Fire Department Setback warning [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Tritt]

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Joel,

Properly installed PV by our definition (as in it doesn't leak, short, 
corrode and produces maximum energy) might sometimes be at odds with 
another agency or authority's point of view, no? Working this out with 
fire authorities so that everyone is happy seems like the thing to do to me.

Matt

Joel Davidson wrote:

>
> Matt,
>
> The issue of PV as a fire hazard has been blown completely out of 
> proportion. Properly installed PV is safe. I support covering every 
> building surface with conservation, efficiency and PV materials. I 
> want PV on every home, no matter what the roof size or the occupants' 
> income. I oppose setback restrictions on code-safe and inspected solar 
> arrays. I definitely oppose limiting PV to middle-class and wealthy 
> people with big roofs.
>
> Joel Davidson
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt Tritt" <solarone at charter.net>
> To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:08 AM
> Subject: Re: Fire Department Setback warning [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>>
>>
>> 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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