As I re-enter the trade I am taking a close look at the changes made to the NEC in the past few cycles.
Ryan Jackson has some excellent YouTube videos that n the topic, including some be focused on accessible attics.
320.23 adds wire protection requirements based solely on whether the attic is accessed by a permanently installed ladder. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?
Except . . .
The house I own has an attic. There is a permanently installed folding ladder. The code seems to presume that the attic will be used for storage. I’d agree, save for two more details:
1) The pitch of the roof is so low that most can’t even sit in the hatch without bumping your head; and,
2) with the furnace closet right next to the attic hatch, the area around the opening is completely filled with ductwork and vent pipes. You’re not getting in that attic unless you’re a cat.
Therefore I maintain that the code has reached too far. What are your thoughts?
