exit sign - mounting height

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anbm

Senior Member
Is there a min. or max mounting height requirement for exit sign? (either surface wall mounted or ceiling type). I am looking at NFPA-101 chapter 7 and couldn't see anything.
 

Weaver Road

Member
Location
Willington, CT
If you are in section 7.10, you are in the right place for basic "marking of means of egress", as long as you don't have ADA requirements, etc. Pretty much has to be adjacent to the exit, obviously leading you to the right place, high enough to be seen, etc.

Keep in mind that if your wall mount signs protrude from the wall, like end mounted signs in a narrow corridor, the bottom of the sign must be out of the egress path or above the minimum headroom height. Same rules apply to overhead signs. These rules are in section 7.1.5.

This is how we do it in CT anyway.
Mike
 

ItsHot

Senior Member
near floor mount?

near floor mount?

A friend of mine was out in Las Vegas recently. When he got back , he mentioned that he saw a lot of exit signs mounted a near floor level. I guess they would be more visible below the smoke in the event of a fire.
 

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
A friend of mine was out in Las Vegas recently. When he got back , he mentioned that he saw a lot of exit signs mounted a near floor level. I guess they would be more visible below the smoke in the event of a fire.

I first saw exit signs at floor level about 15 years ago in a hotel I was staying in.
 

Mr. Bill

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
6'-8" to bottom in the ceiling. It's a life safety code thing about keeping the path of egress clear from obstructions. It's not specific to exit signs just. If you mount it flat on the wall it can be installed at just about any height. (I say just about any height because Inspectors may challenge it if you try to mount it 25' above the floor. I'm sure some have tried.)
 

Weaver Road

Member
Location
Willington, CT
Floor exit signs

Floor exit signs

"Floor Proximity Exit Signage" is coming to a code near you! CT requires it in certain occupancies now, and it can be found in the newer versions of the Life Safety Code and certain Building Code publications. It is often in addition to the traditional sign locations.

And, as stated above, it is so you can "stay low" and still find the exit.
Mike
 

PetrosA

Senior Member
We also have some jurisdictions around here that require floor exit signs in addition to the regular ones. It can make for a really ugly install when you have fabricated aluminum framed windows next to the egress doors.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
can someone post an example of the low exit signs you are talking about please.
How's this:
Exit_Sign_sm.jpg
 

Doug S.

Senior Member
Location
West Michigan
I imagine the near floor mounted signs generate a fair amount of service calls? ! I know anything that height, and made of cheap plastic, would get destroyed here.
 

bdbtn

New member
there are other means of meeting this requirement i.e. self illuminating tape along base of walls etc. This "requirement" was 1st implemented in CA. several years ago. Use to be for high rise construction only I think.
 
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