Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 21May 09, 2009 8:53 pm In a storage area just off the kitchen - underneath the highest part of the roof Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 23May 09, 2009 8:58 pm ours is in the laundry. It is a bit fiddly to get a ladder in there cause it has to be a full on ladder, our step ladders don't reach up high enough, so wherever it would be would be fiddly. I'm happy enough with it in the laundry, is pretty central. (says she who never has to get up in the roof ) "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 24May 09, 2009 9:04 pm Gawd, I never plan to open mine, who cares where it is I really don't want to know what could be up there... 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 25May 09, 2009 9:29 pm I have been searching all over the plans looking for MH and was worried that I may have signed off on plans that didn't include one...Then I found RA for roof access I hope that is what it stands for and it is located in the laundry. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 26May 09, 2009 9:30 pm wakeboardandy Our current town house it is in the garage but it is floorboards so heater unit isn't in the roof. Our new house is on slab, so I think they need to put the manhole near the heater unit. Do you mean near the HWS? Perhaps this applied to old houses where the old HWS's were in the roof - but none of them are like that anymore. Your HWS in your new house is attached to an external wall isn't it? this is always the case in SA now. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 27May 09, 2009 10:04 pm Our last home we built 8yrs ago and this home we are building now both were in garage. The rental we are in now it is in the WIR but that is because it is a two storey home. Some things are worth waiting for. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 28May 09, 2009 11:09 pm Helyn Do you mean near the HWS? Perhaps this applied to old houses where the old HWS's were in the roof - but none of them are like that anymore. Your HWS in your new house is attached to an external wall isn't it? this is always the case in SA now. No, I'm talking about gas ducted heating. It is a legal requirement (not sure if it is just a victorian thing) but you need to have a platform from the manhole to the heater unit to allow easy access. I think also you need a light up there as well. So that is why they normally put the manhole near the heater unit if you have one. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 29May 10, 2009 1:00 am Ours is in the hallway near the kids activity. I never thought about puting it anywhere else, but I think the garage is a really good place for it. Sonya Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 30May 10, 2009 9:04 am The standard one for my house was in the WIR but I added a second double size one in the garage to make it easier for the aircon guys to get in to install the ducting etc. Will also come in handy for extra storage above the garage. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 31May 10, 2009 9:12 am We have one in the garage, and a second in the hallway by the laundry. Neither are very noticeable IMO and it allows easy access if and when I decide I need to play. I.e. make some changes to things, which is not very often these days. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 32May 10, 2009 9:13 am I'm hoping someone can confirm or deny this. I've noticed quite a few people talking about storing things up through their manhole, especially in the garage with those drop down ladder thingys. I was also considering doing this. BUT I was told that if you store things in your roof and a truss fails, the truss company and the builder may not take any responsibility because the trusses were not engineered to take the extra load. (Even though that extra load may be very, very minimal.) By storing things up there, you may be effectively voiding the warranty. IS THIS TRUE??? (I have also noticed that if you add evap or air con etc, it always notes an upgrade of the trusses where it will be placed.... so it's kind of sounding like it might be true to me. ) I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 33May 10, 2009 9:37 am wakeboardandy It is a legal requirement (not sure if it is just a victorian thing) but you need to have a platform from the manhole to the heater unit to allow easy access. I think also you need a light up there as well. So that is why they normally put the manhole near the heater unit if you have one. It probably is a legal requirement - we definitely have a platform and a light right next to the manhole, which is where the heating unit is. The light was a nice surprise, when my husband had to get up in the roof to do something or other. Jo, I have no idea about warranties, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if you're right... Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 34May 10, 2009 11:29 am joles I'm hoping someone can confirm or deny this. I've noticed quite a few people talking about storing things up through their manhole, especially in the garage with those drop down ladder thingys. I was also considering doing this. BUT I was told that if you store things in your roof and a truss fails, the truss company and the builder may not take any responsibility because the trusses were not engineered to take the extra load. (Even though that extra load may be very, very minimal.) By storing things up there, you may be effectively voiding the warranty. IS THIS TRUE??? (I have also noticed that if you add evap or air con etc, it always notes an upgrade of the trusses where it will be placed.... so it's kind of sounding like it might be true to me. ) I'm sure it would complicate the claim process because the truss company and builder could easily argue about why the acceptable load levels were exceded. Sounds like a complication that's not worth the risk for some additional storage. If you do want extra storage space up there you can get the trusses strengthened and a storage area put in - and then the builder of that will cover you against any problems caused by the additional storage. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 35May 10, 2009 11:49 am wakeboardandy Helyn Do you mean near the HWS? Perhaps this applied to old houses where the old HWS's were in the roof - but none of them are like that anymore. Your HWS in your new house is attached to an external wall isn't it? this is always the case in SA now. No, I'm talking about gas ducted heating. It is a legal requirement (not sure if it is just a victorian thing) but you need to have a platform from the manhole to the heater unit to allow easy access. I think also you need a light up there as well. So that is why they normally put the manhole near the heater unit if you have one. Correct. As far as I know anyway. We have a sheet of chipboard laid down from the manhole to the heater unit and the power point that the heater plugs into also has a light switch on it which is easily reached from the manhole. I think most people will naturally try and justify why the locations of their manholes is better than others, even if they had no choice. To us the WIR is ideal because the room is big enough to set up a step ladder, it is close to the front door so tradies don't have to trudge through the house or a dusty/muddy yard, and the tiny amount of carpet between the front door and the WIR is easily covered by a single dropsheet. Geoff - Decophile. Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 36May 10, 2009 11:56 am Well our plans show the man hole in the walk in linen cupboard - but they have actually put it in the powder room... Starting to think that we may want this changed - need to get in again to see how it impacts on where the light is in that room. Didn't think to look last time we were in. This may be something we ask to have changed before handover. Need to get inside again though to decide. One thing with MH in the garage - I remember when we were planning to build with M we asked for the MH to be moved to there and they wouldn't as said it made the house less secure as someone could more easily break into a garage and then up into the roof. That could have just been them not wanting to change things though! Jo Settled In - Home Search and Relocation Services - http://www.settledin.com.au http://www.movingbacktotassie.blogspot.com/ viewtopic.php?t=9571 Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 37May 10, 2009 11:58 am doghouse One thing with MH in the garage - I remember when we were planning to build with M we asked for the MH to be moved to there and they wouldn't as said it made the house less secure as someone could more easily break into a garage and then up into the roof. We were thinking that when we had ours moved to inside the house Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 38May 10, 2009 2:34 pm sorry, wba and others - I know nothing about gas heating units. I was thinking of those very old HWS's that used to go in the ceiling space. Carry on; just ignore me please Re: Where is your man-hole (person hole)? 40May 10, 2009 3:27 pm That's not the case with all homes though can’t tell from the photo, a tie down rod will be 12mm, is it a steel beam? he should be able to work it out 1 4463 Thanks for your advice. So far i have not noticed any issues with doors and windows. Builder advised they will organise drainers to inspect 2 weeks ago but no further… 7 18804 Thanks mate. Yeah good points! Leaning towards Option 3 to get a bit extra space in the cabinets but not going too crazy high (and expensive). Would require a mini… 13 39724 |