# Yes, this is a dwelling unit.



## jar546 (Mar 9, 2020)

Since this started out as a cabana near the pool, it has escalated to require door alarms.
Thoughts?  Should the alarms also sound in the primary residence?


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## e hilton (Mar 9, 2020)

I’m not familiar with door alarms, except in assisted living facilities and retail emergency exits.  Why would you need a door alarm here?  
And shouldn’t there be a swinging door at one exit?


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## ADAguy (Mar 9, 2020)

What does your question have to do with a dwelling unit? Is it attached to a residence or is it a pool house on a condo site or other?


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 9, 2020)

ADAguy said:


> What does your question have to do with a dwelling unit? Is it attached to a residence or is it a pool house on a condo site or other?



It is a swimming pool code requirement

305.4 Structure wall as a barrier.
Where a wall of a dwelling or structure serves as part of the barrier and where doors or windows provide direct access to the pool or spa through that wall, one of the following shall be required:
1.    Operable windows having a sill height of less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the indoor finished floor and doors shall have an alarm that produces an audible warning when the window, door or their screens are opened. The alarm shall be listed and labeled as a water hazard entrance alarm in accordance with UL 2017. In dwellings or structures not required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located 54 inches (1372 mm) or more above the finished floor. In dwellings or structures required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located not greater than 54 inches (1372 mm) and not less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the finished floor.


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## jar546 (Mar 9, 2020)

mtlogcabin said:


> It is a swimming pool code requirement
> 
> 305.4 Structure wall as a barrier.
> Where a wall of a dwelling or structure serves as part of the barrier and where doors or windows provide direct access to the pool or spa through that wall, one of the following shall be required:
> 1.    Operable windows having a sill height of less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the indoor finished floor and doors shall have an alarm that produces an audible warning when the window, door or their screens are opened. The alarm shall be listed and labeled as a water hazard entrance alarm in accordance with UL 2017. In dwellings or structures not required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located 54 inches (1372 mm) or more above the finished floor. In dwellings or structures required to be Accessible units, Type A units or Type B units, the operable parts of the alarm deactivation switches shall be located not greater than 54 inches (1372 mm) and not less than 48 inches (1219 mm) above the finished floor.



Bingo!  I agree and already sent out a note.


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## mark handler (Mar 9, 2020)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission does not say they need interconnection.


U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Safety Barrier Guidelines for Residential Pools
Door Alarms All doors that allow access to a swimming pool should be equipped with an audible alarm which sounds when the door and/or screen are opened. Alarms should meet the requirements of UL 2017 General-Purpose Signaling Devices and Systems, Section 77 with the following features:  

Sound lasting for 30 seconds or more within 7 seconds after the door is opened.  
The alarm should be loud: at least 85 dBA (decibels) when measured 10 feet away from the alarm mechanism.  The alarm sound should be distinct from other sounds in the house, such as the telephone, doorbell and smoke alarm.  
The alarm should have an automatic reset feature to temporarily deactivate the alarm for up to 15 seconds to allow adults to pass through house doors without setting off the alarm. The deactivation switch could be a touchpad (keypad) or a manual switch, and should be located at least 54 inches above the threshold and out of the reach of children. 
Self-closing doors with self-latching devices could be used in conjunction with door alarms to safeguard doors which give access to a swimming pool.

https://www.poolsafely.gov/wp-conte...-Barrier-Guidelines-for-Residential-Pools.pdf


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## Paul Sweet (Mar 9, 2020)

I would need to see a site plan.  Which (if any) walls serve as part of the pool barrier?

It shouldn't need alarms if it is entirely within the fenced barrier, or the top or left walls serve as part of the barrier.

An alarm will be required if one of the doors opens outside the fence and the other opens inside the fence, because the door opening inside the fence will be in a wall that serves as part of the barrier.


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## mark handler (Mar 9, 2020)

Nor does the Florida code....
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0515/0515.html
2019 Florida Statutes CHAPTER 515
RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOL SAFETY ACT


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## Rick18071 (Mar 9, 2020)

jar546 said:


> Should the alarms also sound in the primary residence?



No requirement. I don't think you could connect another alarm to a water hazard entrance alarm in accordance with UL 2017.
The plans don't show if the pool house is completely in the pool area, but if it is the kids in it are already in the pool area.


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## ADAguy (Mar 9, 2020)

Provide a site plan to clarify the condition.


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## jar546 (Mar 9, 2020)

So the plans show a cabana near the built in pool which is in the back yard behind the house.  The house is and will be required to have alarms on doors and so will the accessory dwelling.  I don't see where I have to interconnect them but certainly the accessory dwelling requires the alarm as per the verbiage of the code.


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## ADAguy (Mar 9, 2020)

It does have direct access to the pool as does the main house, right?
Is the unit to be a B&B or ADU? Used by owner's kids or relatives? the houses occupants need to be aware of a user of the unit have fallen in, no?


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## jar546 (Mar 9, 2020)

ADAguy said:


> It does have direct access to the pool as does the main house, right?
> Is the unit to be a B&B or ADU? Used by owner's kids or relatives? the houses occupants need to be aware of a user of the unit have fallen in, no?



Yes, it has the same access issues to the pool as the house.


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## ADAguy (Mar 9, 2020)

Yes, but the initial issue was whether it had to alert the main house too wasn't it?


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## TheCommish (Mar 9, 2020)

my understanding of the door alarm requirements presume the house is part of the enclosure, and the pool code derived from consumer protection and small children entering the pool areas without the knowledge of the supervising adult though the door from the house to the enclosure. 

if small children were to be domiciled in the cabana, and the adults need to be warned about the childe leaving the cabana, the alarms are needed. It seems to me those using the caban already are in the pool enclosure


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## Rick18071 (Mar 10, 2020)

There is no way to hook up a remote alarm to this.


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 10, 2020)

This one will





https://www.diycontrols.com/p-6121-pool-patrol-doorgate-alarm-wwireless-remote-receiver-ga-30.aspx
*Overview*
The Pool Patrol Gate & Door Alarm is a wireless door/gate monitor that detects entry into your pool or spa area. It is equipped with a reset button to allow a six second pass through without sounding the alarm. The alarm comes complete with all the necessary mounting hardware for installation. 

*An alarm will sound both at your gate/door and in your house up to a distance of approximately 200 feet.* The remote receiver has an on/off switch with an "on" indicator light and is powered by a 120 volt A.C. wall transformer. Gate Alarm is Battery powered and uses one 9 volt alkaline battery (battery not included). 

Custom outdoor additional passthrough buttons or Remote Receivers are also available for special order (contact us for details). Note that special orders may take 5 to 10 business days to ship.
Adjustable delay, choose 0 seconds or 7 seconds


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## VillageInspector (Mar 10, 2020)

If this structure serving as an a dwelling unit and part of the pool barrier I would require the doors to have alarms much like I would any residence sering as part of the pool barrier. as far as alarm activation in the main house I don't disagree its a good idea but I don't think its required by code.


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## ADAguy (Mar 10, 2020)

The unit is a secondary occupancy to the main house and not a rental unit, right? That being so and the unit opening to the pool, its alarm should alert the main houses occupants. This is a cunumdrum if the primary occupants of the main house leave minors in the unit while they are off the property.


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## Rick18071 (Mar 11, 2020)

cda said:


> contractors will still have to explain the expense of safety disconnects, especially in locations where it’s not common practice to add outdoor service panelboards





mtlogcabin said:


> This one will
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The web site does not say it is UL2017 so it can't be used. Also no one answers the company phone.


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 11, 2020)

Not true the AHJ can approve its use under alternate means and methods
Require a UL2017 alarm in the Cabana  addition to this one to notify the occupants of the house
There is no code requirement to have them interconnected from the cabana to the house but we all see the need to have this done. So make it an easy solution and a simple suggestion where spending another $150.00 might save a child's life and unwanted grieve for the adults that left a child sleeping in the cabana while they went and had lunch


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## Rick18071 (Mar 17, 2020)

Rick18071 said:


> The web site does not say it is UL2017 so it can't be used. Also no one answers the company phone.



They called back and it's not UL2017. They don't think anyone makes a UL2017 with a remote alarm connection.


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## Rick18071 (Mar 17, 2020)

mtlogcabin said:


> Not true the AHJ can approve its use under alternate means and methods
> Require a UL2017 alarm in the Cabana  addition to this one to notify the occupants of the house
> There is no code requirement to have them interconnected from the cabana to the house but we all see the need to have this done. So make it an easy solution and a simple suggestion where spending another $150.00 might save a child's life and unwanted grieve for the adults that left a child sleeping in the cabana while they went and had lunch



A pool alarm might be even a better idea but I can't make them use it or the above! !ethhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...UR5ABTTA&linkCode=as2&tag=bestprodtagl2823-20er


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