If there are no obstructions on the passageway to the attic furnace and it has a minimum 6 feet 1829 mm height and 22 inches 559 mm width along its entire run the walkway length limit goes up to 50 feet 15250 mm in irc international residential code and has no limit in umc universal mechanical code.
Minimum attic access size irc.
The international code council icc is a non profit organization dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design build and compliance process.
See section m1305 1 3 for access requirements where mechanical equipment is located in attics.
Chapter 10 city amendment.
This 20 limitation applies to the minimum 30 height only low clearance attics.
Where the access is located in a ceiling minimum unobstructed headroom in the attic space shall be 30 inches 762 mm at some point above the access measured vertically from the bottom of ceiling framing members.
When the access is located in a ceiling minimum unobstructed headroom in the attic space shall be 30 inches 762 mm at some point above the access measured vertically from the bottom of ceiling framing members.
If the access is located in the ceiling the minimum unobstructed headrom above the opening must be 30 inches measured vertically at some point over the access.
See section m1305 1 3 for access requirements where mechanical equipment is located in attics.
2015 irc mechanical 1305 1 3 2 access for cooling or heating appliance for residential application the attic space in which any cooling or heating appliance is installed shall be provided with a permanent ladder for folding away ladder or direct access door opening from the house on the same floor level.
According to the 2006 international residential code r807 1 attic access homes with combustible materials in the ceiling and roof construction must have an access to attic areas that exceeds 30 square feet and with a vertical height of 30 inches or greater.
These specs are per r807 1 of the international residential code irc and the residential edition of the florida building code fbc.
The international codes i codes are the widely accepted comprehensive set of model codes used in the us and abroad to help ensure the engineering of safe sustainable affordable and resilient structures.
Minimum opening size the 2012 international residential code requires an attic access opening for attics with an area greater than 30 square feet and a vertical height in excess of 30 inches.