SB721 Services Around Santa Barbara, CA

SB 326 Overview

The state CA has authorized into legislation a law designed to require associations to execute Balcony Assessments once every nine years. The Balcony Assessments will contain Waterproofing elements and structural element examination. Deck Assessments has to be performed by an authorized architect or structural engineer. Balcony inspections have to do with structures which are wood based over 6 feet in elevation and are equipped for foot traffic.

Why was SB 326 established in Santa Barbara, CA?

SB 326 has been prepared so that you can detect dangers to people related to failing architectural elements in balconies. SB 326 says that multifamily organizations with three or more dwellings have to be examined once every nine years. SB 326 only pertains to condominium associations. SB 326 was put in place to guard against balcony collapses. SB 326 went into effect January 2020. SB 326 was put into place because of the volume of deck collapses in the state of California, which led to fatalities.

SB 721 Overview

SB 721 was placed into legislation September of 2017. SB 721 is related to Deck Assessments being carried out on condominium properties. There is a wider variety of who is able to perform these inspections for SB 721. Contractors, structural engineers, and architects are able to conduct Deck Assessments for SB 721. Balconies have to be checked out once every 6 yrs under SB 721. Only 15% for each exterior raised element needs to be examined under SB 721.

Exterior Elevated Elements

Exterior elevated elements also called EEEs are what need to be examined within a new state regulation - SB 326. External elevated elements consist of wooden dependent components above six feet in height that have a load. Exterior elevated elements include balconies, decks, walkways, staircases, landings, and cat walks. All railings and staircase contacts will also be inspected and deemed an exterior elevated element. External elevated elements are sometimes inspected by the use of bore scopes, dampness meters, and infra-red digital cameras. Exterior elevated elements have to be looked at for structural integrity and waterproofing integrity.

January 1st, 2025

All visual inspections per SB 326 has to be performed by the particular date of January 1, 2025.

Jan 1, 2025 is not really the deadline for repairs to get completed. If examinations arn't done by Jan 1, 2025, California could demand a fine until conformity is satisfied.

Waterproofing Elements

SB 326 calls for waterproofing elements be inspected on balconies. Waterproofing components contain a variety of items. Waterproofing components are flashings, sealants, Doorway pans, outdoor patios, coatings, deck waterproofing, post penetration sealing ect. Waterproofing elements are necessary to examine. Structural failure starts with unsuccessful waterproofing components. Waterproofing components fail, and moisture moves through to the deck structure, resulting in dried out decay. Waterproofing elements will almost always be suggested to get installed by a accredited specialized company that are experts in waterproofing elements.

Structural

Architectural reliability is essential to keeping residents safe on balconies. Architectural members include support joists, ledgers, sheeting, beams along with other blocking. Architectural integrity is affected when unintended water vapors transferred through the balconies waterproofing system and saturate the architectural components. Without having adequate air-flow these structural components keep wet for a extended time period. From the architectural components retaining water, this weakens the timber and it can be compromised. Without structural reliability the balcony is harmful for occupancy.

Balcony Law

In the state of CA, SB 326 is known as the Deck law. The deck law was created to always keep occupants of multi family associations, secure.

The balcony legislation is focused on condominium, associations, and apartment structures. The balcony law was turned into a civil code section 5551 state law. The balcony law pertains itself to external raised components. The deck legislation or SB 326 was authored by senator Hill in 2018 after having a balcony failure, in 2015, that resulted in fatalities of college students.