Hatch

Revision as of 17:20, 26 July 2021

A hatch can be defined as an opening of a building that has been fitted with a cover that closes and opens. Generally, a hatch in a floor, wall or roof helps to enable the passage of people or goods from one level of a building to another. It may also be used to provide ventilation or control moisture and temperature in certain types of rooms.

Some hatches may be installed for inspection or access purposes. Inspection hatches may make it easier to diagnose and repair problems without cutting holes in walls, ceilings or floors.

A floor hatch is an opening that can make it easier to move heavy equipment in and out of rooms or basements.

A roof hatch is a term that is sometimes used to describe an opening that has been installed in a flat roof. These hatches can be pre-fabricated, assembled and put in place prior to the installation of the roof. A curb can also be used to allocate space for the roof hatch in advance. Waterproofing gaskets around the hatch can be used to protect against leaking.

Roof hatches tend to have the ability to accommodate some type of ladder, so maintenance crews can use the hatches to access rooftop mechanical equipment for servicing purposes. They may be equipped with smoke or fire safety devices to allow them to open if dangerous conditions occur.

In construction drawings, hatching styles are patterns used to act as symbols for the easy identification, rapid identification and location of different types of commonly used materials, objects and spaces.

See Standard hatching styles for drawings.

Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Basement.
• Crawl space.
• Dormer window.
• Flat roof.
• Floor insulation.
• Standard hatching styles for drawings.
• Ventilation.
• Wall hung toilets.