Access panels where anything needs reaching again
Why — act while you have leverage
Everything above a false ceiling — a valve, an AC drain, a junction — becomes unreachable the moment it is boarded. The panel costs a little now and a broken ceiling later.
What to look at
- A walk of the void with the electrician and plumber before boarding
- A panel under every valve, trap and junction box
- Panels positioned where a ladder actually fits
How to check it yourself
Before boarding, walk the ceiling void and list what will ever need reaching: drain traps, valves, junction boxes, AC filters and drain pans. Each gets an access panel in the ceiling below it. This decision cannot be revisited without cutting.
Where this comes from: NBC 2016 Part 8 — Building Services, maintainability of concealed services; established trade practice (established trade practice)
More false ceiling and ac ducting checks
- Photograph before this is covered
- Ceiling framework at the spacing the maker specifies