Balcony and roof railings and the code: Maintain, repair, or replace? [AIA course]

While state and local building, fire, and occupational safety codes have the effect of making roofs, balconies, and terraces more secure for users, the tangled web of requirements can wreak havoc with a building owner’s exterior envelope project. 

Where existing railings—also known as guards—need replacement to meet stringent code requirements, the expense of thousands of linear feet of new railings can be an unexpected blow to a project budget.