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Outswing exterior door


Marc

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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

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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. . .

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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
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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