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I'm not a structural engineer so I don't know this but what are the height restrictions for a wood framed building?
I live in VA and the law says that any building 8 stories or higher has to be of concrete and steel construction. So a developer can put up a cheap a$$ 7 story wooden frame apartment or condo complex. If I were in the market for a condo, I sure wouldn't buy anything wooden. There are far too many stories from different parts of the country where a fire starts in 1 unit then quickly spreads to more of them. Not to mention that sound proofing in these flimsy buildings is non-existent. I know people who've lived in such structures and they tell me when the person upstairs slams their front door, the units that border them shake. Or when someone is just walking across the floor, to the person downstairs it sounds like they are stomping around.
The fire chief said in the presser that high rise buildings have a different fire code, and a high rise is over 4 stories here (Raleigh). Then the media reported it was to be a 6 story building. Anyone know anything about this?
This is true also. Once built firewalls and such prevent fast spreading.
This was just a case of bad timing (or very good timing depending on how you look at it). I just hope it wasn't arson or something.
Firewalls are fine, until somebody starts knocking holes in them. Most apartments were not built to accommodate data wiring, so poke a hole. Plumbing need repair? Poke a hole. Need a new wiring circuit? Poke a hole. Want to move a wall? Chop, chop. Typically the work does not require a permit at all, so it's not inspected.
Sprinkler systems are installed by licensed installers, but often they are not maintained. They have a booster pump to provide high pressure water when a sprinkler head melts, but if the sensor doesn't work you may as well stand in the shower for all the good it will do you. Sprinkler systems are supposed to be tested monthly. Yeah, right. You are lucky if you can put 40 people on an exterior fire escape without having it collapse under you.
I used to be a building inspector. The things I have seen...
The building codes are fine. What we need is a law that all fire and life safety deficiencies need to corrected before a building can be sold.
We had a huge fire at condos adjacent that destroyed the whole building. Part of the issue was that the fire department was called out three times and denied the fire the first two calls, so by the time they admitted there was an issue, the fire was up into the attic. I don't think there were sprinklers in the attic, so then the fire spread across the building and there wasn't anything that could be done.
In this case described in the thread, it appears it was just the construction problem, but even sprinkler systems aren't going to deal with all types of fires. If you have a grease fire, for example, a sprinkler system isn't necessarily going to help things and may make it worse in the immediate area. Hopefully fire walls between units would keep the fire from spreading, but again, if you have nothing in the attic, it could still spread that way.
Fire Sprinkler systems should be designed by a licensed fire protection engineer and installed by a certified fire protection contractor. In the case of a space that might freeze a dry pipe system, filled with compressed air holding back the water, may be an option. And if the city water supply is not sufficient, a booster pump should be supplied. Perhaps with backup power.
I live in VA and the law says that any building 8 stories or higher has to be of concrete and steel construction. So a developer can put up a cheap a$$ 7 story wooden frame apartment or condo complex. If I were in the market for a condo, I sure wouldn't buy anything wooden. There are far too many stories from different parts of the country where a fire starts in 1 unit then quickly spreads to more of them. Not to mention that sound proofing in these flimsy buildings is non-existent. I know people who've lived in such structures and they tell me when the person upstairs slams their front door, the units that border them shake. Or when someone is just walking across the floor, to the person downstairs it sounds like they are stomping around.
Code allows a concrete first level with 5 floors of wood construction on top. This is the same for all the US unless a state or municipality has enacted more strict requirements.
I live in VA and the law says that any building 8 stories or higher has to be of concrete and steel construction. So a developer can put up a cheap a$$ 7 story wooden frame apartment or condo complex. If I were in the market for a condo, I sure wouldn't buy anything wooden. There are far too many stories from different parts of the country where a fire starts in 1 unit then quickly spreads to more of them. Not to mention that sound proofing in these flimsy buildings is non-existent. I know people who've lived in such structures and they tell me when the person upstairs slams their front door, the units that border them shake. Or when someone is just walking across the floor, to the person downstairs it sounds like they are stomping around.
The noise in these types of construction are horrendous. You are exactly right, walking sounds like stomping.
Builders & Constructors must look into these. Today'sn constructions are not durable. What must be noticed is the use of 'Materials' for construction. It's sad to here, that newly constructed apartments set on fire. Anyway.. need to look in detail while buying a home.
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Not to mention that sound proofing in these flimsy buildings is non-existent. I know people who've lived in such structures and they tell me when the person upstairs slams their front door, the units that border them shake. Or when someone is just walking across the floor, to the person downstairs it sounds like they are stomping around.
