(A) General. The interior of a structure and equipment therein shall be maintained in good repair, structurally sound and in a sanitary condition. Occupants shall keep that part of the structure which they occupy or control in a clean and sanitary condition. Every owner of a structure containing a rooming house, housekeeping units, a hotel, a dormitory, two or more dwelling units or two or more nonresidential occupancies, shall maintain, in a clean and sanitary condition, the shared or public areas of the structure and exterior property.
(a) The nominal strength of any structural member is exceeded by nominal loads, the load effects or the required strength;
(b) The anchorage of the floor or roof to walls or columns, and of walls and columns to foundations is not capable of resisting all nominal loads and loads effects;
(c) Structures or components thereof that have reached their limit state;
(d) Structural members are incapable of supporting nominal loads and load effects;
(e) Stairs, landings, balconies and all similar walking surfaces, including guards and handrails, are not structurally sound, not properly anchored or are anchored with connections not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects;
(f) Foundation systems that are not firmly supported by footings are not plumb and free from open cracks and breaks, are not properly anchored or are not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects.
(2) Exceptions.
(a) When substantiated otherwise by an approved method.
(b) Demolition of unsafe conditions shall be permitted when approved by the code official.
(B) Structure members. All structural members shall be maintained structurally sound, and be capable of supporting the imposed loads.
(C) Interior surfaces. All interior surfaces, including window and doors, shall be maintained in good, clean and sanitary condition. Peeling, chipping, flaking or abraded paint shall be repaired, removed or covered. Cracked or loose plaster, decayed wood and other defective surface conditions shall be corrected.
(D) Stairs and walking surfaces. Every stair, ramp, landing, balcony, porch, deck or other walking surface shall be maintained in sound condition and good repair.
(E) Open risers. Open risers are permitted provided that the opening between treads does not permit the passage of a four-inch-diameter (102 mm) sphere. (IRC R311.7.5.1)
(F) Under-stair protection. Enclosed accessible space under-stairs shall have walls, under-stair surface and any soffits protected on the enclosed side with one-half-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board. (IRC R302.7)
(G) Handrails and guards. Every handrail and guard shall be firmly fastened and capable of supporting normally imposed loads and shall be maintained in sound condition and good repair. Handrails shall be provided on at least one side of each continuous run of treads or flight with four or more risers. (IRC R311.7.8)
(H) Opening limitations. Required guards shall not have openings from the walking surface to the required guard height which allow passage of a sphere four inches (102 mm) in diameter. (IRC R312.1.3)
(I) Interior doors. Every interior door shall fit reasonably well within its s frame and shall be capable of being opened and closed by being properly and securely attached to jambs, headers or tracks as intended by the manufacturer of the attachment hardware.
(J) Dwelling/garage opening penetration protection. Openings and penetrations through the walls or ceilings separating the dwelling from the garage shall be in accordance with division (J)(1) through (J)(3) below. (IRC R302.5)
(1) Opening protection. Openings from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping purposes shall not be permitted. Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than one and three-eighths-inches (35 mm) thick, or 20-minute fire-rated doors, equipped with a self-closing device.
(2) Duct penetration. Ducts in the garage and ducts penetrating the walls or ceiling separating the dwelling from the garage shall be constructed of a minimum No. 26 gage (0.48 mm) sheet steel or other approved material and shall have no openings into the garage. (IRC R302.5.2)
(3) Other penetrations.
(a) Penetrations through the separation required in division (K) below shall be protected as required by division (J)(3)(b) below. (IRC R302.5.3)
(b) At opening around vents, pipes, ducts, cables and wires at ceiling and floor level, with an approved material to resist the free passage of flame and products of combustion. The material filling this annular space shall not be required to meet the ASTM E 136 requirements. (IRC R302.11 item 4)
(K) Garage ceiling.
(1) Fire-rated sheathing for garage ceiling beneath habitable rooms shall be installed in accordance with the 2015 International Residential Code.
(2) Exception. Not required where an approved certified sprinkler systems is installed.
(L) Automatic garage door openers.
(1) Automatic garage door openers, if provided, shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 325.
(2) Note. Automatic garage door openers must have receptacle, the use of an extension cord is prohibited.
(Ord. 1806, passed 2-5-2018)