Marc Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 Can someone point me in the direction of an IRC citation that requires at least one exterior door to swing outside instead of inside? I looked at R311.4 but it doesn't say 'outswing'. Thanks. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erby Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 Wasn't aware that the IRC required such. Seldom see it around here in Kentucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 I don't know of any residential code requiring an outswing door. How would you open it when there's a 6' snow drift against it? Click to Enlarge 15.13 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baird Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 There is none in residential Marc. On most manufactured homes both entries swing out to save floor space, but not due to any regs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted November 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 Thanks for the responses. It might be a local thing. I'll look around. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caryseidner Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 Doors that swing out will have their hinge pins on the outside of the house. That would be a security risk, assuming standard hinges are used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted November 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 Doors that swing out will have their hinge pins on the outside of the house. That would be a security risk, assuming standard hinges are used. Folks use security hinges here, with the set screw on the hinge pin, pretty much what you're talking about. I think I'll get with the chief building inspector tomorrow AM, get this straightened out. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Simon Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 I asked about a similar item a couple years ago here, but never did get a *good* answer. In Chicagoland, most every exterior door swings inward. However, while strolling up and down the Florida streets one day on vacation, I noticed most every - if not all - residential front doors swung outwards. Gotta be a reason. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 I asked about a similar item a couple years ago here, but never did get a *good* answer. In Chicagoland, most every exterior door swings inward. However, while strolling up and down the Florida streets one day on vacation, I noticed most every - if not all - residential front doors swung outwards. Gotta be a reason. . . That way, the wind will blow it shut. [:-graduat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 Out swinging doors seal better against wind driven rain. Much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 That's a function of door design and construction, pressure differential dissipation, and installation details, not swing direction. Next time you're up on a high rise observation deck, look at the door design. Good doors perform like curtain walls. Lots of redundant water management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Hockstein Posted November 26, 2014 Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 Bill is right. We do not design homes with outswing exterior doors where there can be snow. There are some exceptions (i.e. at a covered porch), but they are rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Bill is right. We do not design homes with outswing exterior doors where there can be snow. There are some exceptions (i.e. at a covered porch), but they are rare. Then what about storm doors? They always swing outward and they are ubiquitous here in eastern PA, where we get a lot of snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erby Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 That's when you have the kids climb out the back window, and shovel the snow away from the door. Use to do it many times out in northwest Nebraska. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 That's a function of door design and construction, pressure differential dissipation, and installation details, not swing direction. Next time you're up on a high rise observation deck, look at the door design. Good doors perform like curtain walls. Lots of redundant water management. Of course. But high rise doors aside, a typical single-family commodity-grade inswing door will be more likely to leak than a typical outswing door with a bumper threshold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted November 27, 2014 Report Share Posted November 27, 2014 Yeah, typical cheap doors leak. No doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Hockstein Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Bill is right. We do not design homes with outswing exterior doors where there can be snow. There are some exceptions (i.e. at a covered porch), but they are rare. Then what about storm doors? They always swing outward and they are ubiquitous here in eastern PA, where we get a lot of snow. I have no control over what people add to their homes. I just said that we do not design homes with outswing exterior doors in areas where snow can block exiting. I often see storm doors too. Does not make it a good idea, but it is permitted. R311 in the IRC 2009 (NJ Edition) is the code reference that was originally requested in the beginning of this thread. Read IRC 311.3.1 that references direction of door swing and step-down. The problem is when there is not a step-down, and no roof over the entryway, the door can easily be blocked by snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted November 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Read IRC 311.3.1 that references direction of door swing and step-down. The problem is when there is not a step-down, and no roof over the entryway, the door can easily be blocked by snow. I need to get a new copy of the IRC. My 2006 doesn't have a R311.3.1 Thanks Steven. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADAIR Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Read IRC 311.3.1 that references direction of door swing and step-down. The problem is when there is not a step-down, and no roof over the entryway, the door can easily be blocked by snow. I need to get a new copy of the IRC. My 2006 doesn't have a R311.3.1 Thanks Steven. Marc http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ occupancy capacity could apply on egress i'm pretty sure over 50 requires outswing...ymmv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted November 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Read IRC 311.3.1 that references direction of door swing and step-down. The problem is when there is not a step-down, and no roof over the entryway, the door can easily be blocked by snow. I need to get a new copy of the IRC. My 2006 doesn't have a R311.3.1 Thanks Steven. Marc I didn't see it there. Nothing about outswinging exterior doors. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lamb Posted November 29, 2014 Report Share Posted November 29, 2014 It would be a special order to get out-swinging doors around Chicago. When I see them swinging out, they are doors designed to swing in, and they leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted November 29, 2014 Report Share Posted November 29, 2014 Read IRC 311.3.1 that references direction of door swing and step-down. The problem is when there is not a step-down, and no roof over the entryway, the door can easily be blocked by snow. I need to get a new copy of the IRC. My 2006 doesn't have a R311.3.1 Thanks Steven. Marc I didn't see it there. Nothing about outswinging exterior doors. Marc It's related to a step down at the door. The NJ edition might have something about snow. Why do you think it would be a problem in your area? Not much snow there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted November 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2014 Read IRC 311.3.1 that references direction of door swing and step-down. The problem is when there is not a step-down, and no roof over the entryway, the door can easily be blocked by snow. I need to get a new copy of the IRC. My 2006 doesn't have a R311.3.1 Thanks Steven. Marc I didn't see it there. Nothing about outswinging exterior doors. Marc It's related to a step down at the door. The NJ edition might have something about snow. Why do you think it would be a problem in your area? Not much snow there. Problem? Not a problem, just trying to get the code citation on it so I speak to clients, etc from an informed view. Had a house earlier this week that didn't have one. Realtor/builder grapevine around here says at least one outswing must be installed but there's no consensus. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Hockstein Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 for your reference Download Attachment: Threshold.pdf 867.25?KB There is no reference to snow. Common sense dictates that you don't place an outswing door that can be blocked by snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted December 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 for your reference Download Attachment: Threshold.pdf 867.25?KB There is no reference to snow. Common sense dictates that you don't place an outswing door that can be blocked by snow. Still not a word about outswinging doors. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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