Important Note: Check with your local fire district regarding your project. The local fire district has individual authority to enforce fire code standards beyond the county's requirements. Cooperation and coordination with your local fire district early in the process may prevent costly alterations to your project and ensure compliance with all applicable health and safety standards.

2009 International Residential Code

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

R315.1 Carbon monoxide alarms.
For new construction, an approved carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms in dwelling units within which fuel-fired appliances are installed and in dwelling units that have attached garages.
 
R315.2 Where required in existing dwellings.
Where work requiring a permit occurs in existing dwellings that have attached garages or in existing dwellings within which fuel-fired appliances exist, carbon monoxide alarms shall be provided in accordance with Section R315.1.
 
R315.3 Alarm requirements.
Single station carbon monoxide alarms shall be listed as complying with UL 2034 and shall be installed in accordance with this code and the manufacturer's installation instructions.

NOTE: State law, HB09-1091, requires owners of dwelling units with either attached garages or fuel-fired appliances to install carbon monoxide alarms when the home undergoes "interior alterations, repairs, fuel-fired appliance replacement, or additions, any of which require a building permit."

Ceiling Height

R305.1 Minimum height. Habitable space, hallways, bathrooms, toilet rooms, laundry rooms and portions of basements containing these spaces shall have a ceiling height of not less than 7 feet (2134 mm).

R305.1.1 Basements. Portions of basements, that do not contain habitable space, hallways, bathrooms, toilet rooms, and laundry rooms shall have a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet 8 inches.

From the Jefferson County Residential Code Supplement R305.1.1  Minimum height.  Delete Exception 1 in it's entirety and substitute as follows. 

Exception 1: All basements in new dwelling units shall have ceiling heights as required for habitable space. Beams, girders, duct work, and similar items, shall not project more than 4 inches (101.6 mm) below the required finished ceiling height.

Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria

Table R301.2(1) - 2009 Jefferson County Residential Code Supplement

Snow Load - Varies - Address Wizard

Electrical Wiring Guide

2011 Edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC)
2008 Edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC)

Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings

Required for new construction, remodels and basement finish with or without sleeping rooms.

R310.1.1 Minimum opening area. All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet (0.530 m2).

Exception: Grade floor openings shall have a minimum net clear opening for 5 square feet (0.465m2).

R310.1.2 Minimum opening height. The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches (610 mm). 

R310.1.3 Minimum opening width. The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches (508 mm).

R310.2 Window Wells.  The minimum horizontal area of the window well shall be 9 square feet (0.9 m2), with a minimum horizontal projection and width of 36 inches (914 mm). The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened.

R310.2.1 Ladder and steps. Window wells with a vertical depth greater than 44 inches (1118 mm) shall be equipped with a permanently affixed ladder or steps usable with the window in the fully open position.

Factory Built Fireplace

R1004.1 General. Factory-built fireplaces shall be listed and labeled and shall be installed in accordance with the conditions of the listing. Factory-built fireplaces shall be tested in accordnace with UL 127.

Every new fireplace shall have permanently installed either:

1. Approved gas logs
2. Other approved gas or alcohol specific appliances
3. An approved solid fuel appliance insert meeting the most stringent emission standards for wood stoves established under State statute and/or regulations promulgated by the State Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) as of the time of installation of the fireplace; or
4. A solid fuel burning device which is classified as exempt from and not eligible for certification under U.S. Environmental Agency (U.S. EPA) regulation 40CFR part 40 subpart AAA for wood stoves but has been tested by an accredited testing agency to demonstrate its emission performance is in accordance with criteria and procedures not less stringent than those required by the U.S. EPA and/or AQCC for wood stoves manufactured after July 1, 1990, subject to the following:
   (a) Emission performance approval of the solid fuel burning device shall be based upon test results that demonstrate to the Jefferson County Division of Building Safety’s satisfaction that the solid fuel burning device meets the emission performance requirements of the U.S. EPA and/or AQCC for wood stoves manufactured after July 1, 1990.  (Effective January 1, 1991 - CC90-617.)
5. Unlisted fire pits shall not be permitted.           

Garages and Carports

R302.5.1 Opening protection. Openings from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping purposes shall not be permitted. Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than 1 3/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb core steel doors not less than 1 3/8 inches thick (35 mm), or 20-minute fire-rated doors. 

R302.5.1  Opening protection:  Jefferson County Residential Code Supplement - Add the following sentence:  Doors shall be self-closing.

Guards

R312.1 Where required. Guards shall be located along open-sided walking surfaces, including stairs, ramps and landings, that are located more than 30 inches (762 mm) measured vertically to the floor or grade below at any point within 36 inches (914 mm) horizontally to the edge of the open side. Insect screening shall not be considered as a guard.  

R312.2 Height.  Required guards at open-sided walking surfaces, including stairs, porches, balconies or landings, shall be not less than 36 inches (914 mm) high measured vertically above the adjacent walking surface, adjacent fixed seating or the line connecting the leading edges of the treads.

R312.3 Spacing.  Required guards shall not have openings from the walking surface to the required guard height which allow passage of a sphere 4 inches (102 mm) in diameter.

Handrails

R311.7.7 Handrails. Handrails shall be provided on at least one side of each continuous run of treads or flight with four or more risers.

R311.7.7.1 Height.  Handrail height, measured vertically from the sloped plane adjoining the tread nosing, or finish surface of the ramp slope, shall not be less than 34 inches (864 mm) and not more than 38 inches (965 mm).

Landings

R311.7.5 Landings for stairways. There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each stairway.

Exception: A floor or landing is not required at the top of an interior flight of stairs, including stairs in an enclosed garage, provided a door does not swing over the stairs. A flight of stairs shall not have a vertical rise larger than 12 feet (3658 mm) between floor levels or landings. The width of each landing shall not be less than the width of the stairway served. Every landing shall have a minimum dimension of 36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel.

Smoke Alarms

R314.3 Location. Smoke alarms shall be installed in the following locations:

1. In each sleeping room.
2. Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms.
3. On each additional story of the dwelling, including the basements and habitable attics but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.

When more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed within an individual dwelling unit the alarm devices shall be interconnnected in such a manner that the actuation of one alarm will activate all of the alarms in the individual unit.    

Stairways

R311.7.1 Width. Stairways shall not be less than 36 inches (914 mm) in clear width at all points above the permitted handrail height and below the required headroom height.  Handrails shall not project more than 4.5 inches (114 mm) on either side of the stairway and the minimum clear width of the stairway at and below the handrail height, including treads and landings, shall not be less then 31.5 inches (787 mm) where a handrail is installed on one side and 27 inches (698 mm) where handrails are provided on both sides.

R311.7.4.1 Riser height. The maximum riser height shall be 7 3/4 inches (196 mm).

R311.7.4.2 Tread depth. The minimum tread depth shall be 10 inches (254 mm).

R311.7.2 Headroom. The minimum headroom in all parts of the stairway shall not be less than 6 feet, 8 inches (2032 mm) measured vertically from the sloped line adjoining the tread nosing or from the floor surface of the landing or platform on that portion of the stairway.

Last Modified: Aug 10, 2011 03:03 PM