Balcony Railing Code Requirements

Balcony railings will be seen all over New York City. Typically found on residential buildings, railings are nearly all the time exposed to heavy winds and freeze-thaw cycles. Building homeowners ought to be sure that their balcony railings are recurrently monitored and maintained to make sure that they stay secure.

The Department of Buildings’ minimum code required height for balcony railings is 42” (2), with an allowance of 1”. Balcony railings under 42” are additionally considered a SWARMP (Protected With a Repair and Upkeep Program) situation in FISP (formerly Local Legislation 11/98) reports. Building administration ought to be aware of residents making use of flooring therapies to their balconies, since this typically decreases the railing heights.

There are several methods of testing balcony railings. Pull exams will be carried out at the railing anchors. Based on  Rampe D'Escalier  Constructing Code, a railing should withstand a 200-level load (1) in any path. Additionally, a testing apparatus can be used to use specified masses alongside the railing. This means that if a localized or concentrated load of 200 lbs was utilized on any location on the railing, little to no deflection would result. The code also requires that a railing withstand a 50 lbs per foot uniform load; because of this if a load of fifty lbs was utilized along the entire length of the balcony, there can be little to no deflection within the railing.

There are also requirements relating to the openings between the balusters. These vertical or horizontal openings should not exceed 4” to prevent small kids or animals from falling by the railing system. Typically, the width of openings in a rigid publish railing system doesn't change. However, the cables in the recently in style cable railing methods are inclined to loosen over time, resulting in better than 4” openings. Constructing management should regularly monitor the condition of the cables in all these railing systems.

Balcony railings should even be commonly inspected for free fasteners, peeling paint, and corrosion. Minor upkeep to handle these issues can deter more pricey future repairs, and extra importantly, prevent unsafe circumstances. Railing posts which might be set in concrete slabs needs to be monitored to make sure that the sealant is intact; if the sealant fails, the grout surrounding the posts is uncovered to moisture and will deteriorate. This could ultimately result in the dangerous loosening of the submit.

Constructing managers and homeowners ought to commonly monitor and maintain balcony railings in an effort to adjust to code and FISP (previously Local Regulation) necessities, and to delay or stop expensive restoration repairs. At first, however, accountable constructing owners ought to make sure that balconies stay protected spaces for residents to enjoy.