Shared attic space is where the garage attic and living space attic has no fire break fire wall which continues from the garage wall s up to the underside of the roof to separate garage attic from living space attic.
Garage attic ladder fire code.
Most homes have a 1 2 drywall panel installed in the attic access opening which is fine.
The only time it is required is if the garage attic is separated from the house attic.
We do not allow door stops on the garage door.
Wooden pull down stairs do not comply with todays fire rating standards if there is no fire break that separates the garage.
Contrary to popular belief acceptance and use the attic access is for fire personnel only and is not meant for even incidental storage.
It may be easier to install a regular non fire rated attic access in the garage then make sure that the walls of the garage that abut the living area are 1 2 or 5 8 whichever is code in your area from foundation to roof line.
Install them after final inspection and assume the liability.
The international residential code irc is similar.
A literal host of code requirements come to mind.
Here are my concerns with adding 5 8 type x drywall to the pull down attic ladder in the ceiling of the garage which is the required modified firewall.
But codes can vary from county to county and this might be one of those.
Until it is code that all garage ceilings have 5 8ths sheetrock on them and as long as ladders receptacles holes from brackets where garage door tracks are mounted etc penetrate the separation leading to attic areas common with the residential attic i will continue to recommend that clients install separations between the garage attic.
No access from attic over garage to attic over living area.
The pull down attic ladder is not self closing.
But when you put something else in the opening it must be equivalent to 1 2 drywall which has roughly a 20 minute fire resistance.
What if there is a garage fire when the ladder is extended and left in the open position.
The easiest way to do this is to replace the access door itself to be fire rated and simply retrofit the ladder to it.