Second means of egress
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I also have one entrance and no windows.the only thing I'm a bit concerned about(better safe then sorry)is a fire,I will have a fire extinguisher and an axe.one,to put the fire out and two,if I can not put it out,I can break right through a wall,
tommy
tommy
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My Contractor insists that the Building Code in my State will require a second means of Emergency Egress for this type of room.
He also points out that if I do not have a means of emergency egress, and someone gets injured or killed in an emergency, my insurance company will NOT cover any lawsuits I may have hurled my way.
YMMV.. States and even local rules vary wildly.
-- Cain
He also points out that if I do not have a means of emergency egress, and someone gets injured or killed in an emergency, my insurance company will NOT cover any lawsuits I may have hurled my way.
YMMV.. States and even local rules vary wildly.
-- Cain
Thanks for all your responses. I've found it difficult to find any building code information for MA. The powers that be don't seem to make the info readily available. (RANT ON: it's the 21st century shouldn't this stuff be online. RANT OFF)
I'll probably put one in, but it won't be aesthetically pleasing.
I'll probably put one in, but it won't be aesthetically pleasing.
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In *almost* all U.S. jurisdictions, a second egress is not required for rooms not utilized as a bedroom. It would be wise to install a smoke alarm in your equipment area and make certain you can hear your house smoke alarms in the theater when a movie is playing (loudly).
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Hi Tim,
Have a Dennis design in progress, live in MA, pulled a permit an d there was not an issue with a single door, HT is in the basement. Inspector was more interested in "the room with all those wires" as he called it.
Cheers,
Martin.
Have a Dennis design in progress, live in MA, pulled a permit an d there was not an issue with a single door, HT is in the basement. Inspector was more interested in "the room with all those wires" as he called it.
Cheers,
Martin.
Martin,
Would you happen to know what the min. allowable ceiling height is? I want to put in a platform for my second row of seats but I have duct work above the platform. The distance between the platform and the ceiling at this point will only be 6.5'. The rest of the room is about 8', so it's just this section of the room. I'm hoping that since it's an area of special use that there will not be a problem with code.
Tim
Would you happen to know what the min. allowable ceiling height is? I want to put in a platform for my second row of seats but I have duct work above the platform. The distance between the platform and the ceiling at this point will only be 6.5'. The rest of the room is about 8', so it's just this section of the room. I'm hoping that since it's an area of special use that there will not be a problem with code.
Tim
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For all you automation gurus.....
Put a contact closure on your house smoke alarms to your Crestron system.
Place a copy of Towering Inferno in your 300 disk DVD player.
When the smoke alarm goes off, change the movie...
Put a contact closure on your house smoke alarms to your Crestron system.
Place a copy of Towering Inferno in your 300 disk DVD player.
When the smoke alarm goes off, change the movie...
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Tim,
Me think's it's 6' 8" but me also thinks that's for 2/3 of the total area so less under the seating area is ok if the ratio works.
Maybe Dennis has a more definative answer, may also depend on any town/city zoning regulations etc.
Not much help am I !!!!
Cheers,
Martin.
Me think's it's 6' 8" but me also thinks that's for 2/3 of the total area so less under the seating area is ok if the ratio works.
Maybe Dennis has a more definative answer, may also depend on any town/city zoning regulations etc.
Not much help am I !!!!
Cheers,
Martin.
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Cain...
I've been thumbing through the Codes in your area. I see no such requirement. Call your local building department and check with them directly; however, I would phrase the question "which type rooms in my basement will require multiple exits to meet fire code?"
I've run into one situation where the local building types, when faced with "home theater" and my plans were absolutely convinced no one would ever, ever put a theater in their home and not charge admission. He could not get a building permit until he signed a document that it would not be a public space and he would not charge admission. This was a zoning, rather than code, issue.
I've been thumbing through the Codes in your area. I see no such requirement. Call your local building department and check with them directly; however, I would phrase the question "which type rooms in my basement will require multiple exits to meet fire code?"
I've run into one situation where the local building types, when faced with "home theater" and my plans were absolutely convinced no one would ever, ever put a theater in their home and not charge admission. He could not get a building permit until he signed a document that it would not be a public space and he would not charge admission. This was a zoning, rather than code, issue.
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Good points Dennis.
You might remember when you and I first talked waaay back, and you felt I needed a second access, I spoke with a local architect buddy who told me unless it was a bedroom in my basement, I did not need a second egress.
The contractor who will be building most of my HT (and is starting next week, BTW!! W00t!!) is the one who keep insisted I must have a second egress, regardless of the room type. Although I believe him to be incorrect, he does make some good points.
It is really a moot point for me, since I have always planned to have a second exit for a variety of reasons, safety being one of them; the ability to open the doors and turn on my whole-house fan to quickly ventilate the room another (my dog has gas problems nobody would believe!!!!!!!!!!).
-- Cain
PS
Interesting point about the Zoning/Commercial Theater issue, this never crossed my mind, but my Contractor may well have been thinking this exact same thing.
He asked me if I planned to have any "strangers" over to watch movies. I said "of course not, I do not invite strangers into my home.."
You might remember when you and I first talked waaay back, and you felt I needed a second access, I spoke with a local architect buddy who told me unless it was a bedroom in my basement, I did not need a second egress.
The contractor who will be building most of my HT (and is starting next week, BTW!! W00t!!) is the one who keep insisted I must have a second egress, regardless of the room type. Although I believe him to be incorrect, he does make some good points.
It is really a moot point for me, since I have always planned to have a second exit for a variety of reasons, safety being one of them; the ability to open the doors and turn on my whole-house fan to quickly ventilate the room another (my dog has gas problems nobody would believe!!!!!!!!!!).
-- Cain
PS
Interesting point about the Zoning/Commercial Theater issue, this never crossed my mind, but my Contractor may well have been thinking this exact same thing.
He asked me if I planned to have any "strangers" over to watch movies. I said "of course not, I do not invite strangers into my home.."
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Quote:
I bet that made the man standing there as you said that feel a whole bunch better.
| He asked me if I planned to have any "strangers" over to watch movies. I said "of course not, I do not invite strangers into my home.." |
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I've converted my loft, and a second means of escape in case of fire was a consideration.
I consulted a loft conversion company about the code reauirements for a 'means of escape' roof light, and he basically said a similar thing - if the loft isn't going to have a bed in it, I could put any window I like in, wherever I like. It didn't even have to be an MoE window.
For peace of mind, I've fitted one, and a rope ladder. I've also fitted a smoke detector which is linked to the one downstairs in the stair well. If the one in the stairwell goes off, so does the one in the loft.
I'm looking for a smoke detector that has some spare volt-free contacts that I could link into a beacon. A flashing light additional to the smoke alarm would be very handy during noisy scenes.
I do like the Towering Inferno idea though!
Gary.
I consulted a loft conversion company about the code reauirements for a 'means of escape' roof light, and he basically said a similar thing - if the loft isn't going to have a bed in it, I could put any window I like in, wherever I like. It didn't even have to be an MoE window.
For peace of mind, I've fitted one, and a rope ladder. I've also fitted a smoke detector which is linked to the one downstairs in the stair well. If the one in the stairwell goes off, so does the one in the loft.
I'm looking for a smoke detector that has some spare volt-free contacts that I could link into a beacon. A flashing light additional to the smoke alarm would be very handy during noisy scenes.
I do like the Towering Inferno idea though!
Gary.
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