Shoutout to the inspector who caught my missing fire wall detail

Last week in a Denver townhouse project, I submitted a set I was sure was clean. The plan reviewer flagged a missing 2-hour rated wall between the garage and living space on sheet A-4. I'd copied an old detail and missed the code update from three years ago. Has anyone else had a close call with the 2021 IBC changes on townhouse separations?

4 comments

4 Comments

finley_shah641mo ago

We keep a printed list of the 2021 IBC changes taped to the monitor. The townhouse garage separation is item four on that list. I check it against every multi-family set before it goes out.

david_reed229d ago

Our 2006 NEC binder still has the old AFCI rules.

the_alex1mo ago

Spot the same thing with old car repair manuals... my buddy still uses his 2010 Chilton guide and wonders why the OBD codes don't match. Like @jason_davis said, those quiet updates get everyone. It's why I double-check my furnace venting specs against the current code book every January, saves that same panic later.

jason_davis1mo ago

Classic case of copy-paste catching up to you. Those IBC updates are sneaky like that. At least the inspector found it before it got built, that's a way worse phone call. My old boss used to say every red mark saves a future lawsuit. Still stings though.