(a) Window Areas. Every habitable room shall have at least one window or ventilating skylight facing directly to the outdoors. The minimum total window area, measured between stops, for every habitable room shall be 8% of the floor area of the room. Whenever walls or other portions of structures face a window of any such room and these light obstruction structures are located less than four feet from the window and extend to a level above that of the ceiling of the room, the window shall not be deemed to face directly to the outdoors and shall not be included as contributing to the required minimum total window area. Whenever the only window in the room is a skylight window in the ceiling of the room, the total window area of the skylight shall equal at least 8% of the total floor area of the room.
(b) Ventilation. Every habitable room shall have at least one window or skylight which can easily be opened or such other device as will adequately ventilate the room. The total of openable window area in every habitable room shall be equal to at least 45% of the minimum window area size or minimum skylight window size, as required in subsection (a) hereof, except where there is supplied some other device affording adequate ventilation according to standards approved by the Housing Code Compliance Officer.
(c) Bathroom Ventilation. Every bathroom and water closet compartment shall comply with the light and ventilation requirements for habitable rooms contained in subsections (a) and (b) hereof, except that no window or skylight shall be required in bathrooms and water closet compartments equipped with a ventilation system kept in operation and complying with standards approved by the Housing Code Compliance Officer.
(d) Electric Requirements. Where there is electric service available from power lines, every habitable room shall contain at least two separate wall-type electric outlets and such additional outlets as may be necessary to supply appliances used therein. Multiple converter plugs permitting two or more appliances to be plugged into the same outlet shall not be used. At least one receptacle of the grounding type shall be installed for connection of laundry appliances. Receptacles installed in or on open porches, breezeways, garages, and the like, which may supply electricity to equipment to be used by persons standing on the ground, shall be of the grounding type. Every water closet compartment, bathroom, laundry room, furnace room, and public hall shall contain at least one supplied ceiling or wall-type electric light fixture. Every water closet compartment and bathroom shall contain at least one supplied outlet. All wiring systems, outlets and fixtures shall be properly installed, shall be maintained in good and safe working condition, and shall be connected to the source of electric power in a safe approved manner.
(e) Heating Facilities.
(1) Every dwelling unit shall be provided with approved heating facilities capable of maintaining an average temperature of 65°F. in all habitable rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and water closet compartments when the outdoor temperature is -5°F., without forcing the facilities to operate in excess of their design capacity.
(2) A. The owner or operator in charge of a dwelling, who rents or leases any dwelling unit therein under an agreement, express or implied, to supply or furnish heat to the occupants thereof, shall supply heat adequate to maintain an inside temperature of not less than 65°F. for each hour of the entire 24-hour period of each day in all habitable rooms, bathrooms, water closet compartments, and kitchens, whenever the outside temperature falls below 50°F. The inside temperature shall be measured in the approximate center of each room, approximately three feet above the floor, with the following exceptions:
B. The requirements of this section do not apply to any lobby, corridor, stairway, or other similar area, nor to any room or suite of rooms not occupied by guests or tenants for pay, nor to any room or suite of rooms provided with a separate heating plant under the care and control of the tenant or occupant thereof.
(f) Lighting of Halls and Stairways. All common halls and stairways in all multiple dwellings containing more than two dwelling units shall be adequately lighted at all times.
(g) Screening. During that portion of each year when protection is necessary against mosquitoes, flies, or other insects, all doorways opening directly from a dwelling unit to outdoor space shall be supplied with screens and self-closing devices, and all windows or other devices with openings to outdoor space, used, intended to be used or designed to be used for ventilation, shall also be supplied with screens.
(h) Rodent Protection. Every basement or cellar window, used, intended to be used or designed to be used for ventilation, and every other opening which might provide an entry for rodents, shall be supplied with a screen or such other device as will effectively prevent entry by rodents into the building.
(Ord. 04-063. Passed 1-26-04.)