Any building code folks?

ppirate

ppirate

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New house (built 11/2020) bathroom vent to an outside wall, has the hood and the circular flapper but NO bird/bug grid guard on the bottom of the exhaust hood.
Currently have a birds nest inside the vent tubing. See the bird coming and going, vent flapper does not fit tight so bird wedges it way in and lives in the Hilton

Question...........isn't there a building code that requires a guard on the vent hood to prevent entry? There are 5 exhaust vents on the house that do not have pest guards on the exhaust.

Building code guy will be called tomorrow. A wildlife control company want $700 bucks to remove the birds nest and fix. How about a leaf blower in the other end of the exhaust vent duct and wooooof bird is launched. Thanks for comments
 
I don’t believe there is a code requiring this. My in-laws neighborhood had this problem with pretty much every house. All of them had to put their own cages over the vents. I think this one is on you to take care of.
 
Kinda like the old SSS scenario except LLL … launch-laugh-lips sealed.
 
No screen required if vent has flapper. Its easy to screen one but don’t do it to the dryer vent. By the way if its a bath vent you have the wrong type outside termination and the correct one does need to be covered or the kit comes with a cover.
 
Regardless of "code" that's a diy situation. Go pull the nest.

Eat some taco hell, destroy that bathrooms toilet, engage fan. When the bird passes out, go pull that poor thing out. Reprimand it for it's mistake then go on living life.


Truthfully, I have no idea of "code" but for that kind of thing, it's "positive pressure" (it sends air outside) I doubt it has to have some specific kind of bird or bug prevention.
 
Its def not code. Leaf blower is the best way even to clean your dryer duct.

Wire mesh over all vents with exception of dryer as mentioned above. A staple gun and some metal mesh works great.

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ppirate said:
New house (built 11/2020) bathroom vent to an outside wall, has the hood and the circular flapper but NO bird/bug grid guard on the bottom of the exhaust hood.
Currently have a birds nest inside the vent tubing. See the bird coming and going, vent flapper does not fit tight so bird wedges it way in and lives in the Hilton

Question...........isn't there a building code that requires a guard on the vent hood to prevent entry? There are 5 exhaust vents on the house that do not have pest guards on the exhaust.

Building code guy will be called tomorrow. A wildlife control company want $700 bucks to remove the birds nest and fix. How about a leaf blower in the other end of the exhaust vent duct and wooooof bird is launched. Thanks for comments
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yes, they are required. NC mechanical code:

500 Chapter 5 Exhaust Systems 501.2.2 - Question: Does bathroom exhaust terminations require screens? Answer: Yes, Section 501.2.2 requires screens for all exhaust openings that terminate outdoors. Dryer exhaust ducts are specifically exempt under 504.4. Terminations that would require screens would include, but not be limited to; bath fan exhaust, range hood exhaust, microwave exhaust, etc. 501.2.2 Exhaust opening protection. Exhaust openings that terminate outdoors shall be protected with corrosion-resistant screens, louvers or grilles. Openings in screens, louvers and grilles shall be sized not less than 1/4 inch (6 mm) and not larger than 1/2 inch (13 mm). Openings shall be protected against local weather conditions. Outdoor openings located in exterior walls shall meet the provisions for exterior wall opening protectives in accordance with the International Building Code.
 
A “screen” can be a louver or flap. Both of which are defeatable by birds. The specific bird cage device the OP is talking about is not required by code. It’s added after the fact by the owner.
 
Not seeing flap in the code above. I am not with the inspection department however the inspectors always required a screen or cage on the homes we built. The flap was insufficient except on the dryer. Never did we build a home and let homeowners add them after the fact. Maybe Meck Cty required it.
 
Exhaust fans require screens but dryer vents are exempt. Flappers on exhaust fans don’t need flappers and should not be used because there is a flapper inside the fan housing to prevent outside air intrusion. I’m dealing with a job that spec a roof top vent now where both the bathroom and dryer where the same but I have to add screens to the bath fans before the inspection even with the damper. Really the damper should be removed which I may do today.
 
9outof10mms said:
A “screen” can be a louver or flap. Both of which are defeatable by birds.
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Downstairs bathroom had louvers on the vent that came out the wall. Stupid starling was getting in there and built a nest. I took the cover off and fished the nest out. Put drywall sanding screen under the lovers and put it back. Watched the dumb bird lift the louver, start to poke it’s head in there and get confused when it hit the screen.

Stupid thing then went and built a nest in the gutter downspout on the front of the house. I got out the hose and flushed it out. Lastly it tried building a nest in the grill of my truck. That didn’t last long either. I think it finally gave up after that.
 
Why no cages on the dryer vent? Risk of lint build up?

All of the homes in my neighborhood have the issue of birds nesting in vents, mostly the dryer vent. The majority have installed the cage type covers on all vents including the dryer.

I had a bird work it’s way in my dryer vent all the way in to my dryer! On my birthday. Not fun trying to get a bird out of the dryer then having to clean all the bird crap out.
 
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Yes—dryer lint will build up on a screen. And if you’ve never seen lint catch fire...there’s a reason I collect our lint and make fire starters out of it!
 
mrgoob said:
Not seeing flap in the code above. I am not with the inspection department however the inspectors always required a screen or cage on the homes we built. The flap was insufficient except on the dryer. Never did we build a home and let homeowners add them after the fact. Maybe Meck Cty required it.
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Perhaps the code has changed. But I’ve seen plenty of Meck County houses built without cages. Only to be added later by home owners after bird problems.
 
9outof10mms said:
Perhaps the code has changed. But I’ve seen plenty of Meck County houses built without cages. Only to be added later by home owners after bird problems.
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That’s a county inspector issue. When they have to do different trade inspections you can’t know everything. Meck County let’s anything fly these days. A couple years ago they were desperate for inspectors. Starting pay went way up.
 
Just use your shop vac with hose on exhaust to blow out the bird squatters.
 
9outof10mms said:
Yes—dryer lint will build up on a screen. And if you’ve never seen lint catch fire...there’s a reason I collect our lint and make fire starters out of it!
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That’s what I figured. And I do the same, great fire starter.

Hundreds of homes in my neighborhood have this style cage and no lint build up issues, or houses burning down as a result. But no more birds in dryer vents!
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Yesterday I installed all for roof vents for two dryers and two bathrooms on a flat building roof. Today I went up and added mesh screen to the bath vents. Contractor questioned it but I did it anyway. Probably would pass given the type of oversize vents with a large aluminum door flapper.

Another place screen should be used is on the intake pvc on a gas furnace to keep mice out. Just cut a square and push it an inch into the pipe. At my house I also do it on my exhaust furnace pipe. It will not last long on the exhaust but easy to replace.
 
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