A.
Residential buildings. During that portion of the year
when there is a need for heat, every dwelling unit and guest room shall be
provided with heating systems capable of maintaining a room temperature of
65° F. at a point three feet above the floor and three feet from an exterior
wall in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms.
B.
In all other structures where heating systems are supplied
or available for use, they shall be capable of adequately and safely heating
those areas.
C.
Unvented kerosene heaters are prohibited.
D.
Cooking and heating equipment.
(1)
Maintenance. All cooking and heating equipment, components
and accessories in every heating, cooking and water-heating device shall be
maintained free from leaks and water-flow obstructions and kept functioning
properly so as to be free from fire, health and safety hazards.
(2)
Portable equipment. Portable cooking equipment employing
flame is prohibited except for residential-type food trays or salvers which
are heated by candle or alcohol lamp and which have received all necessary
and legally required approvals.
(3)
Fuel-burning equipment. All fuel-burning equipment, except
as otherwise permitted by state law, shall be connected to a chimney, flue
or vent in accordance with applicable local or state codes or according to
manufacturer's instructions in cases where no local or state codes apply.
(4)
Clearances. All necessary and legally required clearances
to combustible materials shall be maintained.
(5)
Safety controls. All safety controls for fuel-burning
equipment shall be maintained in effective operation in accordance with applicable
local or state codes or according to manufacturer's instructions in cases
where no local or state codes apply.
(6)
Combustion air. A supply of air for complete combustion
of the fuel and for ventilation of the space shall be provided for the fuel-burning
equipment.
(7)
Gas reduction. Devices purporting to reduce gas consumption
by attachment to a gas appliance, the gas supply line or the vent outlet or
vent piping may not be used unless labeled for that use and the installation
has specifically received all necessary and legally required approvals.
(8)
Fireplaces. Fireplaces and other construction and devices
intended for use similar to a fireplace shall be stable and structurally safe
and connected to chimneys which have received all necessary and legally required
approvals.
(9)
Climate control. When facilities for interior climate
control (heating, cooking, and humidity) are integral functions of housing
units, these facilities shall be maintained and operated in accordance with
the designed capacity.
(10)
Installation and maintenance. Heating appliances and
facilities shall be installed in accordance with the Wicomico County Building
Code and shall be maintained in a safe and good working condition.
A.
Every electrical outlet and fixture, and all electrical
wiring and equipment shall be installed, maintained and connected to a source
of electric power in accordance with the provisions of the effective National
Electrical Code.
B.
Outlets. Where there is electric service available to
the building, every habitable space of 100 square feet or more shall contain
at least two separately spaced duplex receptacle outlets.
(1)
For each additional 50 square feet of floor area, there
shall be one additional duplex outlet.
(2)
Outlets shall be so located and spaced to provide service
to appliances in different parts of the room.
(3)
The excessive use of extension cords in any dwelling
unit shall be construed as a condition requiring additional duplex outlets
of not less than one fifteen-ampere branch circuit installed for each 500
square feet of floor area, in addition to the receptacle circuit listed herein.
C.
Switch-controlled outlets.
(1)
Bedrooms must have at least one wall-switch-controlled
lighting outlet.
(2)
In kitchens, two separate and remote receptacle outlets
shall be provided (Receptacles rendered inaccessible by appliances fastened
in place or by appliances occupying dedicated space shall not be considered
as these required outlets.) and a wall or ceiling lighting outlet shall be
provided.
(3)
Every hall, water closet compartment, bathroom, laundry
room or furnace room shall contain at least one ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted
lighting outlet.
(4)
In bathrooms, the lighting outlet shall be controlled
by a wall switch.
(5)
Additionally, in every bathroom and laundry room there
shall be provided at least one receptacle outlet or combination switch receptacle
outlet. Any new bathroom receptacle outlet shall have ground fault circuit
interrupter protection.
D.
In any water use area, including, but not limited to,
bathrooms, utility rooms and kitchens, electrical receptacles are prohibited
in floor areas where they would create a hazardous condition.
Every water closet compartment, utility room, bathroom and kitchen floor
surface shall be constructed and maintained to be substantially impervious
to water. Such floors shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition. All
other floor surfaces shall be structurally sound and maintained in a good,
clean and sanitary condition. Decayed wood or other defective surface conditions
shall be eliminated.
A.
Every handrail or railing shall be firmly fastened and
maintained in good condition. Properly ballasted railings, capable of bearing
loads as required by the Building Code, shall be placed on the open portions
of the stairs, balconies, landings and stairwells.
B.
All stairways having more than three risers above the
floor or grade, and all stairs or changes in grade in hospitals, nursing homes,
convalescent homes and similar occupancies, shall be equipped with handrails.
A.
The exterior of a structure, including the foundation,
exterior walls and roof, shall be maintained to be structurally sound and
sanitary in order to mitigate any threat to the health and safety of the occupants.
It shall also protect the occupants from the environment.
B.
Supporting members of all structures shall be kept structurally
sound and capable of safely bearing the dead and live loads imposed upon them.
C.
Every exterior surface shall be free of holes, breaks,
loose or rotting boards or timbers and any other conditions which might admit
rain or moisture to the interior walls or to the occupied spaces of the building.
All exterior surface materials, including wood, composition or metal siding,
shall be maintained weatherproof and shall be properly surface coated when
required to prevent deterioration.
D.
The roof shall be structurally sound, tight and free
of defects which might admit rain. Roof drainage shall be adequate to prevent
rain water from causing dampness in the walls or interior portions of the
building.
E.
All canopies, marquees, signs, metal awnings, stairways,
fire escapes, standpipes, exhaust ducts and similar overhead extensions shall
be maintained in good repair. They shall be properly anchored and kept in
a safe condition. They shall be protected from the elements, decay and rust
by the periodic application of a weather-coating material.
F.
All chimneys, cooling towers, smokestacks, and similar
appurtenances shall be maintained structurally safe, and in good repair. All
exposed surfaces of metal or wood shall be protected from the elements, decay
and rust by periodic application of weather-coating material.
G.
Every stair, porch, balcony, railings and all appurtenances
attached thereto, shall be constructed and capable of supporting the loads.
It shall be kept in sound condition and good repair. Handrails shall be installed
pursuant to the County's Building Code.
H.
Every window, exterior door and frame shall be constructed
and maintained in such condition as to exclude rain and wind from entering
the dwelling or structure.
I.
All window sashes shall be fully supplied with glazing
materials (glass, points and glazing compound) and where required, window
locks in good repair.
J.
Every exterior door, door hinge and door latch shall
be maintained in good condition. Door locks in all dwelling units shall be
in good repair and capable of tightly securing the door.
K.
Every basement or cellar hatchway shall be constructed
and maintained to prevent the entrance of rodents, rain, surface drainage
water or other hazards into the structure.
L.
An effective system of stormwater disposal shall be provided
and maintained for the safe and efficient drainage of roofs and paved areas,
yards, and courts, and other open areas in the premises.
Accessory structures present on the premises of a dwelling shall be
structurally sound, be designed to prevent rodent harborage and shall be maintained
in good repair and free of vermin.
A.
All cornices, entablatures, belt courses, corbels, terra-cotta
trim, wall facings and similar decorative features shall be maintained in
good repair with proper anchorage and in a safe condition.
B.
All fences shall be constructed of manufactured metal
fencing material, wood, masonry or other inert material. Such fences shall
be maintained in good condition.
All premises shall be maintained in a manner which will prevent and
eliminate rodent harborage and noxious pests, and insects and other infestation.
A.
Any opening 1/2 inch or more which may be reached by
rodents on or about any structure shall be rodent-proofed in accordance with
the provisions of this Code.
B.
Any window, lighting, ventilation or other opening below
grade, or within 24 inches above ground level, or any such opening which is
otherwise accessible to rodents, shall be covered by grilles, expanded metal,
screens, or hardware cloth attached to sturdy frames which leave no exposed
wood accessible for gnawing.
C.
Any openings for exterior stairways, elevator shafts, coal holes and other similar openings which are below grade shall be provided with tight-fitting metal covers and frames flashed with twenty-four-gauge galvanized sheet metal or other material. Permanent openings shall be covered as required by Subsection B. A wall adjacent to such portion of any structure shall be of rodent-proofed material.
D.
In any opening in a structure for pipes, conduits, and
other utility services accessible to rodents shall be sealed solidly for the
full thickness of the surface through which the opening passes with a rodent-proof
material or fitted with a collar or shield of not less than twenty-four-gauge
galvanized sheet metal or other material. The collar or shield shall be securely
fastened to the surface through which the opening passes and shall extend
at least three inches beyond all sides of the opening.
E.
Any skylight accessible to rodents shall be constructed
to prevent rodent entry. An adjustable skylight which may be opened shall
be screened with hardware cloth or expanded metal.
F.
Any roof ventilator, chimney, pipe vent downspout or
other item where rodents have entered into a structure shall be protected
against continued entry by a grille, hardware cloth, expanded metal cover
or other rodent-proof material.
G.
Outdoor stored materials shall be stacked in a manner
which will leave not less than an eight-inch space between the material and
the ground level. No such materials shall be stacked or piled against an exterior
wall.
H.
Space between the lower edge of an exterior door and
the threshold shall not exceed 3/8 inch when closed.
I.
The interior floor of a basement or cellar which is in
direct contact with the earth shall be paved with concrete or other rodent-impervious
material.
J.
The bottom eight inches of wooden exterior doors where
rodents have entered shall be covered with sheet metal. The metal shall be
formed into a cuff and channel. No wooden edges shall be formed into a cuff
and channel. No wooden edges shall be exposed. All exposed metal edges shall
be rolled or folded. Bolts which fasten the sheet metal to a door shall project
more than 1/16 inch beyond the fastening nuts.
K.
The exterior walls of every structure, or enclosed part
thereof, which is not supported by a continuous masonry foundation wall shall
be enclosed with rodent-proof materials.
L.
Areas between two structures which are of insufficient
width to permit inspection of exterior walls shall be sealed so as to prevent
the entry of rodents into that area. The seal shall not obstruct stormwater
drainage.
M.
Areas that have been infested, resulting in holes or
burrows, shall be backfilled with soil free from organic material.
