No person shall occupy as owner, occupant or let to another for occupancy any dwelling or dwelling unit, for the purpose of living therein, which does not comply with the following requirements.
(A) Every foundation, roof, floor, exterior and interior wall, ceiling, inside and outside stair, every porch, and every appurtenance thereto, shall be safe to use and capable of supporting the loads that normal use may cause to be placed thereon; and shall be kept in sound condition and good repair. Every inside and outside stair or step shall have uniform risers and uniform treads.
(B) Every foundation, roof and exterior wall, door, skylight and window shall be reasonably weather-tight, water-tight and damp-free, and shall be kept in sound condition and good repair. Floors, interior walls and ceilings shall be sound and in good repair. All exterior wood surfaces, other than decay resistant woods, shall be protected from the elements and decay by paint which is not lead-based paint or by other protective covering or treatment. Walls shall be capable of affording privacy for the occupants.
(C) Every premises shall be graded, drained, free of standing water and maintained in a clean, sanitary and safe condition.
(D) Unless other provisions are made, gutters, leaders and down-spouts shall be provided and maintained in good working condition so as to provide proper drainage of storm water.
(E) Every window, exterior door and hatchway or similar device shall be constructed to exclude insects during that portion of the year when there is a need for protection against mosquitoes, files and flying insects.
(1) Every doorway used for ventilation and opening directly from a dwelling unit to outside space shall have supplied properly fitting screens with a self-closing device.
(2) Every window or other device with openings to outdoor space, used for ventilation, shall be supplied with screens: except that such screens shall not be required in rooms deemed by the Health Officer to be located high enough as to be free from the insects and/or in rooms located in areas of Boone County which are deemed by the Health Officer to have so few insects as to render screens unnecessary.
(F) Every dwelling, multiple dwelling, rooming house or accessory structure and the premises on which located shall be maintained in a rat-free and ratproof condition.
(1) All openings in the exterior walls, foundations, basements, ground and first floors and roofs which have 1/2-inch diameter or more opening shall be ratproofed in an approved manner if they are within 48 inches of the existing exterior ground level immediately below the openings, or if they may be reached by rats from the ground by climbing unguarded pipes, wires, cornices, stairs, roofs and other items such as trees or vines or by burrowing.
(2) All windows located at or near ground level used or intended to be used for ventilation, all other openings located at or near ground level, and all exterior doorways which might provide an entry for rats, shall be supplied with adequate screens or such other devices as will effectively prevent the entrance of rats into the structure.
(3) All sewers, pipes, drains or conduits and openings around the pipes and conduits shall be constructed to prevent the ingress or egress of rats to or from a building.
(4) Interior floors of basements, cellars and other areas in contact with the soil shall be rat-proofed in a mariner approved by the Health Officer.
(5) Any materials used for rat-proofing shall be acceptable to the Health Officer.
(G) All fences shall be maintained in good condition and shall not create a harborage for rats. Wood materials shall be protected against decay by use of paint which is not read-based paint or by other preservative material.
(H) Accessory structures present or provided by the owner, agent or occupant on the premises of a dwelling shall be structurally sound, and be maintained in good repair and free of insects and rats. The exterior of the structures shall be made weather resistant through the use of decay-resistant materials or the use of lead-free paint or other preservatives.
(I) Every plumbing fixture and all water and waste pipes shall be properly installed and maintained in good sanitary working condition, free from defects, leaks and obstructions.
(J) Every water closet compartment, bathroom and kitchen floor surface shall be constructed and maintained so as to be reasonable impervious to water and so as to permit the floor to be easily kept in a clean and sanitary condition.
(K) Every plumbing fixture and pipe, every chimney, flue and smoke pipe, and every other facility, piece of equipment or utility which is present in a dwelling or dwelling unit, or which is required under this chapter, shall be constructed and installed in conformance with the appropriate statutes, ordinances and regulations of Boone County and the State of Indiana and shall be maintained in a safe and satisfactory working condition.
(L) No owner, operator or occupant shall cause any service, facility, equipment or utility which is required under this chapter to be removed from or shut off from or discontinued for any occupied dwelling or dwelling unit let or occupied by him or her; except for the temporary interruption as may be necessary while actual repairs or alterations are in process, or during temporary emergencies when discontinuance of service is approved by the Health Officer.
(Ord. 91-4, passed 7-15-1991) Penalty, see § 10.99