Buildings with combustible ceiling or roof construction shall have an attic access opening to attic areas that have a vertical height of 30 inches 762 mm or greater over an area of not less than 30 square feet 2 8 m 2.
Attic openiing size irc 2012.
The rough framed opening.
Habitable attics require a vertical access and emergency escape and rescue opening.
The rough framed opening must be a minimum of 22 inches by 30 inches.
January 2012 code for residential buildings that creates minimum regulations for one and two family dwellings of three stories or less.
The 2009 and 2015 irc verbiage is similar and still applicable.
This is applicable to finished and unfinished spaces.
The international code council icc is a non profit organization dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design build and compliance process.
If mechanical equipment or appliances are housed in the attic there must be an unobstructed passageway large enough for the removal of the appliance.
R408 2 openings for under floor ventilation.
One such ventilating opening shall be within 3 feet 914 mm of each corner of the building.
Attics that meet the size and ceiling height criteria of the habitable attic definition in chapter 2 are considered habitable.
The vertical height shall be measured from the top of the ceiling framing members to the underside of the roof framing members.
The international codes i codes are the widely accepted comprehensive set of model codes used in the us and abroad to help ensure the engineering of safe sustainable affordable and resilient structures.
One ventilation opening shall be within 3 feet.
The 2012 international residential code requires an attic access opening for attics with an area greater than 30 square feet and a vertical height in excess of 30 inches.