Attic Light Required?

[George Stolz]

210.70(A)(3) Storage or Equipment Spaces. For attics, underfloor spaces, utility rooms, and basements, at least one lighting outlet containing a switch or controlled by a wall switch shall be installed where these spaces are used for storage or contain equipment requiring servicing. At least one point of control shall be at the usual point of entry to these spaces. The lighting outlet shall be provided at or near the equipment requiring servicing.

I interpret this as meaning, "equipment requiring servicing in an attic requires a lighting outlet."

I interpret "equipment requiring servicing" as being equipment containing a filter, or whatever, that will require servicing frequently.

Would a radon-mitigation pump, which essentially is supposed to run until it croaks, with no serviceable parts, require a lighting outlet?

Thanks to a Home Inspection, I have been subject to scrutiny on this count. :?

 

[peter d]

I think a radon pump falls under this rule.

 

[stars13bars2]

I am not going under there to put in that light boss, theres radon under there. :lol:

 

[Stubbie]

George I read that section to mean equipment that needs servicing. A maintenance free pump like a radon pump does not require servicing in my opinion and no light is required. Might try a manufacturer web site for the pump something that says "maintenance free" see if that will exclude the requirement.

I dont see alot of differrence in that pump and an attic fan. Attic fans dont require lights.

 

[iwire]

George IMO only the local AHJ can make this call.

All electric equipment will need servicing at some point so the the wording of that section baffles me. :?

 

[goldstar]

I tend to go along with Bob on this one. The AHJ would have to determine what "requiring servicing" actually means. In your case, if he determines that a motorized exhaust fan that has no regularly servicable parts doesn't require service until it croaks, then there's no requirement. But, think about the poor soul that has to go up there and change it out when it does croak. Does changing out or replacing the motor qualify it as having to be serviced ?

IMHO, I think repair, replace or maintain all fall under the same catagory. I would put a light and a receptacle up there just so I wouldn't have to drag a drop light with me.

 

[dlhoule]

Quote:
210.70(A)(3) Storage or Equipment Spaces. For attics, underfloor spaces, utility rooms, and basements, at least one lighting outlet containing a switch or controlled by a wall switch shall be installed where these spaces are used for storage or contain equipment requiring servicing. At least one point of control shall be at the usual point of entry to these spaces. The lighting outlet shall be provided at or near the equipment requiring servicing.

Help me out. If there is room for you to get at any equipment, wouldn't it qualify as storage space? :?

 

[steve66]

Help me out. If there is room for you to get at any equipment, wouldn't it qualify as storage space?

I think storage space requires a permenant ladder or stairs. If its just an access panel in the ceiling to get to the attic, it doesn't count as storage space.

Won't the radon glow enough to make a light unnecessary

Steve

 

[tshea]

I think storage space requires a permenant ladder or stairs. If its just an access panel in the ceiling to get to the attic, it doesn't count as storage space.

Not necessarily. I have seen attics with the scuttle trap door full of "treasures." Most of the stuff is put up there and forgotten, unless it's Christams decorations, then it goes up and down once a year.

Won't the radon glow enough to make a light unnecessary

Steve

Of course! :shock:

 

[peter d]

Most radon systems that I have seen, if not all, have an atmospheric guage in the pipe that needs to be checked periodically to make sure the pipe has adequate pressure and hasn't been blocked.

So while the unit may not require mechanical service for very long intervals, it still needs to be checked periodically. A light sure would come in handy for that.

 

[charlie b]

Would a radon-mitigation pump, which essentially is supposed to run until it croaks, with no serviceable parts, require a lighting outlet?

When it croaks, the princess will have to come into the room to kiss it. :lol: :lol: If that does not work, then someone will have to replace it. Sorry, George, but I would vote against you on this one.

. . . the wording of that section baffles me.

Me too. But let me talk about storage, and presume there is no equipment in the space. The words that baffle me are ". . . where these spaces are used for storage. . . ." So if I use the space for Christmas lights, then while the lights are in the space I need to have a lighting outlet. But during the Christmas season, when the space is empty, I can remove the lighting outlet, so long as I put it back before I put the decorations back into the space. This is another one of those "intended to be used as" situations. It is not clear what the code authors intended here.

Here's an example.

I have an "sort of attic like" area on the same level (2nd floor) as the master bedroom. No ladder or stair is needed. You get to it by walking in the master closet, and opening a small door in the side. The door and the space behind it are not tall enough to allow a child to stand up. It's about three feet deep, and 20 feet long. The slanting front roof is its ceiling. There is, IMO, a question of "free choice," as to whether anything is stored in that space. Does it need a lighting outlet? I am not sure. Point in fact, it does have lights, and I do store stuff there. But if there were no lights in that space, could an Inspector require that a light be installed? I do not know.

 

[macmikeman]

If you think about it, even an attic light will eventually need servicing. Maybe the code should be changed to require a second back up light in case the first light fails . :roll:

 

[pete m.]

But if there were no lights in that space, could an Inspector require that a light be installed? I do not know.

As we all know Inspectors can "require" anything they want....... they just sometimes don't have the ability to back it up if taken to task

Here's an example: As I understand it (and I surely can be wrong ) engineered trusses are not built, by default, with the intention of storing things on top of them although it is done all the time. I personally would not require the lighting based on my presumption that the space would be used for storage.

 

[mpd]

if the plans show roof trusses that are not designed for storage and there is no equipment, IMO you do not need a light, but after reading the post by pete m. I am going to start requiring 3 lights and a switch at each level because as an inspector I can require anything I want

 

[George Stolz]

I am going to start requiring 3 lights and a switch at each level because as an inspector I can require anything I want

:lol: :twisted: :lol:

George IMO only the local AHJ can make this call.

My original response to the superintendent when he brought it up is, "That's an interpretation call for the inspector. And guess what? A home inspector is not the AHJ, so he can go suck an egg. What matters is what the city inspector thought, and he (either by omission for intentionally) agreed with me!" Or something to that effect.

My opinion of the moment is, if they would like a light over there, I can add one for a reasonable fee.

I think storage space requires a permenant ladder or stairs. If its just an access panel in the ceiling to get to the attic, it doesn't count as storage space.

I believe the source of that thought is 320.23(A). But it doesn't really clarify the area around the hatch as storage, it just institutes an unexplained requirement. In essence, we could infer that a 6' circle around the hatch is storage space.

This is another one of those "intended to be used as" situations. It is not clear what the code authors intended here.

I can tell you this: it's got my proposal hand twitching. It would be a better requirement if it said "equipment requiring servicing and/or eventual replacement" or something along those lines.

if the plans show roof trusses that are not designed for storage...

Perhaps this is something that should be incorporated into the NEC. If people are not supposed to be storing things in the trusses, perhaps we should not be condoning it by clearing (320.23) and illuminating (210.70) the space? Nearly every house around here has engineered trusses.

 

[rcarroll]

IMO, standard trusses are not designed for the added load, whatever that may be, of storage. Anyone who stores anything on a standard truss will aslo compress the insulation & lose R value. Again, IMO the fan is equipment & light is required. PS George, we would make you do that in Ft. Collins. Ron

 

[George Stolz]

Good thing this was in ... Loveland! :shock:



Of course, that means I need to add a light in a couple houses in FC at the trim, now... :lol:

 

[JohnE]

I'm with Larry, space = storage space = light. Sorry George.

 

[George Stolz]

Sorry George.

Don't be sorry; be honest, that's all I ask for.