Home Inspection FYI

Providing Help, Knowledge and Other Useful Information To Home Owners Everywhere

Home Inspection FYI - Providing Help, Knowledge and Other Useful Information To Home Owners Everywhere

Tag Archives: Code

Bedrooms That Really Aren’t Supposed to Be Bedrooms

Bedrooms or any room for that matter, must conform to specific requirements in order for it to be considered a bedroom or sleeping room. The reason for this law is that the inhabitant must be able to quickly escape in case of fire or another emergency.

Why would a homeowner use non-conforming rooms as a bedrooms?
non window in bedrooms 300x225 Bedrooms That Really Arent Supposed To Be Bedrooms  Some of the reasons include:

  • to earn money from it as a rental. While they run the risk of being discovered by the city, landlords will profit by renting out rooms that are not legally bedrooms;
  • to increase the value of the home. All other considerations being equal, a four-bedroom house will usually sell for more than a three-bedroom house; and
  • lack of knowledge of code requirements. To the untrained eye, there is little obvious difference between conforming bedrooms and non-conforming bedrooms. When an emergency happens, however, the difference will be more apparent.

Homeowners run serious risks when they using a non-conforming rooms as a bedrooms. An embittered tenant, for instance, may bring their landlord to court, especially if the tenant was forced out when faux bedrooms are exposed. Landlords, upon being exposed, might choose to adjust the bedrooms to make them code-compliant, but this can cost thousands of dollars. Landlords can also be sued if they sell the home after having advertised it as having more bedrooms than it actually has. And the owner might pay more than they should be paying in property tax if they incorrectly list a non-conforming bedroom as a bedroom. Perhaps the greatest risk posed by rooms that unlawfully serve as bedrooms stems from the reason these laws exist in the first place:  rooms lacking egress can be deadly in case of an emergency. Unfortunately in many cases people have been killed by a blaze when they had no easy escape.

The following requirements are taken from the 2006 International Residential Code (IRC), and they can be used as a general guide, but bear in mind that the local municipality determines the legal definition of bedrooms. Such local regulations can vary widely among municipalities, and what qualifies as a bedroom in one city might be more properly called a den in a nearby city. In some municipalities, the room must be above grade, be equipped with an AFCI or smoke alarm to be considered conforming bedrooms, for instance. Ceiling height and natural lighting might also be factors. The issue can be extremely complex, so it’s best to learn the code requirements for your area. Nevertheless, the IRC can be useful, and it reads as follows:

  • EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESCUE REQUIRED SECTION: R 310.1 Basements and every sleeping room shall have at least one operable emergency and rescue opening. Such opening shall open directly into a public street, public alley, yard or court. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency egress and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided, they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches (1,118mm) above the floor. Where a door opening having a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead enclosure shall comply with SECTION R310.3. The net clear opening dimensions required by this section shall be obtained by the normal operation of the emergency escape and rescue opening from the inside. Emergency escape and rescue openings with a finished sill height below the adjacent ground elevation shall be provided with a window well, in accordance with SECTION R310.2.  
    • MINIMUM OPENING AREA: SECTION: R 310.1.1 All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet (0.530 m2). Exception: Grade floor openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5 square feet (0.465 m2).
    • MINIMUM OPENING HEIGHT: R 310.1.2 The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches (610mm).
    • MINIMUM OPENING WIDTH: R 310.1.3 The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches (508mm).
    • OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS: R 310.1.4 Emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys or tools or special knowledge.
  • WINDOW WELLS: SECTION: R310.2 The minimum horizontal area of the window well shall be 9 square feet (0.9 m2), with a minimum horizontal projection and width of 36 inches (914mm). The area of the window well shall allow the emergency escape and rescue opening to be fully opened. Exception: The ladder or steps required by SECTION R 310.2.1 shall be permitted to encroach a maximum of 6 inches (152mm) into the required dimensions of the window well.
  • LADDER AND STEPS: SECTION: R 310.2.1 Window wells with a vertical depth greater than 44 inches (1,118mm) shall be equipped with a permanently affixed ladder or steps usable with the window in the fully open position. Ladders or steps required by this section shall not be required to comply with SECTIONS R311.5 and R311.6. Ladders or rungs shall have an inside width of at least 12 inches (305 mm), shall project at least 3 inches (76mm) from the wall, and shall be spaced not more than 18 inches (457mm) on-center vertically for the full height of the window well.
  • BULKHEAD ENCLOSURES: SECTION: R 310.3 Bulkhead enclosures shall provide direct access to the basement. The bulkhead enclosure with the door panels in the fully open position shall provide the minimum net clear opening required by SECTION R 310.1.1. Bulkhead enclosures shall also comply with SECTION R 311.5.8.2.
  • BARS, GRILLS, COVERS, AND SCREENS: SECTION: R 310.3 Bars, grilles, covers, screens or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings, bulkhead enclosures, or window wells that serve such openings, provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with SECTIONS R 310.1.1 to R 310.1.3, and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool, special knowledge, or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.
  • EMERGENCY ESCAPE WINDOWS UNDER DECKS AND PORCHES: SECTION: R 310.5 Emergency escape windows are allowed to be installed under decks and porches, provided the location of the deck allows the emergency escape window to be fully opened and provides a path not less than 36 inches (914 mm) in height to a yard or court.

Non-conforming bedrooms are rooms that unlawfully serve as bedrooms, as the occupant would lack an easy escape in case of emergency.

Non conforming bedrooms

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Defects in Older Buildings

Defects in older buildings. While you can’t predict the lurking dangers or defects in an unfamiliar home, its age offers clues about what you can expect to encounter. Older homes, especially those that have remained in the same hands for much (or all) of their lifetime, are often plagued by a common set of defects that potential home buyers may want to learn about.

Some of the more prevalent issues and defects of older homes are as follows.

  • Defects with Lead Paint. Lead is a toxic metal that was once commonly used in the manufacture of household paint and plumbing fixtures, and as an additive to gasoline. While it has long been prohibited in new construction, lead-based paint and plumbing that weren’t removed remain serious defects and may present a significant health hazard. Homes constructed prior to 1978 may contain lead paint, which
    housing news 300x171 Defects in Older Buildings can be ingested by small children or contaminate surrounding soil and vegetable gardens. The defects are  easily identifiable by its alligator-like flaking pattern. Lead pipes, too, were used in homes up until the late 1940s, and they may allow lead to leach into drinking water. These defects can be identified by their dull gray color and the ease by which they can be scratched by keys or coins.
  • Asbestos insulation defects. This insulation can increase the chances of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma and was used in homes between 1930 and 1950. Asbestos insulation should be left undisturbed until it can be removed by a qualified professional, as its fibers can be inhaled when they are airborne, creating a significant health hazard.
  • Older homes were not constructed to meet modern energy efficiency requirements. They may suffer thermal losses from single-pane windows, defects such as insufficient or compressed insulation, leaking duct-work, and inefficient heaters and other appliances. It should be noted, however, that older homes better capitalize on natural sources of lighting, heating and ventilation through the use of design features such as exterior shutters, shade trees, and thick, heat-retaining masonry walls.
  • Buried oil tanks were often abandoned and forgotten after homes switched to newer fuel sources. Today, these tanks pose a safety hazard to homeowners and their neighbors, as their contents may leak into surrounding soil. Disposal guidelines vary and may call for removal of the tank or filling it with sand or gravel. Soil testing may be required to investigate whether an abandoned fuel tank has leaked underground.
  • Defects with obsolete electrical componentspose a fire and safety hazard, such as:
    • Defects with aluminum wiring. From about 1965 to 1973, single-strand aluminum wiring was sometimes used in place of copper branch-circuit wiring inwelldeep Defects in Older Buildings residential electrical systems due to the escalating price of copper. After a decade of use by homeowners and electricians, weaknesses were discovered in the metal, which led to its disuse as a branch wiring material. Although properly maintained aluminum wiring is acceptable, aluminum will generally become defective faster than copper due to certain qualities inherent in the metal. It can be identified by its color or the labels “CO/ALR,” “aluminum” and “AL”;
    • Defects with knob-and-tube (K&T) wiring.  This was an early standardized method of electrical wiring in buildings from about 1880 to the 1940s. While codes do not require its removal, K&T wiring often suffers from unsafe modifications, old age, overheating, and lack of a ground wire. It can be identified by its characteristic porcelain insulating tubes;
    • Defgects due to a lack of ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Homes built before the 1970s may not have been equipped with GFCI protection, which guards against overloads, short circuits and ground faults; and
    • Defects due to a lack of grounded receptacles, which provide a safe path to ground for stray electrical current. Most major appliances, such as stoves, refrigerators and computers, have three-prong plugs and require three-slot or grounded receptacles. Homes in the U.S. built before 1962 were not constructed with three-slot receptacles.
  • Defects with wells, cesspools and septic tanks are common. They were used before homes and buildings were connected to public sewer and water systems. If they were abandoned and not removed, these elements pose hazards related to their deterioration and collapse.
  • Radon is a naturally occurring gas that has been identified as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It usually enters the home through cracks in the foundation, a common problem found in vintage construction. Radon cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, so concerned homeowners should consult with their InterNACHI inspector about radon testing during their next scheduled inspection.

 

Older construction often suffers from predictable defects and obsolete components. Homeowners may want to enlist the help of their inspector to explore essential upgrades that will eliminate health and safety hazards in their homes.  Inspectors may want to present their clients with

Estimated Life Expectancy Chart.

 

Defects and More Information About Them

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Installing Outside Electrical Receptacles FYI

Electrical Recepticle Installing Outside Electrical Receptacles FYILocations of Outdoor Electrical Receptacles

Electrical Code(NEC) describes two requirements for locations of outdoor electrical receptacles in one- and two-family dwellings. The previous edition (2005) includes only one of these requirements, and inspectors should be aware of this change and understand the reason it was made. The NEC also describes how to achieve adequate weather protection for exterior electrical receptacles. For instance, are exterior electrical receptacle required at decks?

 
Two Requirements for Locations of Outdoor Electrical Receptacles:

1.  As of 2005, the NEC required at least one outdoor electrical receptacle in the front and in the rear of the house, not more than 6½ feet from the ground.

2.  As of 2008, the NEC added the following requirement:

Balconies, decks and porches that are accessible from inside the dwelling unit shall have at least one receptacle outlet installed within the perimeter of the balcony, deck or porch. The receptacle shall not be located more than 6½ feet (2m) above the balcony, deck or porch surface.

The code offers the following exception to this rule:

Balconies, decks or porches with a usable area of less than 20 square feet (1.86 m2) are not required to have a receptacle installed.

Clarifications:

  • The 2008 requirement is a supplement, not a replacement, to the requirements in effect in 2005. The 2008 NEC lists them both.
  • The newer requirement does not necessarily require installation of additional receptacles in new construction. Depending on the location of the balcony, deck or porch, a single receptacle may comply with both requirements.
  • InterNACHI inspectors should not call out the lack of exterior receptacles as a defect in houses that were built before the code was enacted.  Inspectors can recommend that receptacles be installed as a safety measure.

 

Reason for the 2008 Code Supplement:

Extension cords are likely to be used to run appliances on large balconies, decks and porches (greater than 20 feet square) if electrical receptacles are not installed at these locations. Extension cords can be dangerous, especially if used outdoors and in wet conditions. The dangers associated with extension cords are…

  • structure fires. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that extension cords cause 3,300 electrical fires every year in the United States. Common problems with extension cords that can lead to fires include:
    1. overloading. This can occur when the wire gauge is not sufficient to carry the electrical load; and
    2. short circuits. These occur where the current deviates from its intended path. For instance, if an extension cord becomes frayed, the hot and neutral wires may touch each other and the current would run down the wrong path.
  • electrical burns and shocks. These are commonly caused by using old or damaged extension cords with broken or frayed insulation. The insulative sheathing in extension cords may tear away and expose the live wires. Ultraviolet (UV) light, to which extension
    cords are exposed when they are used outdoors, can hasten this process.
  • tripping. Roughly half of the 4,000 injuries caused by extension cords annually in the U.S. are due to lacerations, sprains and contusions from tripping on the cords themselves.

Moisture Protection for Exterior Electrical Receptacles

  • The receptacle’s faceplate must rest securely on the supporting surface to prevent moisture from entering the enclosure. If the electrical receptacles installed on uneven surfaces, such as stucco, stone or brick, a caulking compound can be used to fill in gaps.
  • GFCI protection is required for all exterior receptacles, with the exception of this rare instance, as described by the NEC:

GFCI protection isn’t required for a fixed electric receptacle supplied by a dedicated branch circuit, if the receptacle isn’t readily accessible and the equipment or receptacle has ground-fault protection of equipment.

FINAL FYI, a recent supplement to the NEC’s requirement for the locations of outdoor electrical receptacles has been added to mitigate the dangers arising from the use of extension cords. Inspectors should note missing deck electrical receptacles as safety issues.

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