From the Field: 12 Additional Things Code Inspectors Wish Homeowners Knew

This is Part 3 of our series on things code inspectors wish homeowners knew. Don’t miss Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. 

When homeowners consider the cheaper route (ex: hire a contractor who doesn’t want to pull permits or perform their own work without permits), they probably don’t realize the risk they are taking. But they should know that there is no “undo” button for an unpermitted disaster. 

Ryan Smith, Building Official for the City of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, knows this all too well. He has witnessed disaster after disaster because of repairs, rebuilds and other work that did not follow the code. 

“When I first started here at this city seven years ago, I had a homeowner come in and he was freaking out,” Smith recalled. “He said, ‘You gotta come look at my house, you gotta see what my contractor did!’” 

Smith looked up the homeowner’s address and found that no permits had been pulled for any work on his house, so he went over to take a look for himself. 

“He had hired an allegedly licensed contractor who was doing work without permits at his house,” Smith continued. “The contractor took $50,000 from him, and all he did was tear the entire house down to the studs. The load paths had changed, the beams had all changed throughout the house. There was major structural Issues. I got the state involved to do an investigation on the alleged licensed contractor. But the homeowner didn’t have a contract, he paid the alleged contractor everything in cash. He had no evidence that this alleged person had done any of the work. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry couldn’t help him at all.” 

Smith estimated that the homeowner had another $100,000 worth of work that had to be done in order to properly repair the home and make it livable again. 

“I have stories like this that go on forever,” said Smith. “I keep a folder of all of these situations, and I deal with two or three that are this bad every year.” 

These and other stories are just some of the reasons why the International Code Council (ICC) celebrates Building Safety Month every year. As part of this celebration, we talked to building safety professionals to learn about all the things they wish homeowners knew. 

Albert Joseph Rocco Jr. (Kissimmee – FL) 

Albert Joseph Rocco Jr. is the Deputy Building Official in the Building Division for the City of Kissimmee, Florida. 

The I-Codes aren’t just for builders; they are a manual for minimum life safety. 

“The International Codes® (I-Codes®), [such as] the International Residential Code® (IRC), aren’t just for builders; they are a manual for minimum life safety. 

The most important teaching is the concept of ‘The Path of Egress.’ Codes require specific window sizes (egress windows) in bedrooms so you can escape a fire and so fire fighters can get in while wearing all their equipment. Homeowners should learn that any modification – like adding bars to windows or changing a floor plan – must preserve that clear path to the outside. 

With the cost of rent increasing, we are seeing an increase in garage conversions to bedrooms, often without building permits. These are typically completed without adding an egress window or door, which can lead to an occupant being trapped during a fire.” 

Deck and balcony framing integrity won’t last forever. 

“[A] dangerous maintenance task often ignored is exterior deck/balcony framing integrity. Deck ledger boards often fail because the connection to the house rots or was never flashed correctly. This is something that you may walk by every day or may be concealed beneath your deck and unknown until it collapses under a load. 

If you see the wood start to deteriorate, [if it] feels soft [or is] cracking, definitely have a professional come and check it out. Basically, if it doesn’t look safe, it’s probably not.  

If the deck has a railing around it to protect from falling, always pay attention. Is it loose or wobbly? The last thing you want is for a guest to lean on it during a BBQ and fall right through your railing to the ground, however far that is.” 

Decks should not be overloaded. 

“The structure of a deck is often designed with a safety factor to allow for certain furniture and a small number of guests. If you intend to place a hot tub on your deck, the weight of that filled with water may be more than the deck can handle. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it, but in those cases, you should always check with a licensed professional to verify if the weight can be supported or if additional support will be needed.” 

Grilling should always occur in an open-air environment. 

“If your deck has a roof above, it is not recommended to cook underneath it. BBQ fires can happen easily if left unattended. If those flames get hot and high enough, your steak won’t be the only thing burnt.”

Slow plumbing leaks, foundation drainage can snowball into massive problems. 

“Slow plumbing leaks behind walls or under sinks are the biggest ‘snowball’ culprits. A tiny drip can lead to structural rot and toxic mold before you ever see a spot on the drywall. 

Another is foundation drainage. If your soil settles and slopes toward the house, water will eventually undermine the foundation, leading to structural failure that can be home-wrecking in terms of cost.” 

Complacency can be very dangerous. 

“Most people assume that because their home is standing, it is safe. Electrical systems age, wood rots, and safety devices expire. The most dangerous home is the one where the owner assumes ‘it’s fine because it’s always been that way.’” 

Toys and furniture can keep you from escaping a fire. 

“I think it’s easy to have toys or even some furniture in front of the bedroom window without realizing that this is the way out if there is a fire. If you have to spend time removing items from that path of your emergency egress, those are valuable seconds that might make the difference.” 

Building officials always recommend flushing your water heater – here’s why.

“Homeowners often overlook sediment flushing for water heaters. Minerals build up at the bottom, which reduces efficiency and can cause the tank to overheat and fail prematurely.” 

Ryan Smith (Columbia Heights – MN)

Ryan Smith is the Building Official for the City of Columbia Heights, Minnesota. 

Appliance vents are vulnerable to snow.

“We get snow here, sometimes it can build up on the side of the house and can plug up vents and turn off the furnace. I think homeowners should be aware they have to clear the snow out around the vents for their furnaces – and if they turn off, that is the first place to check.” 

The scope you’re approved for is the scope you’re approved for – don’t go beyond it.

“A situation I’m dealing with right now, I wish that this homeowner in particular understood the scope he submitted on his original permit application was the scope he was approved to do, and nothing more. 

He applied for a permit to add an attached garage on the side of their house with living space above. They got through most of the project and [decided to] add several bedrooms in the back of the garage that were only accessed through the garage. This wasn’t part of his original approval, and we don’t know if the fire separation requirements were met. We don’t know what kind of drywall he put up. We don’t know if there’s proper ventilation in those rooms, and you cannot egress through a garage. 

You enter the stairwell in the garage to go to the upper floor and it’s also not protected; the stairs were open to the garage. These issues were because of the homeowner going beyond the scope of what he was previously approved to do. He has a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, we’re dealing with it in court now because he decided to ignore our letters.” 

Products sold online may not be approved for use in most of the United States. 

“We’re seeing a lot of products being purchased from Amazon [sellers] that don’t meet the minimum requirements of the code. 

Specifically, there was a homeowner who recently installed this $400-$500 sink, it’s fancy, it has all these buttons and LED lights, and it was not tested or approved for use in our jurisdiction. So now he has to remove this sink and find one that meets the minimum requirements of our plumbing code. 

We’re finding a lot of bogus smoke and carbon monoxide detectors too, ones that are not UL listed, that are coming off of Amazon.” 

Water is the most dangerous threat to your home. 

“Water intrusion is the most dangerous threat to a home because it quietly compromises both the structure and the health of the people living inside. Even small, unnoticed leaks can deteriorate framing, weaken foundations and rot critical structural components over time, leading to costly and sometimes unsafe conditions. 

Moisture also creates the perfect environment for mold growth, which can spread rapidly behind walls and ceilings, affecting indoor air quality and posing respiratory risks. Beyond that, water can damage electrical systems, increasing the risk of fire or shock, and it often goes undetected until significant harm has already occurred. 

Because it can originate from multiple sources – roof failures, plumbing leaks, poor drainage or groundwater – and escalate without immediate visibility, water intrusion presents a compounding risk that, if not addressed promptly, can impact nearly every major system in a home. 

We have seen foundation collapses due to water intrusion. One situation in particular, the owners had a shared driveway with a neighboring property. The grade sloped towards the house on the north side of the driveway, and both homes had paved all the way up to the foundation. This caused water to wash away the soil, eventually leading to the foundation collapsing.” 

ICC’s codes and standards play an important role in creating safe, affordable and sustainable structures. Homeowners can read up on the I-Codes and consult with a local professional before starting a project to avoid violations. 

ICC’s Building Safety Month website offers resources on the importance of safe, sustainable and resilient buildings. Visit the website here.