Important Code Changes January 2008:

Here are some of the new code changes starting in January 2008. By the way, the fire code requirements are for areas in a high fire risk area,which is most of the Sierras.

1. No more eve vents. In recent fires they have found that embers flow into eve vents and start a fire in the house.

2. Windows will now have to be tempered. Only one of the panes in each window has to be tempered, but there are no windows to my knowledge that is constructed that way. The reason for this code change is that non-tempered windows will melt and allow the fire to go inside the home. They have found tempered glass to be more resistant to high temperatures.

3. Front doors will have to be fire rated. How's for stopping fancy front doors?

4. Decks and exterior of home will have to be fire resistant.

5. Floor loads for the interior of the home has changed.

6. Structural requirements have been greatly modified for residential construction

7. Guardrails on decking has a name change, they are now called guards. Guards will have to be 42" high instead of 36" high. This will surely change. This is a commercial code requirement that has slipped into residential construction.

8. Vegetation clearance around a home will be a requirement of new home construction and the home will not be finaled until a fire safe zone is completed.

There are many more changes, these are just a few of them.