Two Glass Questions

[Tom_in_SC]

When is tempered glass required to be used in windows?

Can the door between a garage and living space (kitchen, in this case) have any glass in it?

Thanks!

[giddonah]

I think it has to do with proximity to doors. And probably other things.

Ain't uninformed answers great? :lol:

[Tom_in_SC]

Uh - Could you be a little more vague about that? :-)

On the windows: I have one that will be very close to where a door opens. I think it will require tempered glass, but I haven't been abe to find it is in code bood (ICC 2003)

On the door: Our material supplier says that it can't have any glass. However, the house we are living in right now does have glass in the top half of the steel door.

[Tom R]

Only requirement I know of, - - is that if the glass is less than 18" from the floor, it must be tempered. Maybe someone else knows additional requirements about horizontal proximity to a door, - - I'm not aware of any.

As far as the door, - - I'm not aware of any code saying it can't have glass, but will be interested to hear others responses.

[giddonah]

http://www.construction-resource.com/forum/ftopic2486.html

I knew I remembered a thread about it. :wink:

[juniorbill]

Regarding the door, I believe code requires a fire-rated door between the garage and living space, but can't a fire door have fire-rated glass in it?

[TnAndy]

Uh, you DO know asking us is a waste of time right ?

You should be posing this to whoever is doing your inspections.......and if you're like me, in a area where there are none, THEN we can give ya all kinds of different opinions.......ahahahahaaaaaaaaaa

[Sweep]

Here in MA the 1 & 2 family building code requires a separtation between the garage and any living space but it does not specify an actual "fire-rating"; it specifies only that the wall be covered on one side with 5/8" type X gypsum wall board and that the door be solid core wood and that the door not open into a sleeping space.

The code does not require an actual "fire-rated separation wall" since one layer of 5/8"type X GWB doesn't meet the requirements of any tested and listed fire-rated wall assembly and a solid wood door without a testing agency label, or a steel frame, or an automatic closer, doesn't meet the requirements of any tested and listed fire-rated door assembly.

The MA building code allows up to 1266 sq in of wire glass to be placed in a wood or steel fire-rated (and tested) door in a fire-rated steel frame in a fire-rated wall assembly (as listed by UL, etc). This code section does not apply to residential garage separation walls since such walls have no true "fire-rating". Even if you could convince a building inspector that a tested and labeled door with wire-glass met the requirements of a "compliance alternative", it is unlikely that you would be willing to pay for such an expensive door.

I had a client who wanted a glass door from his home office into his garage so he could see who drove into his driveway. I used a solid-core wood door that swung into the garage and added a fully glazed door in the same opening that swung into the office. The installation passed inspection. He opens the solid door 180 degrees when he is at work and looks through the glass door. This is only possible because the code, for some inexplicable reason, does not require an automatic door closer. Go figure. They make you put it in but they don't care if you close it.