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Originally Posted by Glowing Horizon
Code violation? How can the gestapo prove WHEN you put your ladder down, why you did it, or how long they it had been down? Has there EVER been a fire which has spread more quickly due to attic stairs being left open? While this is theoretically a problem, in reality this just seems like fear-mongering.
Leaving your attic open will definitely increase the possibility of insects moving in. They don't seem to die off in high heat either—creating a whole new problem.
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The fire code writers recognize that house fires are more likely to start in the garage. If the garage fills up with smoke, and there is no separation between the garage and the attic, the attic will quickly fill up with smoke and the smoke can permeate the entire house. Leaving the attic stairs open for an extended time period ignores and defeats the intention of the code. Obviously, the code is not perfect, but if someone dies in your house from smoke inhalation, it won't give you much satisfaction to know that you successfully violated the fire code. I would call it common sense, not fear-mongering.