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Are attic pull-down ladders required to be code-approved?
Sunday, October 11, 2020
There are no building code requirements for attic pull-down stairs construction. But most folding attic stairs are not allowed to be installed in a garage by code because they do not meet the fire separation requirement for the ceiling, which must be 1/2” drywall or equivalent in fire-resistance. A few models are available that meet this requirement, but they are not available off-the-shelf at big-box home improvement stores. To learn more about it, see our blog post Why are most pull-down attic ladders not approved by building code for installation in a garage?
Also, because attic ladders are often installed after the construction of the home by the homeowner or a handyman, the manufacturer’s installation instructions may not have been followed—leading to an unsafe ladder. For specific examples, see our blog post What are the warning signs of a dangerous attic pull-down ladder?
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Here’s links to a collection of some of our other blog posts about ATTICS:
• When is a house not required to have an attic access hatch?
• When does code require an attic pull-down ladder to be installed?
• What is the minimum size for attic access opening?
• What are the mistakes to avoid when doing attic improvements?
• What are the hazards to avoid when going into an attic?
• How do I safely remove a dead rodent (rat, mouse or squirrel) from the attic?
• What are the common problems with attic insulation?
• Why is there no attic access hatch in the house?
• How do I safely clean up rodent (rat, mouse or squirrel) urine or droppings the attic?
• Why is there no attic access hatch in the house?
• Is an attic required to have a light by the building code?
• Why is vermiculite attic insulation a problem for both buyers and sellers of a home?
• What are the code requirements for NM-cable (nonmetallic-sheathed cable or Romex®) in an attic?
• How much of a roof truss can I cut out to make a storage platform in the attic?
• When was a fire separation in the attic first required between sides of a duplex?
Visit our ROOF AND ATTIC page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.
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