Door between house and garage, can it swing out?

[240sxguy]

Guys, here's a question that I am guessing is mandated by code.

Is it okay to have a walk through door swing out into the garage instead of into the house? I'm not concerned about security issues. The slab is flat from basement to garage (where the door is).

I'm remodeling the room the door swings into and I can lay things out totally differently (and better) if I can swing the door out. It's not going to take up any useful space in the garage either FYI.

Thanks guys.

 

[Voi]

Our local code, at least according to the guy at the lumber yard, is that they must swing in.

 

[240sxguy]

I am thinking it would be smart not to mess with it....

 

[lynnbilodeau]

An exterior door can swing out. In fact, in some commercial settings, it is required.

Why can't one going to the garage?

 

[RVDan]

Emergency exits must swing out, but which way is out? One way swings in to the garage, and the other swings in to the house.

 

[Zeke]

A door from the house to the garage may swing out but the landing is not to be a step down which they invariably are. To actually meet code you would build a platform within 1/2 " of the finish interior floor grade and extend the platform 3 feet with the door not swinging over any step. This is too keep folks that are unfamiliar with your exit from falling due to the unexpected step down. This requirement exists for all entry doors and especially those that open to a landing where there are stairs leading up to the landing. In the garage mentioned here that one step is 'stairs'.

A one hour fire rating and smoke seal (weatherstripping) is required. NO glass in the door. Any deadbolt and/or lock set must not be keyed on the inside. Self closing hinges or a closer must be provided.

It's all in the IBC but hard to decipher.

 

[240sxguy]

There is no elevation change at all in this case. You could rollerskate through there if you didn't have the threshold in the way.

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm not sure I am going to do this but it's nice to know I have options.

 

[CNGsaves]

There is no elevation change at all in this case. You could rollerskate through there if you didn't have the threshold in the way.

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm not sure I am going to do this but it's nice to know I have options.

With your situation, sounds like non-issue if door were to swing out.

I'd "mystery shop" with a phone call to inspector and see if this really is a big deal or not in your area.

 

[kbs2244]

"There is no elevation change at all in this case. You could rollerskate through there if you didn't have the threshold in the way. "

You are way out of the fire code in this case.
They want the garage floor to be lower than the house floor so fumes will not enter the home.

 

[Rosco]

My back door swings out. I had it built that way so the door did not swing into the breakfast area. Also a lot harder to kick in. It is not exposed to the elements ( screened porch ). I do not see why your garage door could not be the same way.

 

[chops101]

My auto-close door into the garage swings out, into a 9" drop, and it is in code.

And all exterior doors must swing out by code, so it depends on your jurisdiction.

 

[240sxguy]

"There is no elevation change at all in this case. You could rollerskate through there if you didn't have the threshold in the way. "

You are way out of the fire code in this case.
They want the garage floor to be lower than the house floor so fumes will not enter the home.

The garage was built with a permit on the house long before I purchased it.

 

[Architorture]

since your garage and basement are at the same level the direction of the door swing is most likely not an issue.

as others have said you typically run into a problem with EXTERIOR doors and the requirement for a landing on each side of the door at least 36" wide in the direction of travel. typically such a landing is allowed to be 7 3/4" lower than the threshold on the exterior side so long as the door does not swing over it. this is the typical arrangement you find at the front door of many homes.

all of that said, this requirement as well as those about door hardware only apply to doors that are considered to be egress doors. since you only need 1 egress door per dwelling and typically an egress door by definition cannot discharge directly into a garage, the door in question isn't required to meet many of these restrictions.

this of course is all generally speaking, when considering the IRC which is the basis for nearly all state residential codes in the country. there may be some state or locally specific differences.

generally speaking, the IBC only requires egress doors to swing out and be equipped with panic hardware when the occupancy being served by the egress door is in excess of 50 people. so obviously, this condition does not exist in a single family home.

also, the IBC/IRC model codes are silent on the issue of elevation difference between dwelling and garage. they do not require any difference, only that the garage floor be sloped to promote drainage. if such a requirement exists in a particular locality it is likely either some kind of vestige from other times or perhaps a reference to the NFPA codes if it happens to have jurisdiction in that area.

 

[DangerousDan55]

I changed my door to swing out in my detached garage at my last house. For security, I removed two screws from each hinge, drilled the hole larger & screwed in larger lag screws then cut the hex heads off. Left the shank about one inch out. When the door closes, the exposed lag protrudes into the door about one inch. One cannot knock out the hinge pins to remove the door. But it only keeps honest & some stupid people out....
I had a step down to the patio(8 inches), but the house sold without any inspection concerns,

 

[240sxguy]

Thanks for the input Dan.

 

[rsanter]

My first house had the garage door swinging out.
The next 4 all swung in.

Bob