Building Code Glossary
Draft Curtain: Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define draft curtain, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Draft curtain is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in High-piled Combustible Storage. The code's own words are: “A structure arranged to limit the spread of smoke and heat along the underside of the ceiling or roof.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IFC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 7 chapters of this corpus, most often in Fire Protection Systems (IFC 2009), Fire Protection Systems (IBC 2009), Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Draft Curtain — IFC 2009, High-piled Combustible Storage:
A structure arranged to limit the spread of smoke and heat along the underside of the ceiling or roof.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Draft Curtain is defined once in this corpus, in the High-piled Combustible Storage chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
A structure arranged to limit the spread of smoke and heat along the underside of the ceiling or roof.
Where draft curtain is used in the code
The term appears in 7 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Protection Systems | IFC 2009 | 20 |
| Fire Protection Systems | IBC 2009 | 19 |
| Fire and Smoke Protection Features | IBC 2009 | 4 |
| Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| High-piled Combustible Storage | IFC 2009 | 3 |
| Aerosols | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about draft curtain, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Vents shall be uniformly located within the roof in the areas of the building where the vents are required to be installed by Section 910.2, with consideration given to roof pitch, draft curtain location, sprinkler location and structural members.
Escalators creating vertical openings connecting any number of stories shall be protected by either I-hour fire-resistance-rated construction or an automatic fire sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 installed throughout the building, with a draft curtain and closely spaced sprinklers around the escalator opening.
The terms draft curtain is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what draft curtain covers:
- Structure — IPC 2009: That which is built or constructed or a portion thereof.
Draft Curtain: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IFC | High-piled Combustible Storage | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fire Protection Systems (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fire Protection Systems (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Structure | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Structure: Building Code Definition
- High-piled Combustible Storage: Building Code Definition
- Commodity: Building Code Definition
- Early Suppression Fast-response (ESFR) Sprinkler: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of draft curtain?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in High-piled Combustible Storage as: “A structure arranged to limit the spread of smoke and heat along the underside of the ceiling or roof.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on draft curtain?
In this corpus the term is used across 7 chapters, led by Fire Protection Systems in the IFC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is a draft curtain?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IFC 2009 states, in High-piled Combustible Storage: “A structure arranged to limit the spread of smoke and heat along the underside of the ceiling or roof.” It is defined in IFC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
What are the building code requirements for draft curtains?
Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” That is not the same as draft curtain, which the IFC 2009 defines as “A structure arranged to limit the spread of smoke and heat along the underside of the ceiling or roof.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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