Sage-Tips

How do you fireproof a garage ceiling?

You can reinforce your garage walls and ceiling by adding gypsum board to any part of the garage or ceiling that connects to the main home, which will minimize the possibility of a fire in the garage reaching the house. You should also make sure that you have a fire extinguisher and heat alarm in your garage.

Does my garage ceiling need to be fire rated?

In most communities, building codes require the construction of a fire-rated barrier between the garage and any living space. Attached garages must have a firewall separating the garage from the house, and if a bedroom or apartment is over the garage, a fire-rated ceiling is in order.

Are garage walls fire rated?

What about the wall between the house and garage? The wall between the house and garage is not a firewall, nor is it a fire-resistance-rated wall. The wall between a house and an attached garage does have some special requirements, however.

Does garage drywall need to be fire rated?

A: First, fire-rated systems are only required if the garage shares a wall or a ceiling with the home. If you are doing repairs in the garage you should replace with like materials, but remember it is the wall system that is fire rated not the product itself.

What insulation should I use in my garage ceiling?

fiberglass
When it comes to insulating the garage ceiling, fiberglass batt or rigid foam tend to work best. You can use cellulose or foam insulation on the ceiling as well, but often it’s much easier for homeowners to simply install the foam boards or rolls –and not to mention less expensive.

Where are fire rated walls required?

Structural elements that brace the exterior wall but are located outside of the exterior wall or within the plane of the exterior wall shall have the minimum fire-resistance rating required in Tables 601 and 602 for the exterior wall.

Where do I need fire rated drywall?

In residential homes, installation of fire rated drywall is often required by state/province and local building codes on interior and exterior walls near furnaces and utility rooms. Fire rated drywall can also be installed in a basement or other places where a wood stove might be used.

Does an attached garage need a ceiling?

Most attached garages have a ceiling secured to the bottom chord of the roof trusses or ceiling rafters, and the ceiling must minimum be 1/2” drywall or equivalent. These requirements do not apply to detached garages.

Does garage need drywall?

You do not need 5/8″ drywall for the garage walls. In the US, you need it between the garage and living space, but not on the exterior walls. I also recommend thinking about adding some outlets before you close the walls up – so much easier than doing it later.

What is a firewall between garage and house?

The intent of the firewall between the attached garage and the living space is intended to slow the spread of fire from the garage to the living space. In order to accomplish this several components of a house must be made of fire resistive materials, and all must be working together for the system to work.

Is the wall between the house and the garage fire rated?

Also earlier versions of the codes merely referred to garage house separation as opposed to more modern standards that refer to fire-separation. The wall between the house and the garage–believe it or not–is NOT a fire-rated assembly and is referred to in the code as the “Dwelling-Garage Fire Separation.”

Where is fire separation required in a detached garage?

Fire separation should also be installed in detached garages if the detached garage building is less than 3’ from the home. In that case, fire separation would most likely be required at the detached garage‘s interior side wall (and possibly the ceiling) on the side (s) towards the home.

What can cause a fire in a drywall garage ceiling?

Even if the rest of the garage ceiling or walls are drywalled, any unsealed opening or combustible material can compromise the fire separation.

Is there a local building and code inspector for attached garages?

On the other hand, some towns still do not have local building and code inspectors. No building inspector implies no enforcement of current codes. However, if you are looking to bring your attached garage up to today’s safety standards, keep reading. The IRC 2006 edition states the following concerning garage walls and ceilings: