Let's start
with the basics – What is a Code when it refers to the building industry? A
code is a set of regulations to ensure items such as the safety of the
building, energy efficiency, air quality, comfort or more. A code will have
minimum standards that must be met to pass an inspection. There are national
codes and local codes and they are just like they sound. National codes must be
met across the United States while local codes are specific to a region. For
instance, a home built in Florida will have specific codes to prevent damage
from hurricanes. A home in say Iowa will not have those same codes as they are
a bit less likely to experience a hurricane (according to our research the last
hurricane that almost made it to Iowa was Galveston in 1900 and it was only a
Tropical Depression by the time it hit).
A challenge
building professionals have is that the codes are always changing. As the
industry becomes more knowledgeable about things like Indoor Air Quality,
efficiency, construction techniques, and so forth codes are updated to
incorporate that knowledge. You can see this very clearly by comparing the
construction techniques of a home built today versus one built 10, 30, 50 years
ago. For instance, one a lot of people are familiar with is knob and tube
wiring. Back in the day, this was the building code. Now we know a lot better
and have much safer ways to wire homes.
What do you
do if your home is not up to code? This depends on what is not up to code. Most
codes have a grandfather clause in them and as long as you are not doing a
major renovation, you have nothing to worry about. An inspector is not going to
come to your home and kick you out because you need another millimeter of
insulation to meet the current code. With that being said, there are ones you
might want to do. Generally, these are focused on safety or comfort. We were
talking about knob and tube wiring before. That is an item that you should
consider bringing up to code as there is a real safety aspect to it. Something
like the insulation might be a consideration because it will reduce your energy
costs and comfort.
At this point
you are probably asking, “What are the codes in my area?” That is a great
question. Here is where we are going to disappoint you – sorry. There are
thousands of codes across the country and without making this blog thousands of
pages long, we just can’t put them all in one place. If you search for
“Building codes in (put your state or county here)” you can generally find long
complicated lists. Really, the best way is to consult a trusted building
professional. It is their job to be versed on the latest building codes. Before
starting any DIY project, it is a good idea to find out if there are any codes
that need to be followed. While you might not have any issues at the time, it
could affect the sale of your home if an inspection shows that something was
not done to code. Generally, these are bigger items (additions, removing walls,
electrical and so forth) and they most of the time require some type of permit
to complete. Again, it is best to check with a building professional or the
local building inspector just to be safe.
We will
mention one national code that most effects building ventilation - ASHRAE 62.2.
We have explored this code in one way or another in many of our previous blog posts.
ASHREA 62.2 focuses on how and how much ventilation your home needs. There are
specifics to the type and duration of exhaust fans as well as bringing fresh
outside air into the home. Air King offers an array of exhaust fans, range
hoods, and fresh air machines to comply and exceed the ASHREA 62.2 standards.
To learn more about Air King’s solutions visit www.airkinglimited.com. Air King also provides more information about ASHREA 62.2 in the
Learning Center area of the website.
