A.
In general. This section establishes the minimum standards
for maintenance of premises and structures.
C.
Exterior structure.
(3)
Exterior surfaces. Each foundation, exterior wall, roof,
and all other exterior surfaces shall be maintained in good repair and shall
be kept in such condition as to exclude rodents and other pests.
(4)
Foundation walls. Each foundation wall shall be structurally
sound and shall be maintained free from open cracks and breaks.
(5)
Exterior walls.
(a)
Each exterior wall shall be free of holes, breaks, loose
or rotting boards or timbers, and any other conditions that might admit rain
or dampness to the interior portions of the wall or to the occupied areas
of the structure.
(b)
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.
(6)
Roofs and drainage. The roof shall be structurally sound
and may not have defects that might admit rain. Roof drainage shall be adequate
to prevent rainwater from causing dampness or deterioration in the walls or
interior portion of the structure.
(7)
Decorative features. 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.
(8)
Signs, marquees, and awnings. All canopies, marquees,
signs, metal awnings, stairways, fire escapes, standpipes, exhaust ducts,
and similar overhang extensions shall be:
(9)
Chimneys.
(a)
All chimneys, cooling towers, smokestacks, and similar
appurtenances shall be maintained structurally sound, safe, and in good repair.
(b)
All exposed surfaces of metal or wood shall be protected
from the elements and against decay or rust by periodic application of weather-coating
materials such as paint or similar surface treatment.
(11)
Windows, doors, and frames. Each window, door, and frame
shall be maintained so as to exclude rain and rodents as completely as possible
and to substantially prevent wind from entering the structure.
(12)
Weathertight. Each window and exterior door shall be
fitted reasonably in its frame and be weathertight. Each window shall be free
of cracks and holes.
(14)
Insect screens.
(a)
Use. During the period from April 1 to December 1, every
door and window or other outside opening used for ventilation purposes shall
be supplied with tight-fitting insect screens.
(b)
Exception. Upon the prior approval of the Code Official,
screens may not be required for exterior doors or other types of openings
which make screening impractical, such as openings equipped with air conditioning
units or openings above the fourth floor. The Code Official may require alternatives
to screens.
(15)
Door hardware. Each exterior door and its hardware shall
be maintained in good condition. Door locks on all interior and exterior doors
entering housing units shall be in good repair and shall be capable of tightly
securing the door.
D.
Interior structure.
(1)
In general. The interior of a structure and its equipment
and facilities shall be maintained in good repair, structurally sound, and
in a sanitary condition so as not to pose a threat to the health, safety,
or welfare of the occupants.
(2)
Structural members. The supporting structural members
of a structure shall be maintained structurally sound, free of deterioration,
and capable of safely carrying the imposed loads.
(3)
Interior surfaces. Floors, walls (including windows and
doors), ceilings, and other interior surfaces shall be maintained in good
repair and in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition.
(4)
Bathroom and kitchen floors. Each toilet, bathroom, and
kitchen floor surface shall be maintained so as to be substantially impervious
to water to permit the floor to be easily kept in a clean and sanitary condition.
(5)
Sanitation.
(a)
The interior of a structure shall be maintained in a
clean and sanitary condition free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.
(b)
Rubbish or garbage shall be properly kept inside temporary
storage facilities.
(c)
Rubbish or garbage may not be allowed to accumulate or
be stored in public halls or stairways.
(6)
Insect and rodent harborage.
(a)
A structure shall be kept free from infestation. An area
where infestation is found shall be promptly exterminated by processes that
are not injurious to human health.
(b)
Continuing or repeating incidents of infestation, as
determined by the Code Official, shall require the installation of rodent-
and vermin-proof walls. The rodent- and vermin-proof walls shall be installed
in accordance with the County Building Code.
(7)
Exit doors. Each door available as an exit shall be capable
of being opened easily from the inside.
A.
B.
Sloping ceiling. To determine the maximum permissible
occupancy of a habitable room with a sloping ceiling, the floor area where
the ceiling height is less than five feet may not be considered.
A.
In general.
(1)
Scope. This section governs the minimum standards for
basic equipment and facilities used for light and ventilation of a structure.
(2)
Alternative methods and devices. In place of the means
for natural light and ventilation prescribed in this section, alternative
arrangement of windows, louvers, or other devices or methods that will provide
the equivalent minimum performance requirements shall be permitted in order
to comply with the requirements of the County Building Code.
B.
Light.
(1)
In general.
(a)
All areas in a structure shall have sufficient light
so as not to endanger health and safety.
(b)
All areas in a structure shall have natural light or
equipment to accommodate artificial light of sufficient intensity and distributed
so as to permit the maintenance of sanitary conditions and the safe use of
the area and the appliances, equipment, and fixtures. Windows must have an
area of at least six square feet.
(2)
Common halls and stairways. Except in one- and two-family
structures, each common hall and stairway in a structure shall be adequately
lighted at all times with an illumination equivalent to the footcandles provided
by at least a sixty-watt standard incandescent light bulb for each 200 square
feet of floor area, provided that the spacing between lights may not be greater
than 30 feet. Every exterior stairway shall be illuminated.
C.
Ventilation.
(1)
In general. All areas in a structure shall have sufficient
ventilation so as not to endanger health and safety.
(2)
Mechanical ventilation.
(a)
When mechanical ventilation is provided instead of natural
ventilation, the mechanical ventilating system shall be operated during the
occupancy of the structure or portion of it.
(b)
When part of the air provided by a mechanical ventilation
system is recirculated, the portion or volume of air recirculated may not
be recirculated to a different habitable area.
A.
Scope. This section governs the minimum standards for
plumbing facilities and fixtures.
B.
Required plumbing facilities.
(2)
The following minimum plumbing facilities shall be supplied
and maintained in a sanitary and safe working condition:
(a)
Water closet and lavatory.
[1]
Each housing unit shall contain within its walls a room
separate from other habitable areas that provides a water closet supplied
with cold running water and that affords privacy.
[2]
A lavatory shall be placed in the same room as the water
closet or located in another room in close proximity to the door leading directly
into the room in which the water closet is located.
[3]
The lavatory shall be supplied with hot and cold running
water.
(b)
Bathtub or shower. Each housing unit shall contain a
room that is equipped with a bathtub or shower supplied with hot and cold
running water and that affords privacy.
C.
Alternative plumbing. The County may allow alternative
plumbing facilities and fixtures for use in housing units on a case-by-case
basis.
D.
Plumbing fixtures.
(1)
In general. All plumbing fixtures shall be maintained
in a safe and usable condition. All plumbing fixtures shall be of nonabsorbent
material and shall have received all necessary and legally required approvals.
(2)
(3)
Maintenance. All plumbing fixtures shall be maintained
in a clean and sanitary condition so as not to breed insects and rodents or
produce dangerous or offensive gases or odors.
(4)
Access for cleaning. Plumbing fixtures shall be installed
to permit easy access for cleaning both the fixture and the area around it.
E.
Water system.
(1)
In general. Each sink, lavatory, bathtub, shower, drinking
fountain, water closet, or other plumbing facility shall be properly connected
to either a public water system or a private water system that has received
all necessary and legally required approvals.
(2)
Contamination. The water supply shall be maintained free
from contamination. All water inlets for plumbing fixtures shall be located
above the overflow rim of the fixture.
(3)
Water supply. The water supply system shall be installed
and maintained to provide at all times a supply of water to plumbing facilities,
fixtures, devices, and appurtenances in sufficient volume and at pressures
adequate to enable them to function satisfactorily.
(4)
Water-heating facilities.
(b)
Water-heating facilities shall be capable of heating
water to such a temperature as to permit an adequate amount of water to be
drawn at every kitchen sink, lavatory basin, bathtub, shower, and laundry
facility or other similar facility, at a temperature of not less than 110
degrees Fahrenheit.
(5)
Alternative water systems. The County may allow alternative
water systems on a case-by-case basis.
F.
Sewage system.
(1)
In general. Each sink, lavatory, bathtub, shower, drinking
fountain, water closet, or other plumbing facility shall be properly connected
to either a public sewer system or private sewage disposal system that has
received all necessary and legally required approvals.
(2)
Maintenance.
(a)
Each plumbing stack, waste, and sewer line shall be installed
and maintained so as to function properly and shall be kept free from obstructions,
leaks, and defects to prevent structural deterioration or health hazards.
(b)
All repairs and installations shall be made in accordance
with the County Building Code and the County Plumbing Code.
A.
Scope. This section governs the minimum standards for
mechanical and electrical facilities and equipment.
B.
Heating and cooking facilities.
(1)
Residential structures.
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection B(1)(c) of this section, each housing unit shall be supplied with sufficient heat or heating equipment capable of supplying sufficient heat during the period from October 1 to May 15 to maintain a room temperature of not less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit in all habitable areas during the hours between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. of each day and maintain a temperature of not less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit during other hours.
(b)
The temperature shall be measured at a point three feet
above the floor and three feet from exterior walls.
(c)
When the exterior temperature falls below zero degrees
Fahrenheit and the heating system is operating at its full capacity, a minimum
room temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit shall be maintained at all times.
(2)
Cooking and heating equipment.
(a)
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 shall be kept functioning properly
so as to be free from fire, health, and safety hazards.
(b)
All installations and repairs shall be made in accordance
with the County Building Code or other applicable laws or ordinances.
(c)
Portable cooking equipment employing flame is prohibited,
except for residential-type food trays or salvers that are heated by a candle
or alcohol lamp and that have received all necessary and legally required
approvals.
(3)
Installation. All mechanical equipment used for heating
and cooking shall be properly installed and safely maintained in good working
condition and shall be capable of performing the function for which it was
designed and intended.
(4)
Fuel-burning equipment. All fuel-burning equipment shall
be connected to a chimney, flue, or vent in accordance with applicable County
or state codes or according to manufacturer's instructions if no County or
state code applies.
(5)
Clearances. All necessary and legally required clearances
to combustible materials shall be maintained.
(6)
Safety control. All safety controls for fuel-burning
equipment shall be maintained in effective operation in accordance with applicable
County or state codes or according to manufacturer's instructions if no County
or state code applies.
(7)
Combustion air. The fuel-burning equipment shall be provided
with a supply of air for complete combustion of the fuel and for ventilation
of the space.
(8)
Unauthorized devices. Devices purporting to reduce gas
consumption by attachment to a gas appliance, the gas supply line, the vent
outlet, or the vent piping may not be used unless labeled for that use and
the installation specifically has received all necessary and legally required
approvals.
(9)
Fireplaces. Fireplaces and other construction and devices
intended for use similar to a fireplace shall be stable and structurally safe
and connected to chimneys that have received all necessary and legally required
approvals.
(10)
Climate control. When facilities for interior climate
control (heating, cooling, and humidity) are integral functions of housing
units, these facilities shall be maintained and operated in accordance with
the designed capacity.
C.
Electrical facilities.
(1)
Facilities required. Provided that there is usable electric
service available from a power line not more than 300 feet away, a structure
shall be adequately and safely provided with an electrical system in compliance
with the requirements of this subsection.
(2)
Receptacles. Each habitable area in a housing unit shall
contain at least one receptacle outlet. Each laundry area and bathroom shall
contain at least one grounded-type receptacle. Each kitchen shall contain
at least two receptacles.
(3)
Lighting fixtures. Each public hall, interior stairway,
water closet compartment, bathroom, laundry room, and furnace room shall contain
at least one electric lighting fixture.
(4)
Service. When the electrical system requires modification
to correct a violation of this subsection, the service shall be corrected
to a minimum of one-hundred- ampere, three-wire service.
(5)
Installation. All electrical equipment, wiring, and appliances
shall be installed and maintained in a safe manner in accordance with all
applicable laws. Electrical equipment shall be of a type that has received
all necessary and legally required approvals.
A.
Scope. This section governs the minimum standards for
firesafety facilities and equipment.
B.
In general. A structure shall be constructed and maintained
to prevent and avoid fire hazards, and in a manner conducive to firesafety.
C.
Means of egress.
(1)
In general. A safe, continuous, and unobstructed means
of egress shall be provided from the interior of a structure to the exterior
at a street, yard, court, or passageway leading to a public open area at grade.
(2)
Direct exit. Each housing unit shall have access directly
to the outside or to a common area that leads directly to the outside.
(3)
Doors. Each door in the required means of egress shall
be easily opened from the inner side.
(4)
Fire escapes. Each fire escape shall be maintained in
working condition and shall be structurally sound.
(5)
Exit signs. Each exit sign shall be illuminated and visible.
(6)
Emergency escape. Each sleeping room in a basement shall
have:
D.
Accumulations and storage.
(1)
In general. Garbage or rubbish may not be allowed to
accumulate in stairways, passageways, doors, windows, fire escapes, or other
means of egress.
(2)
Flammable matter. Highly flammable or explosive matter,
such as paints, volatile oils, and cleaning fluids, or combustible rubbish,
such as wastepaper, boxes, and rags, may not be accumulated or stored on premises
except in reasonable quantities consistent with normal usage.
(3)
Residential unit. Except as provided for in the County
Building Code, a housing unit may not be located within a structure containing
an establishment handling, dispensing, or storing flammable liquids with a
flash point of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
E.
Fire resistance ratings. Floors, walls, ceilings, and
other elements and components that are required by the Fire Code to comply
with a fire resistance rating shall be maintained so that the respective fire
resistance rating of the enclosure, separation, or construction is preserved.
F.
Fire protection systems.
(1)
In general. Fire protection systems and equipment shall
be maintained in proper operating condition at all times.
(2)
Smoke detectors.
(a)
Each housing unit shall be provided with a minimum of
one single-station smoke detector in the vicinity of each sleeping area.
(b)
Each smoke detector shall be installed and maintained
in accordance with Article 38A, § 12A, of the Annotated Code of
Maryland.
(c)
When actuated, each smoke detector shall provide an alarm
suitable to warn occupants within the unit.
(3)
Fire suppression system. Fire suppression systems in
housing units so equipped shall be maintained in good condition and free from
mechanical defect. Sprinkler heads shall be kept clean and free of corrosion
and paint and may not be bent or damaged.
(4)
Fire extinguishers. Each portable fire extinguisher in
a housing unit so equipped shall be visible and accessible and maintained
in an efficient and safe operating condition.
G.
Fire doors.
(1)
Each necessary and legally required fire-resistance-rated
door or smoke barrier shall be maintained in good working order, including
all hardware necessary for its proper operation.
(2)
The use of door stops, wedges, and other hold-open devices
that have not received all necessary and legal approvals or that have been
denied approval is prohibited.
A.
Scope. Except as provided in this section, only the property
owner shall be responsible for compliance with the provisions of this chapter
and may be cited for violations.
B.
In general.
(1)
A person may not rent or lease to another person for
occupancy or use any housing unit unless the structure and premises comply
with the provisions of this chapter.
(2)
Provided the property owner's acts or omissions have
not contributed to the violation, a property owner may not be cited for a
violation of this chapter that is caused by the negligent, wrongful, or malicious
acts or omissions of a tenant.
C.
Sanitary condition.
(1)
Cleanliness.
(a)
The tenant shall keep that part of the structure or premises
that the tenant occupies, controls, or uses in a clean and sanitary condition.
(b)
Each property owner of a structure containing two or
more housing units shall maintain, in a clean and sanitary condition, the
common areas of the structure and premises.
(2)
Disposal and storage of rubbish and garbage. The tenant
shall store and dispose of rubbish and garbage in a clean and sanitary manner,
as may be required by applicable law.
D.
Extermination.
(1)
All structures. If necessary, the property owner shall exterminate
within the structure and on the premises before renting or leasing the structure.
(2)
Single occupancy. Except for subterranean termites, the tenant
of a structure containing a single housing unit shall exterminate any insects,
rodents, or other pests in the structure or the premises. The owner shall
exterminate subterranean termites.
(3)
Multiple occupancy. Except where infestation within a housing
unit is caused by a failure of the tenant to take reasonable action to prevent
the infestation, the property owner or operator of a structure containing
two or more housing units shall exterminate insects, rodents, or other pests
in the structure or on the premises.
E.
Firesafety. Responsibility for installing and maintaining
in good working order any smoke detector installed under this chapter shall
be in accordance with Article 38A, § 12A, of the Annotated Code
of Maryland.
