Many jurisdictions rely on “model” codes to provide the framework for local fire, building, housing, property maintenance, plumbing, electrical, energy, and mechanical codes. Currently, these model codes are developed by the International Code Council (ICC), which was founded in 1994 by three regional code associations. ICC has moved away from a regional approach to code development, toward the development of national model codes. The drawback to this national approach is that the codes are less able to account for local and regional factors such as climate and housing type. For current information on model code adoptions by state and local jurisdictions, see www.iccsafe.org/government/adoption.html.

The Alliance for Healthy Homes and the National Center for Healthy Housing submitted several proposals to the International Code Council in August 2007 to increase the health-protectiveness of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), which is the model code that hundreds of local and state jurisdictions use as the standard requirements for residential structures.

The proposed changes are:

1. Re-define already-required extermination to exclude poison spraying and fumigating; allow the use of registered pesticides consistent with label instructions in a manner that effectively controls the pest with the lowest exposure to occupant; and eliminate pests’ access to sources of water.
2. Require correction of moisture that causes deteriorated paint or other defective conditions.
3. Require repair of peeling paint on the interior and exterior surfaces of pre-1978 housing, using approved lead-safe work practices, and refraining from using dangerous methods of paint removal (open flame burning or torching; machine sanding, machine grinding, abrasive blasting or sandblasting without a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) local exhaust control; heat guns operating above 1100 degrees Fahrenheit or charring the paint; dry sanding; dry scraping; and paint stripping using a solvent that contains methylene chloride without powered mechanical ventilation). Click here and here for the text of the changes.
4. Clarify that an occupant of a multiple dwelling is not solely responsible for extermination.
5. Prohibit lead-based paint hazards and excessive carbon monoxide.
6. Require smooth, hard, nonabsorbent surfaces in bathroom floors in multiple dwelling units.
7. Require that clothes dryer exhaust be vented to the exterior of the structure (except listed an labeled condensing dryers).
8. Set maximum hot water temperature for bathtubs and showers to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Require a carbon monoxide alarm in structures that have an attached garage or a fuel-burning furnace, water heater, or appliance.
10. Clarify that unvented fuel-burning equipment used indoors must be labeled for indoor use and operated and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

These proposals will be first considered during hearings to be held February 18, 2008, in Palm Springs, CA, subject to comment by June 9, and may be adopted at hearings in Minneapolis September 17-23, 2008. The Alliance encourages all jurisdictions to ensure that the building officials who represent them at the hearings support these proposals during voting. Questions can be directed to Ruth Klotz-Chamberlin at ruthkc@afhh.org.

The chart below highlights provisions found in model codes that address several attributes of a healthy home: dry (water and moisture control); toxin-free; well ventilated (to ensure adequate indoor air quality); pest-free; and other (comfortable, for example). Brief summaries of the code sections are provided in the linked files, grouped according to topic (dry, etc.). (Explanatory notes or comments are in parentheses.) If you prefer, a PDF version features the table and summaries in one document.

About the Codes

• The IPMC applies to existing residential and commercial structures and premises.

• The IRC regulates the construction, alteration, repair, use, and occupancy of detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories high. While the section numbers in the code are preceded by a letter, e.g., “R” for the administrative, definitions, and building, planning, and construction portions of the code, “N” for the energy conservation portion, etc., those prefixes have been omitted from this document.

• The IBC governs new construction in residential buildings four or more stories high.

• The IECC sets forth alternative compliance approaches for new construction in both residential (one-and two-family buildings, and multi-family buildings three or less stories in height) and commercial buildings (including residential buildings four or more stories high). For residential buildings, these approaches include a systems approach, which considers the entire building and its energy-using systems as a whole; an approach based on the performance of components in the building envelope; an approach based upon the performance of the building envelope as a whole; and others. Commercial buildings can comply using a prescriptive approach, which sets standards for the building envelope, mechanical, lighting, and service water-heating subsystems; a total building performance approach; or an energy cost budget approach. Therefore, the code provisions cited in this table may not be required in a particular building if that building is constructed using an alternative approach to compliance.

• The IMC governs the design, installation, maintenance, alteration, and inspection of permanently installed mechanical systems used to control environmental conditions within buildings. The IMC does not require the removal and replacement of existing mechanical systems, although work performed on existing systems must conform to the code’s requirements for new work.