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IRC 2003
Required guards on open sides of stairways, raised floor areas, balconies and porches shall have intermediate rails or ornamental closures which do not allow passage of a sphere 4 inches in diameter. Exceptions: The triangular openings formed by the riser, tread and bottom rail of a guard at the open side of a stairway are permitted to be of such a size that a sphere 6 inches cannot pass through. Openings for required guards on the sides of stair treads shall not allow a sphere 4.375 inches to pass through. R312.2

New Construction

Improper Flashing at Windows in Stucco

I was consulting with a builder on a house today and ran into a problem I frequently see with stucco installations at windows in the Houston area.  Often builders here install house wrap during construction and then later install felt underlayment and consider the felt as the primary moisture barrier.

TRCC Implements County Inspection Program

If you are in the home inspection or construction consulting industry you are probably aware of the upcoming changes that the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC) is implementing regarding requirements for code inspections on residential structures built in Texas. Starting September 1, 2008, the law requires code inspections on all home construction and remodeling [...]

Radioactive Counter Tops

Based on reading some of the more recent research of radiation in granite counter tops, I have distilled the following basic information about this topic.
Some granite counter tops contain high levels of uranium, which, by generating gamma radiation and radon gas, can produce a health risk. The highest levels of radioactivity seem to [...]

Installing Sill Plates and Posts at Exposed Columns

A common occurrence in new construction is improper installation of column details in exposed areas of front and rear porches. I frequently find wood columns or column assemblies at exposed locations that rest directly on the surface of concrete porches or patios at the foundation, or worse, those in this configuration that will be [...]

Notching of Studs In Bearing Walls

Here in Houston notching of studs to create a straight wall is a common occurrence. Most builders here will notch the studs at an angle push them in the necessary direction to make them straight and nail a short scab board along the side resulting in nails loaded in shear carrying the structural loads. [...]