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<FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>I want to thank you all for your input. I’d like to clarify something and verify if my take is correct or not.<BR>
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The situation, as a reminder, is that a completed, multi-story Time Share building, with a conditioned interior corridor on each floor, was modified to pressurize the building, both corridor and units. The design revisions implemented were to pressurize the corridor and undercut the unit doors to thereby pressurize the units as well.<BR>
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NFPA 80 allows up to a 3/4” undercut. Fine. But, my take is that the door’s integrity and therefore its rating, have been compromised by making field cuts to create the 3/4” undercut. We’re talking 45-minute HM doors, Yes or No?<BR>
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Also, FBC mechanical code....<BR>
</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE="Courier New"><B>601.2 Air movement in egress elements.</B> Corridors shall not serve as supply, return, exhaust, relief or ventilation air ducts. <BR>
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</B></FONT><B><FONT FACE="Courier New">Exceptions:</FONT></B><FONT FACE="Courier New"> <BR>
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</FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman"> </FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New">1. Use of a corridor as a source of makeup air for exhaust systems in rooms that open directly onto such corridors, including toilet rooms, bathrooms, dressing rooms, smoking lounges and janitor closets, shall be permitted, provided that each such corridor is directly supplied with outdoor air at a rate greater than the rate of makeup air taken from the corridor.</FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman"> <BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New">2. Where located within a dwelling unit, the use of corridors for conveying return air shall not be prohibited.</FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman"> <BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New">3. Where located within tenant spaces of 1,000 square feet (93 m2) or less in area, utilization of corridors for conveying return air is permitted.</FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman"> <BR>
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My take on Exception #1 is that this would not permit the residential unit from opening directly onto a corridor for all this pressurized makeup air. The only component of the unit that has exhaust systems that would require make up air are the bathrooms and washer/dryer closet, neither of which opens directly to the corridor as the code states. Yes or No?<BR>
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Since this is a common corridor, and means of egress, I don’t see either Exception #2 or #3 applying. Yes or No?<BR>
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At some point I need to submit this information to the Building Official stating my concerns and exceptions to this solution having been approved. I just want to confirm my understanding of the code.<BR>
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Thank you.<BR>
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Eric<BR>
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