# Garage Step and Slope



## centurystructures (Nov 15, 2020)

Hi,
Is a step down from hose to garage a requirement? And also, how about the 1%  slope?
Thank you 
Jack


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## cda (Nov 15, 2020)

Welcome

Give it a few days for great responses 
There are some ca people on here


Garage and carport floor surfaces shall be non-combustible material and slope to drain towards the garage door opening. (CRC R309.1)

Not my area, do not think a step is required


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## e hilton (Nov 15, 2020)

Jack are you asking if the house and garage can be at the same level?


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## ICE (Nov 15, 2020)

I heard this from my friend and mentor the Internet:

_It used to be a requirement that the garage be lower than the rest of the house in order to insure that gasoline vapors did not enter the dwelling. Apparently that rule has been removed in some jurisdictions in order to facilitate movement for the elderly and handicapped. Instead, code now simply requires that the floor be gently sloped toward the garage doors. Apparently, the code authors feel that the slope provides an adequate safety margin.
Personally, I think I would feel uncomfortable without the step down. I also like the idea of being able to hose the garage out without flooding the house with water._

I for one can't see a need for a curb around a garage except for keeping roll-away tool cabinets from slaming into the wall.  I don't put vehicles in the garage...that's where I keep my stuff.   Don't forget the suicide vents.


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## Rick18071 (Nov 16, 2020)

i don't see a problem with the house floor level being level with the garage floor because of water. I see exterior doors level with the outside patio/sidewalk/ landing with a slight slope away from the building without a step all the time.


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## classicT (Nov 16, 2020)

*R309.1 Floor Surface*
Garage floor surfaces shall be of _approved_ noncombustible material.

The area of floor used for parking of automobiles or other vehicles shall be sloped to facilitate the movement of liquids to a drain or toward the main vehicle entry doorway.


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## Pcinspector1 (Nov 16, 2020)

centurystructures said:


> Hi,
> Is a step down from hose to garage a requirement? And also, how about the 1%  slope?
> Thank you
> Jack


Step would not be required unless the AHJ has made it so. Would depend on the plans.

1% slope should be an adequate slope to the garage door, typically at the garage door there is a 1-1/2-inch drop or lip to help prevent rain from entering under the garage door weather-strip seal, at least that's how its done here.


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## rogerpa (Nov 20, 2020)

At least one of the legacy codes (BOCAI) required a 4" step into the house. This went away with the 2000 IRC which started out as a compilation of the least restrictive requirements of the legacy codes. Older code guys have spent the last 20 years trying to get their pet code sections back.


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## MtnArch (Nov 21, 2020)

ICE said:


> I for one can't see a need for a curb around a garage except for keeping roll-away tool cabinets from slaming into the wall.  I don't put vehicles in the garage...that's where I keep my stuff.   Don't forget the suicide vents.


Ice -

Can you point to a code section requiring the suicide vents?  Growing up they seemed to be in every garage but for a long time I've rarely seen them (or even specified them).


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## ICE (Nov 21, 2020)

MtnArch said:


> Ice -
> 
> Can you point to a code section requiring the suicide vents?  Growing up they seemed to be in every garage but for a long time I've rarely seen them (or even specified them).


No code that I am aware of.  I seldom see them.


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## ADAguy (Nov 23, 2020)

interesting historical question, any history buffs as to source of this?


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## Robert (Nov 26, 2020)

MtnArch said:


> Ice -
> 
> Can you point to a code section requiring the suicide vents?  Growing up they seemed to be in every garage but for a long time I've rarely seen them (or even specified them).


I think older codes did not require the water heater (or open flame appliance) on a pedestal. Flammable gasses from a car hang low to the ground and can ignite. Adding the "suicide" vents helped with that, though I've never heard them called that. My 1954 tract home had the water heater on the slab, but I also have 2 of those vents. I have since raised the water heater on a platform....I believe 18" is the minimum.


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## ICE (Nov 27, 2020)

Robert said:


> I think older codes did not require the water heater (or open flame appliance) on a pedestal. Flammable gasses from a car hang low to the ground and can ignite. Adding the "suicide" vents helped with that, though I've never heard them called that. My 1954 tract home had the water heater on the slab, but I also have 2 of those vents. I have since raised the water heater on a platform....I believe 18" is the minimum.


Most, if not all, new water heaters are FVIR. (Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant)  With that rating the appliance is allowed to forgo the 18" lift.  Having the word "resistant" in any description leads me to believe it's BS.  I can't remember the last time that I saw a water heater without a lift in a garage.


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## Mac Moonfire (Nov 27, 2020)

Hi, this is what we have in the British Columbia code. Nothing on vents in the garage
hope it helps
9.35.2.2. Garage Floor
  1) Where an attached or built-in garage is provided and where adjacent spaces in the building are less than 50 mm above the garage floor,
    a) the garage floor shall be sloped to the outdoors, or
    b) where the garage can accommodate not more than 3 vehicles, an airtight curb or partition not less than 50 mm high shall be installed at the edges of the garage floor adjacent to interior space. (See Note A-9.35.2.2.(1).)


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