Take a look at it yourself in the previous posts.
This is the basement of a house? Once the building has a "dwelling unit", the whole building is a "dwelling", so there is no blanket requirement for a 15-minute finish. For residential property, the requirement for a 15-minute finish is only for detached buildings such as sheds, garages, etc.
Cheers, Wayne
That all assumes your AHJ doesn't consider an accessory building to a dwelling as part of the dwelling. (AKA "residential") When you don't it brings up all sorts of zoning and other code issues.
In most counties in Florida you will have to get a limited development order to build a shed that is not part of a dwelling.
I guess the good news is you won't need AFCIs or GFCIs because the "accessory building" is not part of a "dwelling" re: 210.8(A)(2) ;-)
Right idea but wrong lobby. I looked back at information from the code change (ROP and ROC).
There was a task group that looked at the change (allow Romex in buildings above 3 floors), but it didn't have enough votes to bring a proposal to the code making panel.
Multiple proposals were brought to the code making panel for the 2002 NEC by the National Multi-Housing Council. (There were proposals from some others including Massachusetts.) This was a major effort to change the code, probably aimed primarily at housing costs. The code making panel (which included a representative from the National Multi-Housing Council) rejected the changes (for good or bad reasons). So did the NFPA annual member meeting. The change was forced through by 'extraordinary' methods.
Apparently manufacturers have never argued for the change. The the NEMA Building Wire Technical Committee unanimously voted to oppose the change.
The change allows Romex to be used in residential structures over 3 floors - the major change that was pushed. It also allowed Romex to be used in 'other' structures (like commercial) over 3 floors but added the 15 minute wall rating. This wall rating did not previously exist for 'other' structures less than 3 floors.
Since the change, the code making panel has (understandably) refused to make changes (such as exempt garages).
I doubt you will find many inspectors that think a 15 minute wall rating is useful in a garage or shed. I suspect most inspectors will ignore the restriction, just as they modify other code that can result in unreasonable requirements in a particular instance.
But a detached garage is a commercial space? Industrial? It is really difficult to write any code that applies to 'every thing'. That is one reason the NEC changes every 3 years. And why the AHJ is given final authority.
"dwelling" - not commercial, industrial, agricultural or institutional. So as long as the garage/shed is not for "commercial" use, or "agricultural" use, the romex can be exposed, but not surface mounted without protection..
Thanks for the background, it was informative.
I don't know what a detached garage is (Occupancy U in the building code?) but it is not a dwelling as far as the NEC is concerned. From Article 100:
Dwelling, One-Family. A building that consists solely of one dwelling unit.
Dwelling Unit. A single unit, providing complete and independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation.
Cheers, Wayne
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