Alternate Screen Enclosure Design Rule Approved By Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Effective April 25, 2013

A Rule providing an alternate method for designing aluminum screen enclosures as defined by the Florida Building Code has been adopted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and becomes effective on April 25, 2013.  To access the complete Rule text, click here.

Entitled 61G20-1.002, “Alternative Design Method for Screen Enclosures,” the Rule implements an alternative screen enclosure design allowing for the removal of a section of the screen to accommodate high-wind events consistent with the provisions of the Florida Building Code.

Chapter 2012-13, Section 19, Laws of Florida, which mandated development of the Rule in 2012, also directed the Florida Building Commission to establish a Workgroup to assist the commission in developing  the Rule.  The proposed alternative ultimately adopted is a site-specific engineered design method that allows for cutting, retracting or removing of certain sections of the screen enclosure when winds are forecasted to exceed 75 mph.  The design is limited in scope to aluminum screen enclosures and provides for labeling and replacement criteria for the screen panels that are designed to be cut.

Various administrative technicalities delayed adoption of the Rule until now.

In creating the Rule, the Workgroup also was required to consider the following:

• A screen enclosure design using the alternative method that serves as a barrier that is required for a swimming pool and remains in place at the minimum height required for the barrier
• A screen enclosure design using clear, highly visible labels for panels that can be cut, retracted, or removed when winds are forecasted to exceed 75 mph
• A design for a screen that can be removed, cut, or retracted without the use of a ladder or scaffolding
• A requirement that the contractor provide replacement screen at the initial point of sale to repair the screen enclosure for designs that require cutting; and
• An alternative design for a screen enclosure that requires the contractor to provide notice to the homeowner and the local building department that the homeowner must cut, retract, or remove a panel or panels of the screen enclosure in accordance with engineering or manufacturer’s instructions when wind speeds are expected to exceed 75 mph.

Also mandated was the membership of the Workgroup, which comprised representatives from the screen enclosure manufacturing industry, a building products professional, aluminum contractor representatives, a building contractor, a structural engineer and representatives from the Florida Home Builders Association, Florida Swimming Pool Association, Building Officials Association of Florida.

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