Shower door

[Darren]

Got vapor lock today;

I know (believe) a shower door cannot swing inward to a stall. Does this include a 'double' swing door (one that swings out and in)?

Anyone have a source for this: I've spent about an hour with no luck.

Thanks

Darren

www.aboutthehouseinspections.com

[Terence McCann]

That's a new one on me.

AFAIK the reason doors swing out is for fire safety (safe egress).

[hausdok]

Hi,

I don't think there is a prohibition against it swinging inward as long as it swings outward a minimum of 22 inches.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Steven Hockstein]

There is a section in the IRC 2000 that prohibits doors to swing out onto a landing where the step-down is more than 1 1/2 inches but I think it is a stretch to include shower doors in this.

[hausdok]

Hi Steve,

Yeah, I can't remember ever seeing a set of stairs with a landing at the top leading up into a shower stall.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[kurt]

Many, many moons ago, in my muni inspector days, there was a prohibition against shower doors swinging inward only; the ostensible reason was that if anyone went down in the shower, they would block the door and no rescuer would be able to get in.

That disappeared w/doors that swing and out.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Darren

Got vapor lock today;

I know (believe) a shower door cannot swing inward to a stall. Does this include a 'double' swing door (one that swings out and in)?

Anyone have a source for this: I've spent about an hour with no luck.

Thanks

Darren

www.aboutthehouseinspections.com

Darren, the rule isn't that a shower door can't open inward, it's that it must open outward. Subtle difference in phrasing, but it should address your question.

As far as I can tell, the rule appeared out of nowhere in the 1992 CABO (P2309.1) and pretty much stayed there till it just vanished into thin air in the 2003 IRC. (It was in the 2000 IRC at 2708.1)

The reasoning behind the rule, as I understand it, was exactly what Kurt said. If you've ever had someone collapse inside a shower, it's pretty tough to get to him if the door swings inward.

If anyone has any idea why the rule was dropped from the 2003 IRC, I'd love to know why.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Darren]

A kind thanks to all;

I have to send a follow-up letter to calify my report.

Darren