New Home Owners And Snagging Forum
Advice on buying a brand new home => General discussion => Topic started by: Octopus8 on September 22, 2016, 01:09:24 am
-
Hi,
Seems that not people know when upstairs windows should have restrictors or not? I was told that building regulations state that if windows are less than 900mm to the floor then all windows should have them installed?
Is this true?
-
Where the design incorporates low level glazing (less than 800mm above internal floor level) that is not fixed, therefore an openable window, the glazing will still need to act as guarding where the difference in height exceeds 600mm. The window must be prevented from opening more than 100mm in order to comply with Part K of the Building Regulations.
This means that restrictor devices commonly fitted to windows would not be suitable because they can be released, by a key or manually, to allow the window to open more than 100mm. In this position occupants would not be afforded the required level of protection from falling. Therefore, suitable guarding that resists the forces referred to in the above British Standards and complies with Part K with respect to height and non-climbability, must be provided, such as vertical balustrading
Alternatively, 'permanent' restrictors, those that cannot be released and would not allow an opening where a 100mm sphere could pass through, may be suitable. However, this may affect the minimum purge ventilation requirement under the guidance in Building Regulations Part F, which requires a minimum of 1/20th floor area of the room served by openable windows (height x width of opening part where the window opens 30 degrees or more).
So 800mm or less must have restrictors to comply, but those in habitable rooms (bedrooms) must be releasable in case of an emergency such as a fire, in my opinion.