Fire Department Setback warning [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Tritt]

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I'm probably not going to win any populararity contests by saying this, 
but - If we can divorce ourselves from the position of our industry and 
see things from the perspective of a firefighter's (relative) safety 
while attempting to save someone's house from burning to the ground, 
setbacks seem very logical. Anyone who has ever fought fire or even 
witnessed a crew chopping access holes in a roof to gain access to an 
attic will realize that this would be virtually impossible if a PV array 
were in the way. If you look at it from the perspective of an insurance 
company, it's a no-brainer.

In the case of single family dwellings, the possibilities for ground or 
trellis mounting systems can be very good, especially when the 
alternative is no PV at all. We all depend on firefighters to take risks 
to protect our property and doing what we can to increase their chances 
of survival seems like the right thing to do.

Matt T

solarpro at aol.com wrote:

>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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