Window and Door Code Changes Adopted

WASHINGTON, DC - Code changes affecting window and doors were adopted recently at the International Code Council (ICC) hearings held earlier this month in Dallas. The three amendments were among those proposed by the Window and Door Manufacturers Assn. (WDMA) and will go into the 2015 edition of the IBC pending final ICC action this fall.

According to the WDMA, the amendments will "make labeling easier for manufacturers, streamline fire door safety requirements and allow more consumers to afford replacement window renovations through common-sense pricing."

"Each of these WDMA amendments respond to issues raised by our members and their builder customers," said Jeff Inks, WDMA's Vice President for Code and Regulatory Affairs in a statement. "These three key amendments alleviate many problems the industry is experiencing in the field and are important improvements to the code. ICC clearly agreed."

The WDMA said its proposal for smoke partition doors "clarifies that the S letter labeling designation, indicating compliance with applicable smoke protection requirements, is permitted to be used on doors that are smoke partition only and not necessarily fire rated. The result will be a broad and consistent treatment of labeling for smoke partition and fire rated doors."

In addition, aluminum, steel and fiberglass faced doors were added to the existing fire safety requirements for residential doors, allowing the use of them without the need for special approval. A third revision, on egress requirements, allows for bedroom replacement windows in older residences to be  the same size and type of those being replaced.