7.3 Interior Structure and Pest/Garbage Control

7.3 Interior Structure and Pest/Garbage Control

Foundations of Interior Safety and Sanitation

The interior of a structure must be maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition to ensure the health and physical safety of its occupants. Under Chapter 3 of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), code officials inspect interior spaces to ensure they are free from structural hazards, deteriorating surfaces, unsanitary waste accumulation, and pest infestations. While owners are responsible for the overall integrity of the structure, occupants are required to maintain the portions of the building they control in a sanitary manner.

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Interior Surfaces (IPMC 305.3)

Interior surfaces—including walls, floors, ceilings, windows, and doors—must be maintained in good repair and sanitary condition.

General Maintenance Requirements

Cracked or loose plaster, water-damaged drywall, decayed wood, and broken tiles must be repaired or replaced. Surfaces must be free from holes and structural buckling. In addition to aesthetic and structural concerns, broken or porous interior surfaces are difficult to clean and can harbor bacteria, mold, and insect pests.

Paint and Coating Maintenance

Any peeling, chipping, flaking, or abraded paint must be eliminated, and the affected surfaces must be repainted, covered, or sealed. This is a critical safety standard, particularly in older housing stock.

Lead-Based Paint Hazards

The use of lead-based paint in residential homes was banned in the United States in 1978. However, millions of older homes still contain lead paint layers.

• The Hazard: When lead-based paint deteriorates (due to age, moisture, or friction from windows opening and closing), it turns into fine, invisible dust and small paint chips.
• Health Impacts: Ingestion or inhalation of lead dust is a major cause of lead poisoning in young children. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that causes irreversible brain damage, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and stunted growth.
• Inspector Duty: Property maintenance inspectors must identify deteriorating paint in all pre-1978 residential buildings. Remediation must be performed using lead-safe work practices (such as wet sanding and HEPA vacuuming) to avoid spreading toxic dust.

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Stairs, Walking Surfaces, Handrails, and Guards (IPMC 305.4 & 305.5)

Stairways and elevated walking surfaces are common sites for serious residential slip-and-fall injuries. The IPMC enforces specific physical geometry and structural standards to minimize these risks.

Stairway Geometry Standards

Stairways must be kept in sound condition and properly proportioned:

• Maximum Riser Height: The vertical height of a step riser must not exceed 7.75 inches (7 3/4 inches). High risers make stairs difficult to climb and increase fall risks.
• Minimum Tread Depth: The horizontal depth of a step tread must be at least 10 inches. Inadequate tread depth prevents a climber from placing their foot securely on the step.
• Uniformity: To prevent tripping, risers and treads must be uniform. The variation between the highest and lowest risers, or the deepest and shallowest treads, within any single flight of stairs must not exceed 3/8 inch.
• Walking Surfaces: Carpeting must be secured, floorboards must be tight, and concrete or stone steps must not be cracked or uneven.

Handrail Requirements

Handrails provide essential stability and guidance for stairway users:

• Trigger Height: Handrails are required on any stairway containing more than four risers.
• Height Range: Handrails must be installed between 30 and 38 inches measured vertically from the leading edge (nosing) of the stair tread.
• Grip Profile: Handrails must have a shape and size that allows for comfortable and secure grasping (circular handrails should have an outside diameter between 1.25 and 2 inches).
• Wall Clearance: There must be a minimum clearance of 1.5 inches between the handrail and the wall to allow hand clearance.
• Terminations: Handrails must return to the wall or terminate securely in post fittings.

Guard Requirements

Guards act as protective barriers along open-sided walking surfaces to prevent catastrophic falls:

• Trigger Height: Guards must be installed on any walking surface, landing, balcony, porch, or deck that is elevated more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below.
• Minimum Guard Height: In residential occupancies, guards must stand at least 36 inches high (commercial guards require a height of 42 inches).
• Baluster Spacing (Infill): Open guards must have intermediate rails or balusters spaced so that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through at any point. This spacing protects crawling infants and toddlers from falling through.

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Interior Doors (IPMC 305.6)

Interior doors must fit reasonably well in their frames and operate smoothly. They must be secured to their jambs, headers, and tracks.

Egress and Safety Lock Rules

Doors in the path of emergency egress must not be blocked or padlocked. In residential dwelling units, doors required for egress must be openable from the inside without the use of a key, tool, or special knowledge. Double-cylinder deadbolts (which require a key from the inside) are strict code violations on exit doors because they trap occupants inside during a fire.

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Accumulation of Rubbish and Garbage (IPMC 308)

Uncontrolled waste accumulation inside a structure causes severe health, fire, and safety hazards.

Disposal Responsibilities and Container Requirements

• Sanitation: Occupants must dispose of all rubbish and garbage in a clean, sanitary manner.
• Rubbish Storage: Rubbish must be placed in approved, covered waste containers.
• Garbage Storage: Garbage must be placed in leakproof, covered containers or sent to a garbage disposal facility (like a trash charge or mechanical compactor).
• Owner vs. Tenant Container Provision:
  • Multi-Family/Multiple Occupancy: The owner of the building is responsible for providing outside, covered, and leakproof containers for garbage and rubbish.
  • Single-Family Dwellings: The occupant is responsible for providing their own trash containers, unless otherwise agreed in the lease.

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Pest Elimination and Extermination (IPMC 309)

Vermin, rodents, and insects carry diseases, contaminate food, and damage building structures. The IPMC outlines clear rules for exterminating pests and assigns responsibilities.

Extermination Requirements

All structures must be kept free of insect and rodent infestations. Extermination must be performed using approved processes (typically by licensed pest control operators) that do not endanger human health. After extermination, the owner must make necessary structural repairs to prevent reinfestation.

Tenant vs. Owner Pest Control Responsibility Matrix

Determining who pays for pest control depends on the structure's occupancy and the cause of the infestation:

If structural defects (such as rotten sill plates, unsealed plumbing penetrations, or missing window screens) allow pests to enter a building, the owner is responsible for sealing those entry points and paying for extermination, regardless of whether it is a single-family or multi-family property.