ᐅ Is a manual override for roller shutters on a window required?
Created on: 28 Jun 2016 13:12
F
fraubauer
Hello,
I have the following problem.
My windows and balcony door are equipped with electric roller shutters. (I have a condominium in a multi-family building. It was built as a turnkey project.)
During the final inspection of the apartment, an inspector stated that the kitchen window or the balcony door must have an emergency release. There could be a power outage, and in an emergency, the roller shutters would not be openable. Because if there is a fire in the hallway (my apartment is on the upper floor), I would neither be able to ventilate the smoke nor escape onto the balcony. My kitchen window opens onto the balcony.
So, either a manual crank (in which case the roller shutter motor must be replaced; radio control would no longer work) or a battery backup (which is not available from my roller shutter manufacturer).
I have already informed the roller shutter installer about this. He is not aware of any regulations or requirements.
Of course, I want to avoid any problems with, among others, the household/building insurance if such a situation should occur.
Who can definitively tell me whether I really have to have a window equipped with an emergency release?
And who must cover the costs of the modification? The roller shutter installer should know this if it is indeed required!
My property developer only learned about this from the inspector at the final inspection, so they could not warn us earlier...
I am quite desperate...
Thank you very much
erika
I have the following problem.
My windows and balcony door are equipped with electric roller shutters. (I have a condominium in a multi-family building. It was built as a turnkey project.)
During the final inspection of the apartment, an inspector stated that the kitchen window or the balcony door must have an emergency release. There could be a power outage, and in an emergency, the roller shutters would not be openable. Because if there is a fire in the hallway (my apartment is on the upper floor), I would neither be able to ventilate the smoke nor escape onto the balcony. My kitchen window opens onto the balcony.
So, either a manual crank (in which case the roller shutter motor must be replaced; radio control would no longer work) or a battery backup (which is not available from my roller shutter manufacturer).
I have already informed the roller shutter installer about this. He is not aware of any regulations or requirements.
Of course, I want to avoid any problems with, among others, the household/building insurance if such a situation should occur.
Who can definitively tell me whether I really have to have a window equipped with an emergency release?
And who must cover the costs of the modification? The roller shutter installer should know this if it is indeed required!
My property developer only learned about this from the inspector at the final inspection, so they could not warn us earlier...
I am quite desperate...
Thank you very much
erika
T
toxicmolotof30 Jun 2016 13:54I’m about to go to the hardware store and mount a 5kg (11 lbs) splitting axe next to the window on the upper floor. Similar to the emergency hammers found on buses.
Electric roller shutter or not.
PS: Nobody cared about this during the inspection.
Electric roller shutter or not.
PS: Nobody cared about this during the inspection.
B
Bauexperte30 Jun 2016 14:12toxicmolotow schrieb:
PS: Nobody cared during the inspection.It doesn’t have to, if a window is sufficient as a second escape route according to the building plans for the residential unit.Best regards, Bauexperte
T
toxicmolotof30 Jun 2016 14:20@Bauexperte But then isn’t the plan different from reality?
B
Bauexperte30 Jun 2016 14:32toxicmolotow schrieb:
@Bauexperte But doesn’t the plan differ from reality then? Usually, yes.
In cases where there are deviations from the plan afterwards, the inspector from the building authority will notice this during the final inspection, as they check almost everything. For random spot checks, they only roughly verify whether the external appearance matches the plan and only check more thoroughly if “a concerned neighbor” draws their attention to something. This was recently explained to me by an employee of the building authority in the city of Neuss.
Regards, Bauexperte
b54 schrieb:
It’s really a matter of design; you can also connect the smoke detectors with the roller shutters so that all shutters automatically open in case of an alarm. That is, if it’s not already too late because the burning toaster has tripped the main circuit breaker.
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