Can Dryer Vent Terminate at Exterior Egress Path?

3/23/2021

We have a project with a comment from the AHJ stating that the dryer vent cannot terminate to the exterior condominium wall, which is the egress wall for the condominium exit exterior breezeway on that floor.

We're under NFPA 101 (regarding Section 30-3.6.3 for Unprotected Openings).

Is a duct penetration considered an unprotected opening?

Dry vents cannot have fire/smoke dampers, so can it just be a metal duct?

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4 Comments

Todd E Wyatt

3/23/2021 09:22:13 am

SHORT ANSWER
If the "exterior exit access balcony" (e.g. breezeway) is served by "two remote stairs that can be accessed without any occupant traveling past an unprotected opening" OR if the exterior exit access balcony does not have >20 foot dead ends, the wall between the apartment and the exterior exit access balcony is not required to be protected as a "corridor."

LONG ANSWER
2018 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code (LSC) 30.3.6.3 Unprotected Openings is a subsection under "30.3 Corridors". While this part of the Means of Egress (exit exterior breezeway) would be defined as the "Exit Access", it would not be defined as a "corridor" but instead as an "exterior exit access balcony."

LSC Chapter 30 Apartments includes the following :

30.2.6.3.3 The travel distance from a dwelling unit (apartment) entrance door to the nearest exit shall not exceed 200 ft
(61 m) for exterior ways of exit access arranged in accordance
with 7.5.3.

The 7.5.3 above references is as follows :

7.5.3 Exterior Ways of Exit Access.
7.5.3.1 Exit access shall be permitted to be by means of any
exterior balcony, porch, gallery, or roof that conforms to the
requirements of this chapter.
7.5.3.2 The long side of the balcony, porch, gallery, or similar
space shall be at least 50 percent open and shall be arranged to restrict the accumulation of smoke.
7.5.3.3 Exterior exit access balconies shall be separated from
the interior of the building by walls and opening protectives as
required for corridors, unless the exterior exit access balcony is
served by at least two remote stairs that can be accessed without any occupant traveling past an unprotected opening to reach one of the stairs, or unless dead ends on the exterior exit access do not exceed 20 ft (6100 mm).

7.5.3.3 requires "exterior exit access balconies" to be protected the same as "corridors" UNLESS the "exterior exit access balcony is "served by at least two remote stairs that can be accessed without any occupant traveling past an unprotected opening to reach one of the stairs" OR "unless dead ends on the exterior exit access do not exceed 20 ft."

If the exterior exit access balcony meets either of these exceptions, the wall between the apartment and the exterior exit access balcony is not required to be protected as a "corridor."

ductcleaneffects link

5/31/2022 06:29:48 am

I agree. Most folks don’t really give a thought about getting the vents of the dryer cleaned. As a matter of fact, there are a multitude of benefits to removing dryer vent clogs. This also results in decreasing the growth of pollutants and allergens as well as reduced costs in your utility bills. The benefits of getting your dryer vents cleaned include saving time, increasing the life of your clothing, extending the life of your dryer, saving energy, eliminating issues of allergens, preventing poisoning from carbon monoxide and fire safety.

Fennec link

6/12/2022 10:14:09 am

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Unique Providers Duct Cleaning link

6/25/2022 05:21:18 am

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Can Dryer Vent Terminate at Exterior Egress Path?

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