Fire Department Setback warning [RE-wrenches]

solarpro at aol.com solarpro at aol.com
Wed May 14 15:29:57 PDT 2008



Wrenches:
 
The setback regs have been a pain for us.  CalSeia has been  working 
diligently to modify the rules for nearly two years now.  You  should visit the web 
site _www.calseia.org_ (http://www.calseia.org) ,  look at 'emergency response', 
view the pdfs that address setback standards and  look over the proposed 
changes (draft PV Guidelines) that have been hashed out  with the state fire 
marshall.  This push for setbacks and  pathways by your local fire fighters has 
reduced our options for solar on  so many homes that we estimate our business 
potential has been reduced  between 30 to 40% .  These rules will not only 
curtail business  in California, but are sure to spread like, well, 
er......wildfire... to  other states as well.
 
After you look over the web page on calseia's site and see how much we have  
been doing, you should immediately join CalSeia to help with these efforts and 
 others, as we are becoming more and more regulated.
 
Patrick Redgate
AMECO
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 5/14/2008 2:37:48 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
michael.welch at re-wrenches.org writes:


Hi  gang. Posting this on behalf of William Miller, his own post did not show 
 up.

>Friends:
>
>Well, it's happened.  Local fire  marshals are now enforcing roof edge 
setbacks.  These setbacks originate  from the Los Angeles Fire Department and 
require a 4 foot setback on all edges  of a roof-- eaves, ridge and gables.
>
>I have jobs pending that  will not proceed because of these requirements.  I 
am sure all of you  installing roof mounted PV will find many jobs that are 
not feasible once  these regulations spread to your area.  This will be the 
single biggest  curtailment of residential PV in the history of grid-tie 
solar-electric.   I have reviewed a random sampling of recent roof mounted jobs and at 
least 90%  of them would be either not at all feasible or greatly reduce in  
size.
>
>We need to put our heads together and figure out a way to  deal with this.  
Here is one idea:  If a roof has an attic, it can  be vented from the north 
side, therefore clearance issues on the south side  should be waived.  Here's 
another concept:  The literature mentions  "quick release" hardware.  Can we 
invent racks that can fold over to  create eave, ridge or gable clearances?
>
>I am interested in any  input on this critical issue.  To view the 
regulations, it is the top  listing  at:
>
>http://mpandc.com/resources/resources.html
>
>William  Miller 


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