A mother-in-law apartment built above a garage should be inspected for what type of adjoining walls, ceilings, and floors?

When inspecting a mother-in-law apartment built above a garage, it's essential to focus on fire-rated walls, ceilings, and floors. This is primarily due to safety concerns related to fire exposure and the potential for rapid spread of flames and smoke. The garage contains vehicles and other items that can easily ignite, posing a fire hazard to any living spaces above.

Fire-rated assemblies are specifically designed to resist the passage of fire and help protect the occupants in the event of a fire originating from the garage. Building codes often require these fire-rated materials to be used in situations where living spaces and potential fire hazards are adjacent. This ensures a greater level of safety for residents by providing enough time for evacuation and reducing the overall risk of fire spreading to the living space above.

While soundproofing, structural integrity, and moisture resistance are important aspects to consider in any living space, they are secondary to the critical need for fire protection in this scenario. Addressing fire safety in the design and construction of such spaces is a foremost priority, making the focus on fire-rated components essential during the inspection.