Habitable Room or Area

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czars

Czars
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West Melbourne, FL
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Florida Certified Electrical Contractor
I keep seeing the terms "Habitable Room" or "Habitable Area" used, but I can't seem to find a definition in the NEC. Is there a published or accepted definition?
 
Under the building code it means a place where someone lives - eat, sleep, etc.... It would apply only to residential. Think "habitate".

Commercial spaces have space that is "occupied".
 
I agree that you have to look to the building codes for the definition of that term
Article 100 Scope. This article contains only those definitions essential to the proper application of this Code. It is not intended to include commonly defined general terms or commonly defined technical terms from related codes and standards. ...
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Note also that a bathroom is not a habitable room, although some code provisions may explicitly add bathrooms to the list of covered rooms.

Tapatalk!
 
GoldDigger said:
Note also that a bathroom is not a habitable room, although some code provisions may explicitly add bathrooms to the list of covered rooms.

Tapatalk!
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really? is "habitable" different than "liveable"?
asking because most residential homes have insurance plans based on town recording of "liveable" sq.ft.. if i can knock out my bathrooms i can deduct ~300sq.ft. of living space.
if bathroom is not "habitable" space then is a kitchen "habitable" space?


mgookin said:
Under the building code it means a place where someone lives - eat, sleep, etc.... It would apply only to residential. Think "habitate".

Commercial spaces have space that is "occupied".
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where does all the human waste go? for a confined dwelling isnt a modern-day restroom needed?
 
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= ( : ) =


The term "Habitable [ space ]" comes from the International Residential
Code [ IRC ] and the International Building Code.

`12 IRC, Ch. 2 - Definitions:
HABITABLE SPACE: "A space in a building for living, sleeping, eating
or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility
spaces and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces."


`12 IBC, Ch. 2 - Definitions:
HABITABLE SPACE: "A space in a building for living, sleeping, eating
or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility
spaces and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces."


= ( : ) =
 
The reason for the definition is that habitable areas need minimum light and ventilation. Your closet does not need light and ventilation; they can be windowless interior rooms.
 
"A space in a building for living"

thats basically my whole house......

what about my backyard Veranda ??
 
> : <
" ...what about my backyard Veranda ??"
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If your veranda is connected directly to your residence, there are
requirements for exiting such areas if they are intended to
be used as a Means of Egress........Also, if they are located
above finished grade more than 30 inches.

If you have more questions about Residential or Building Codes,
or other construction questions, there is a very good Forum to
go to [ the Building Codes Forum ].........Give it a try ! :happyyes:

http://www.thebuildingcodeforum.com/forum/forum.php?


> : <
 
north star said:
> : <

If your veranda is connected directly to your residence, there are
requirements for exiting such areas if they are intended to
be used as a Means of Egress........Also, if they are located
above finished grade more than 30 inches.

If you have more questions about Residential or Building Codes,
or other construction questions, there is a very good Forum to
go to [ the Building Codes Forum ].........Give it a try ! :happyyes:

http://www.thebuildingcodeforum.com/forum/forum.php?


> : <
Click to expand...

i know IBC/IRC verbiage to some extent, but post #2 says "cant find the definition in NEC", thus, NEC either needs to provide the exact reference or provide a NEC definition. up until here all i see is "its the definition from IBC/IRC". not a good way to do documentation, etc.
 
FionaZuppa said:
i know IBC/IRC verbiage to some extent, but post #2 says "cant find the definition in NEC", thus, NEC either needs to provide the exact reference or provide a NEC definition. up until here all i see is "its the definition from IBC/IRC". not a good way to do documentation, etc.
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The building code is the "parent code" in that it adopts the plumbing, electrical, mechanical and other codes.

When a word, term or phrase is not defined in a subordinate code, defer to the parent code.

Absent a definition in the parent code, go to a dictionary, and not just any dictionary. If your subordinate code does not reference a particular dictionary, look in the building code where it will tell you what dictionary to use.
 
mgookin said:
The building code is the "parent code" in that it adopts the plumbing, electrical, mechanical and other codes.

When a word, term or phrase is not defined in a subordinate code, defer to the parent code.

Absent a definition in the parent code, go to a dictionary, and not just any dictionary. If your subordinate code does not reference a particular dictionary, look in the building code where it will tell you what dictionary to use.
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you missed my point. this "go digging" method can lead to odd things, just easier if the NEC verbiage called out the specific reference. as example, NEC could footnoe "habitable" with footnote saying "as defined by the 2011 IRC". from there, if the IRC is lacking then reader has to go dig, but if this principle of having good definitions in the document then it be a snap to know what things mean. afterall, not everypne who has full copy of NEC has the full copy of IBC/IRC.

i get what you are saying, i just think its better/safer to avoid having the reader to do digging for what something means, especially if its from another document, etc.

and noted by the OP, could not find the definition in NEC and then came asking here..... others might not come here, others might not know your proposed method, etc.
 
And I agree with everything you are saying. :thumbsup:

It is what it is. Go ahead and propose an amendment. But there might already be something in the NEC saying it, just without all the footnotes you're suggesting.
 
mgookin said:
The building code is the "parent code" in that it adopts the plumbing, electrical, mechanical and other codes.

When a word, term or phrase is not defined in a subordinate code, defer to the parent code.

Absent a definition in the parent code, go to a dictionary, and not just any dictionary. If your subordinate code does not reference a particular dictionary, look in the building code where it will tell you what dictionary to use.
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There is no such thing as a "parent code" for the NEC. It is a stand alone electrical installation code.

The scope of Article 100 very clearly says that the NEC does not define common terms or "technical terms from related codes and standards". The scope does direct you to those other codes and standards for those types of terms, but only in general. There is not a specific reference for the term in question in this thread.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
There is no such thing as a "parent code" for the NEC. It is a stand alone electrical installation code.

The scope of Article 100 very clearly says that the NEC does not define common terms or "technical terms from related codes and standards". The scope does direct you to those other codes and standards for those types of terms, but only in general. There is not a specific reference for the term in question in this thread.
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Our building code has a one page chapter that references the edition and title of the NEC that we use. When the building code changes, the NEC edition changes. Because the building code adopts the electric code, the plumbing code, etc. we defer to the building code to define things not defined in the subordinate code, such as occupancy classification, use conditions, construction types, etc... To us that's a parent code. Maybe it's different where you are.
 
mgookin said:
Our building code has a one page chapter that references the edition and title of the NEC that we use. When the building code changes, the NEC edition changes. Because the building code adopts the electric code, the plumbing code, etc. we defer to the building code to define things not defined in the subordinate code, such as occupancy classification, use conditions, construction types, etc... To us that's a parent code. Maybe it's different where you are.
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Our codes are all adopted as stand alone codes. There is no parent code. The NEC specifically says that for the definition of terms like "habitable" you look to the building code. All of the codes are somewhat interactive in that respect. As far as things like type of occupancy classification, construction methods and things like that they are found in the building and zoning codes and the plumbing and electrical codes use the definitions from the building and zoning codes, unless the term in question is defined in the plumbing or electrical.

For example the term "dwelling unit" is often defined in the building codes as well as in the NEC. For the application of the NEC you are required to use that term as defined in the NEC.
 
NEC is a stand alone code. No where does NEC refer us to other codes for definitions of terms used in NEC that I am aware of. Maybe in an informational note you sometimes get useful information or a reference to another publication in relation to what you are working on, but it is only a reference and not NEC requirement.
 
kwired said:
NEC is a stand alone code. No where does NEC refer us to other codes for definitions of terms used in NEC that I am aware of. Maybe in an informational note you sometimes get useful information or a reference to another publication in relation to what you are working on, but it is only a reference and not NEC requirement.
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The term "habitable" is used in the NEC, but not defined there. It is my opinion that the scope statement of Article 100 directs us to the other codes for definitions of terms like this.
 
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