How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes
Do handrails have to return to the wall?
Monday, April 13, 2020
The ends of a handrail have to return to the wall for safety, to avoid getting a handbag or piece of clothing snagged on an open end and causing a fall. Here’s how it is stated in the International Residential Code (IRC):
A safety terminal is any type of handrail termination that elimates the possiblity of something getting snagged on it. Here’s an example of a newel post below:
And here’s two exceptions allowed by the code:
Also, see our blog posts What is the difference between a handrail and a guardrail? and What is a grippable handrail? and When is a handrail required on both sides of stairs? and How long should a handrail be on stairs? and How many exterior steps require a handrail?
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Here’s links to a collection of some of our blog other posts about STAIRS:
• What is the minimum headroom clearance for stairs?
• Is a landing always required at the top and bottom of stairs?
• What is the building code for the minimum height of stair steps (risers)?
• When is a nosing required on a stair tread?
• What is the building code requirement for receptacle outlets at stairs and stair landings?
• Are open stair risers acceptable?
• What is the steepest residential stair allowed?
• Why is a single step dangerous in a house?
• When is a railing required at stairs?
• Do I need stairs at all exit doors from a mobile home?
• The stairs feel too steep. What's the building code?
• What do home inspectors check when inspecting stairs?
• What is the longest stair run allowed?
• What is the lighting requirement for stairs?
• A light is required over a stair after how many steps/risers?
• When is safety glass required for windows at stairs and stair landings?
• Can a door swing out over the top of interior stairs without a landing?
• What are the building code requirements for a handrail at stairs?
• When are solid risers required on stairs?
• What are the standard treads and risers for a regular stairs in a house?
• How many stairs before you need a landing?
• How many lumens are required at stairs in a home?
• What is code for stair risers?
• Do all stair risers have to be the same height?
• Do all stair treads have to be the same size?
• Is a stair nosing required by code?
• What are the minimum dimensions of a stair landing?
• Do stair tread edges have to be rounded?
• How far should stair nosing stick out?
• Is 45 degrees too steep for a stair?
Visit our STAIRS 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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