Four Season Sunrooms
- Thread starter Big Guns
- Start date
- Status
Yes in my opinion that is living space.
I agree what article would that fall under
takelly
Member
- Location
- South dakota
210.52(A) General Provisions. In every kitchen, family room, dining room, living room, parlor, library, den, sunroom, bedroom, recreation room, or similar room or area of dwelling units, receptacle outlets shall be installed in accordance with the general provisions specified in 210.52(A)(1) through (A)(3)
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
In Florida we call these rooms a Lanai. It is effectively a screened porch. We do not require the receptacles. Usually the one receptacle required on the outside building wall will be within the Lanai.
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
Using yours and MW dictionary definition, I would say that your lanai is not what most of us would call a four season porch or sunroom.
I believe that what the OP has is a closed-in habitable space that is subject to 210.52(A) and outlets need AFCI.
Your lanai would be subject to 210.52(E)(3) and need GFCI for receptacles.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I think it depends on AHJ and what they are willing to call it. If it has heating/cooling installed it is much more likely to be considered a room that needs to comply with 210.52(A) than if there is no heating/cooling.
At what point does a closed in porch become a habitable room versus a closed in porch?
At what point does a closed in porch become a habitable room versus a closed in porch?
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
I think if it is not heated it is hard to consider it a room.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
My house, remodeled many times from a small cottage, has bathrooms and bedrooms which were part of the original house and are not heated except by leaving the doors open. They are definitely rooms.
Tapatalk...
- Location
- Massachusetts
Why does the presence of heat or cooling change things?
What if I live in a moderate temperature area and I do not need heating or cooling, does that mean my home has no rooms?
My first apartment was five rooms with the only heater located in the center room. Were the other four rooms 'not habitable'?
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
I was referring to a porch. I don't see how it is a room if it is not conditioned space in some way. Even if it is just opening the door.
personally, I think a porch is a porch and a room is a room and if you cannot tell the difference you should flip a coin to determine if the porch is a room or not.
personally, I think a porch is a porch and a room is a room and if you cannot tell the difference you should flip a coin to determine if the porch is a room or not.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
But keep a record of the coin toss for the inspector's reference, otherwise he might do his own flip with opposite result.
To me a "four season" room would have to have windows, removable storm panels, or other weather-tight covering to be usable during the rainy season, and that would be enough for me to call the space habitable.
For me it would be the current (or planned on completion of the job) use of the space that would determine its classification, not looking in any way at what it may have been originally.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
IMO if a space is climate controlled it is a room. If it isn't climate controlled, then it may or may not be a room.
- Location
- Massachusetts
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
Not IMO.
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
Conditioned space is a material consideration in building codes. I think we all agree a driveway is not a room. So where is the line between the two?
In Florida this "four seasons" room has only screen to keep the army of swamp mosquitoes away. Some have hard roofs and many have screen roofs (no snow here; just wind). The minute you configure that space such that free air does not pass 24/7, it's no longer a lanai (porch).
Your wooden deck off the back of your home with a bar-b-que on it does not need receptacles. So start drawing that line.
In Florida this "four seasons" room has only screen to keep the army of swamp mosquitoes away. Some have hard roofs and many have screen roofs (no snow here; just wind). The minute you configure that space such that free air does not pass 24/7, it's no longer a lanai (porch).
Your wooden deck off the back of your home with a bar-b-que on it does not need receptacles. So start drawing that line.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Heated how?
- Location
- Massachusetts
Just like this one I found on Google.
http://www.gasoutdoorpatioheaters.com/sunpak-s25-s-stainless-steel-infrared-spot-heater_3_0.jpg
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I agree that if you were in a moderate temp area you may not have heating or cooling. This "four seasons room" is definitely not (ordinarily) the same type of construction as the remainder of the home, often there is still original exterior grade doors or windows between this space and the remainder of the house. When do we draw the line between it being a porch or a habitable room of the dwelling it is attached to?
Not a room that 210.52 is concerned about because it is not a dwelling.
My patio at home is heated also - if I light the patio heater, or wait for a hot day. It also has great cooling - but only on cold days
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
I wouldn't consider an area under a roof with no walls to be climate controlled. Climate somewhat offset, maybe.
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