A CIR ruling on 12/3/2003 established an alternative compliance protocol for the ETS prerequisite in residential buildings. That protocol requires, among other things, "all doors in the residential units leading to common hallways shall be weather-stripped to minimize air leakage into the hallway." This requirement contradicts a standard building practice which is consistent with the intent of the prerequisite: using undercuts on doorways from units to corridors, coupled with pressurized corridors, to maintain positive pressure in common areas relative to residential units. This practice is used to prevent kitchen odors from entering common areas, but would also keep ETS from common areas, the intent of the prerequisite. We propose that the weather stripping requirement be waived if (1) all of the other requirements of the residential compliance pathway are performed, and (2) a project can demonstrate through engineering documentation and narrative that the corridor will maintain positive pressure relative to the residential units at all times.
As stated in EQp2 CIR dated 12/3/2003, there are two alternative methods listed for complying with the prerequisite requirements. The approach you describe (eliminating the weather stripping around the door and allowing the corridor\'s positive pressure to provide the units with their make-up air) will not meet the requirements of the prerequisite. Due to wind and stack effect and other variables there are times when the corridors cannot maintain a consistent positive pressure or ensure that ETS would not transfer from underneath the door into the common areas. The logic behind the weather stripping is to minimize air leakage into the corridor regardless of exterior conditions or the operation of bathroom/kitchen exhaust within the units. Even with positive corridor pressure, kitchen smells do migrate to corridors in high rise residences. Please note that providing make-up air from the corridor is not allowed under some codes (e.g, UMC) and can lead to moisture and mold problems in humid climates. To satisfy this prerequisite, the design would need to demonstrate that ETS transference is prevented from entering the corridor or common areas by conforming to the prerequisite performance requirements. This can be accomplished by following the designated smoking room or tracer gas testing provisions or by conforming to one of the alternative compliance options as listed in EQc2 CIR dated 12/3/2003 (which would require weather-stripping).