[RE-wrenches] Fire Rating for Battery Room

[August Goers]

In California we are currently working under the I-codes, so we work under
the residential (CRC) or fire (CRC) codes. California is in process of
adopting NFPA 855 which I believe will go into effect July 1, 2026. The
wording in the CRC or CFC is as follows:

[image: image.png]

You can see it's similar to the 855 language. Clients with unfinished
attached garage or utility rooms either have to sheetrock the entire space
or can build a utility closet within the unfinished space that meets the
requirements. Both are fairly expensive options, depending on how large and
cluttered the space is. Anyway, it what it is. As we've become used to
dealing with this, we try to focus on the improved safety that sheet
rocking provides and just recommend that clients bite the bullet and get it
done. It definitely kills some projects. Alternatively, we can mount
batteries outside which has drawbacks and may not be feasible in colder
climates.

If this requirement isn't being upheld in your jurisdiction, it is probably
just a matter of time before they catch on.

Best,

August
Luminalt




On Fri, Jun 6, 2025 at 6:18 AM Nicholas Ponzio via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> For those of you installing batteries inside homes how are you treating
> this poorly-worded section of Code?
>
> *NFPA 855 - 15.4.2:*
> *If the room or space where the ESS is to be installed is not finished or
> non-combustible, the walls and ceilings of the room or space shall be
> protected with not less than 5/8 in. Type X gypsum board.*
>
> This section of fire code has given us much consternation over the years.
> Most installations in this climate are going into unfinished basements. Are
> you all installing 5/8 sheetrock for the entire basement? Just the area
> around the batteries? Something else?
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
>
>
> --
> Nicholas Ponzio
> Building Energy
> 1570 South Brownell Road
> Williston, VT 05495
> http://www.BuildingEnergyVT.com <http://www.buildingenergyvt.com/>
>
> "Building Solutions for a Sustainable Future"
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