A. Natural Light In Habitable Rooms:
1. Every habitable room shall have at least one window facing directly to the outdoors to provide natural light. The minimum total window area shall equal one-twentieth (1/20) or more of the floor area of the room, with a minimum of three and one-half (31/2) square feet. Special purpose rooms such as home theaters and film processing rooms shall not be subject to this requirement. Kitchens may be provided with artificial light, which shall be a minimum of 1.5 watts incandescent or 0.8 watts fluorescent per square foot of the room.
2. The glazed area of an exterior door may be used for purposes of computing window size for natural light.
3. For the purpose of meeting light or ventilation requirements, as well as emergency egress, a room may be considered as a portion of an adjoining room when one-half (1/2) of the area of the common wall is open and unobstructed and provides an opening of not less than one-tenth (1/10) of the floor area of the interior room or twenty five (25) square feet, whichever is greater.
B. Ventilation:
1. Habitable Rooms:
a. Except as provided in subsection B1b of this section, all habitable rooms shall be provided with natural ventilation by means of openings to the exterior which have the capability of being closed to the weather. Total openings shall have an area at least one-twentieth (1/20) of the floor area of the room or three and one-half (31/2) square feet, whichever is greater.
b. A mechanical ventilation system shall be allowed in lieu of openings for natural ventilation. Such system shall create a positive pressure in the room and the air intake shall be connected directly to the outside and be capable of two (2) air exchanges per hour. In kitchens, the ventilation system may create negative pressure. The air intake/exhaust source shall be located at least three feet (3') above any opening which is within ten feet (10') of the air intake/exhaust.
c. Exterior doors may be used to meet natural ventilation requirements.
2. Bathrooms, Laundry Rooms, And Other Nonhabitable Areas:
a. Except as provided in subsection B2b of this section, all bathrooms and laundry rooms shall be provided with natural ventilation by means of openings to the exterior which have the capability of being closed to the weather. Such openings shall have a total area not less than one-twentieth (1/20) of the floor area of the room, with a minimum of one and one-half (11/2) square feet.
b. A mechanical exhaust system connected directly to the outside shall be allowed in lieu of natural ventilation. The system shall be capable of providing five (5) air exchanges per hour. The exhaust air shall discharge at least three feet (3') above or ten feet (10') away from any air intake source. Toilet rooms may be ventilated with an approved recirculation fan or similar device designed to remove odors from the air.
c. Mechanical or convection venting of bathrooms into the attic shall be acceptable. Recirculating fans may be used in toilet rooms only. Bathrooms with tubs or showers shall have a convection or mechanical exhaust system.
d. Bathrooms constructed prior to 1970, which are vented with convection vent openings extending to the outside shall meet the ventilation requirement as long as the walls, ceiling and floor are not adversely affected by moisture. (Ord. 74-98 § 14, 1998: Ord. 68-96 § 1, 1996: Ord. 55-95 § 4 (Exh. A), 1995)