Decks & Patios in Pasadena
Decks and patios in Pasadena built with ignition-resistant decking, protected framing and a hard edge at the wall, drawn up for the building department.
Reviewers at Pasadena's building department read a deck set for how it behaves in a fire as much as how it carries people, because some Pasadena lots fall inside fire hazard areas on the map. Such a lot may face ember-resistance rules at the deck surface, the space beneath it and the point where it meets the house. We prepare the drawings to answer those questions at the start.
What the reviewer reads on a deck set
The drawings show the decking product and whether it is accepted for a fire area. They show how the ledger is bolted to the house and flashed, how the posts reach their footings, and what happens beneath: a rated skirt that encloses the framing, or open framing with clear ground below. The department also looks at the guard and the stairs. A deck that sits low and a deck raised high on a sloping lot are reviewed differently, so the set states which one this is.
Patios and the zone beside the walls
A patio of pavers, concrete or tile is hard to burn, and at the wall it gives embers nothing to settle into. For some lots a patio next to the house with a deck set farther out is a layout worth drawing, because the strip against the wall gets a careful reading. A ground-level patio can need less review than a raised deck, though drainage away from the foundation is checked either way. The drawings show the slope of the surface and where the water goes, so the reviewer can follow it.
Decks & Patios in Pasadena: common questions
Certain composites, fire-treated wood and noncombustible materials are tested for wildfire areas. The building department decides from the product listing, so we pick from products accepted for the address and name the exact type on the scope. Ordinary lumber boards near the wall are the ones reviewers question.
Yes, with a rated skirt or noncombustible screening that keeps embers and debris out. The other route is open framing with the ground kept clear and hard-surfaced. The reviewer sees whichever you choose on the plans, along with how the enclosure is vented and reached for cleaning.
For fire exposure, a hard patio at the wall gives embers nothing to catch on, which is why a patio close in with a deck farther out is worth weighing. It does not remove other requirements. Drainage, the door threshold and any guard are still checked.
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Tell us about the house and the decks & patios work. We reply about a walk-through and a written scope.