A very amusing building code item

[OrneryPest]

The applicable building code here in Solomons (and perhaps all of Maryland, for all I know) requires that if you have a non-dwelling structure, such as a garage, wired for electricity, any person-entry door that's not big enough for vehicles has gotta have an outside light beside the door, controlled by a switch inside the building. I haven't the slightest idea why.

My old garage (now ripped down to make way for the new one) had such a light, put in when I had the place wired about 25 years ago. The light was never turned on, except maybe once every few years to see if it still worked.

It's a non-dwelling structure. When you're approaching the door from the outside, the light is off, and you can't reach the switch until you're into the building, at which point you don't need the outside light so you're not gonna bother to turn it on.

When you leave the building, you're gonna make sure all lights are turned off as you leave. So the outside light will never been used.

So now that my new garage is being built, I've saved the old outside light so the electrician can re-use it. Hey, it's brand new! Never been used! And never will be used!

I wonder which state legislators had their heads stuck up places I don't wanna know about when they enacted that law.

Anyhow, I've asked the builder of my new garage to put in a motion-detector light on the front of the building, where it will actually be useful when I need it, even though the building code has no such requirement.

[greyhound]

My shop is about 25' from my back door and has a light beside the door, but it is wired so that I can turn it on and off from the inside of my house as well as inside the shop.

[bcp (Premo)]

just like a bunch of rich republican types to be bragging about how they can afford a light bulb.

[MMDad]

Originally Posted by OrneryPest

The applicable building code here in Solomons (and perhaps all of Maryland, for all I know) requires that if you have a non-dwelling structure, such as a garage, wired for electricity, any person-entry door that's not big enough for vehicles has gotta have an outside light beside the door, controlled by a switch inside the building. I haven't the slightest idea why.

My old garage (now ripped down to make way for the new one) had such a light, put in when I had the place wired about 25 years ago. The light was never turned on, except maybe once every few years to see if it still worked.

It's a non-dwelling structure. When you're approaching the door from the outside, the light is off, and you can't reach the switch until you're into the building, at which point you don't need the outside light so you're not gonna bother to turn it on.

When you leave the building, you're gonna make sure all lights are turned off as you leave. So the outside light will never been used.

So now that my new garage is being built, I've saved the old outside light so the electrician can re-use it. Hey, it's brand new! Never been used! And never will be used!

I wonder which state legislators had their heads stuck up places I don't wanna know about when they enacted that law.

Anyhow, I've asked the builder of my new garage to put in a motion-detector light on the front of the building, where it will actually be useful when I need it, even though the building code has no such requirement.

National Electrical Code. Look it up. You're welcome.

[OrneryPest]

Originally Posted by MMDad

National Electrical Code. Look it up. You're welcome.

Ooh! National! Well, as long as they let me have everything I want, I'll just take the useless extra stuff and quit complaining.

I've gone through the garage marking where I want stuff, and I labeled the outside back door light "Useless Building Code Light". I bet the electrician will just love my attitude for that.

[greyhound]

Is your garage attached to the house? My shop is not and without that light I wouldn't be able to find the door at night.

[Mikeinsmd]

Originally Posted by OrneryPest

Ooh! National! Well, as long as they let me have everything I want, I'll just take the useless extra stuff and quit complaining. I've gone through the garage marking where I want stuff, and I labeled the outside back door light "Useless Building Code Light". I bet the electrician will just love my attitude for that.

NEC article 210-70(a)(2) states:

"At least one wall switch controlled lighting outlet shall be installed in hallways, stairways, attached garages, and detached garages with electric power; and to provide illumination on the exterior side of outdoor entrances or exits with grade level access."

[OrneryPest]

Originally Posted by greyhound

Is your garage attached to the house? My shop is not and without that light I wouldn't be able to find the door at night.

No. It's about 50 feet from the house. It's well-illuminated by the back yard light on the house.

[Mikeinsmd]

Originally Posted by OrneryPest

I bet the electrician will just love my attitude for that.

We always include a fudge factor for homeowner attitude in our quotes...

[OrneryPest]

Originally Posted by Mikeinsmd

We always include a fudge factor for homeowner attitude in our quotes...

Good, good! I love to see fudge factors. Especially chocolate and caramel.