on concrete piers and on a ledger attached to a house.

SDS - So sunrooms always need to be attached to the house like a deck? What section would you say requires this?

I did not say that sunrooms always need to be attached to the house like a deck. We were discussing your specific example, no?

So...if it is attached to the house using a ledger I would require that ledger be per code, wouldn't you?

It is also using treated lumber so the use of galvanized, or otherwise treated connectors would be in order, in line with R507.2 as well...not so much the flashing of the ledger though, but I would flash it anyways, personally.
 
It also says or enclosed with insect screening which it is.
Category I: A thermally isolated sunroom with walls that are open or enclosed with insect screening or 0.5 mm (20 mil) maximum thickness plastic film. The space is nonhabitable and unconditioned.

What does walls that are open mean to you anyway?

First, define what "walls" means.
Then we can discuss what the modifier "that are open" means for walls.
There is an IBC definition of "wall", but it appears to be specific to Chapter 21 structural purposes. Even so, it does not match the image in post #3:
1622308765077.png
1622308807466.png


OK, let's try the definition of "wall" from: Merriam Webster Dictionary, which also does not match the image in post #3:

Definition of wall


1 a: a high thick masonry structure forming a long rampart or an enclosure chiefly for defense —often used in plural
b: a masonry fence around a garden, park, or estate
c: a structure that serves to hold back pressure (as of water or sliding earth)
2: one of the sides of a room or building connecting floor and ceiling or foundation and roof
3: the side of a footpath next to buildings
4: an extreme or desperate position or a state of defeat, failure, or ruin // the surrounded troops had their backs against the wall
5: a material layer enclosing space // the wall of a container // heart walls
6: something resembling a wall (as in appearance, function, or effect)especially : something that acts as a barrier or defense // a wall of reserve // tariff wall

To finally answer your question, I would personally define "walls that are open" as (1) walls, that (2) have openings within the walls.
The image in post #3 has no walls, so it is not a sunroom. Whether there is insect screening present is irrelevant. I'd call it a porch.
 
Covered deck and it does not "need" to be attached, just braced.....
Could you provide a little more clarity for bracing the screen room and the method of the bracing? Diagonal bracing at the end post, bracing between joist members, or am I'm missing something?
Thank you,
 
Could you provide a little more clarity for bracing the screen room and the method of the bracing? Diagonal bracing at the end post, bracing between joist members, or am I'm missing something?
Thank you,
The lateral bracing for decks can be accomplished in many ways and the typical example I use is an (unattached) above ground pool deck....
 
Well we can throw common sense in the garbage and call it a category whatever or we can call it a covered deck which is enclosed with screening. Not conditioned space so is not habitable space. Floor has to meet 40lbs per sqft, roof has to meet snow loads as applicable, stairway meet rise and run, footings have to meet depth and diameter requirements. Done. Next.
 
It's attached to a house. Floor is 16" above grade.
Has a floor made from treated lumber but rests directly on concrete piers and on a ledger attached to a house.
Has a roof is supported by the house and posts with screens all the way around.
What would you call it?

1. Owner calls it a porch
2. Some may call it a covered deck.
3. The IRC defines it as a Category I Sunroom.
4. Is it addition?
5. All the above?

A. Would you require it to be attached to the house as the IRC requires for a deck per IRC R507.2?
B. Would you require it to be built per AAMA/MPEA/NSA 2100 (Sunroom code book) as required by IRC R301.2.1.1.1?
C. Would you require receptacle spacing as required for sunrooms per IRC E3901.2?
D Would you require smoke and CO2 detectors in the existing house as required when an addition is added per IRC R314.2.2/R315.2.2?
A. If the unit is free standing on 4 concrete piers and they also satisfy the lateral movement requirements to be a stand alone structure, I would have to say No if the roof is standing on the per say detached portion and is also not supported off the house then no, However Yes if the roof is supported off the house out to the stand alone structure.
B. I tend to lean to the feeling of interp that a sunroom though not heated or cooled, if the screening is wrapped around and tacked on with staples and covered with wood trim, its a screen room, if they have removable panels or can change from storm windows to screens or any window type screen insert that can be removed, then I call it a sun room, based on that it would be yes or no.
C. Screen room per outside deck requirements, Sun room per IRC E3901.2, see answer B above
D. again depends on if I see it has a deck with screening or Sun Room and depending on how large, but leaning towards Yes.
 
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