Q. What are stair requirements? Q. What are tread and riser sizes? Q. What is the headroom height for doors? Q. What are the handrail heights? Q. What are the guardrail details? Q. What are the building requirements?
	Q. Is the homeowner permitted to install their own plumbing? Q. How do you get licensed as a Plumbing Contractor? Q. Are permits required to replace a hot water tank?
	Q. Where are smoke detectors required? Q. Where are carbon monoxide detectors required? Q. What size does a ground rod wire have to be? Q. What size wire do you have to use for a 100-amp house service? Q. What size wire do you have to use for a 200-amp house service? Q. How close can the GFCI outlet be to a pool? Q. How far does a GFCI outlet have to be from a hot tub? Q. There is a street light out? Q. How deep underground must PVC conduit be for services and pools? Q. Are fuses still acceptable for use in services? Q. Where are GFCI receptacles required? Q. What does AFCI mean? Q. What does it do (AFCI)? Q. Where does the water ground connection have to be?
	Q. How high the grass has to be before the City sites the property owner? Q. What is the process when a complaint is filed? Q. What steps can a homeowner take when they hire a contractor and they are not satisfied with their work? Q. What are stair requirements? A. Width not less than 36 inches. Back to top Q. What are tread and riser sizes? A. Maximum riser height 7 ¼” maximum tread depth 9 in. Back to top Q. What is the headroom height for doors? A. 6’ 8” Back to top Q. What are the handrail heights? A. Min. 34” maximum 38” Back to top Q. What are the guardrail details? A. If located more than 30” above grade porches, balconies, or raised floor surfaces a 36” guardrail is required with spindles space not more than 4” apart. Back to top Q. What are the building requirements? A. In accordance with One Two & Three Residential 1999 Codebook and O.B.C. Building Code. Back to top Q. Is the homeowner permitted to install their own plumbing? A. Although City Ordinance No. 5-01 Section 1511.08 states that only licensed plumbers are able to be issued permits, if a homeowner occupying that particular residence can show they are competent to install plumbing through questioning or diagramming the system we will issue them a permit. Back to top Q. How do you get licensed as a Plumbing Contractor? A. To become registered as a Plumbing Contractor with the City of Lorain, you must possess a license from the State of Ohio Board of Building Standards. You must then fill out the application packet, available at the Building Department. Back to top Q. Are permits required to replace a hot water tank? A. Yes, there is a $20.00 permit required for hot water tank replacement. An inspection is then required after installation is complete. Back to top Q. Where are smoke detectors required? A. In all bedrooms, hallway outside of bedroom, at start of all stairways. Back to top Q. Where are carbon monoxide detectors required? A. In bedroom hallways. Back to top Q. What size does a ground rod wire have to be? A. It never has to be larger than a #4 copper. It cannot be smaller than #4 if it is subject to physical damage. Back to top Q. What size wire do you have to use for a 100-amp house service? A. #4 copper Back to top Q. What size wire do you have to use for a 200-amp house service? A. #2 copper Back to top Q. How close can the GFCI outlet be to a pool? A. It must be at least 5’ from the inside wall. Back to top Q. How far does a GFCI outlet have to be from a hot tub? A. At leg Back to top Q. There is a street light out? A. Not our jurisdiction, call Ohio Edison at 1-800-633-4766. We only maintain Traffic signals. Back to top Q. How deep underground must PVC conduit be for services and pools? A. 18” Back to top Q. Are fuses still acceptable for use in services? A. Yes, but they must be type S so a larger fuse cannot be installed. Back to top Q. Where are GFCI receptacles required? A. All kitchen counters, baths, unfinished basements, outside, garages, outbuildings and pools. Back to top Q. What does AFCI mean? A. It means arc fault circuit interrupter. Back to top Q. What does it do (AFCI)? A. It trips on inline arcs such as broken ripcords, loose connections, etc. Back to top Q. Where does the water ground connection have to be? A. Within 5 feet of the water service entering the house. Back to top Q. How high the grass has to be before the City sites the property owner? A. Per Property Maintenance Code, Section 303.4 “Weeds, no more than 10.” Back to top Q. What is the process when a complaint is filed? A. First, who the property owner is must be determined. Next, the property address is given to an inspector to verify violation. The inspector’s report is given to me within 2 to 5 days. Next, I mail out a certified letter to the homeowner. Depending on the violations, homeowners can be given from 2 weeks to 1 month to abate the violations. Next, the inspector is sent out to check if violations have been corrected. If violations haven’t been corrected, a final notice is mailed and the homeowner is given 7 to 10 days to abate. Again, the inspector will check the results, if not abated I will send a Court Notice letter. Finally, if failure to abate this property will be filed in court. Back to top Q. What steps can a homeowner take when they hire a contractor and they are not satisfied with their work? A. The homeowner must file the complaint in writing; provide a copy of their contract with the contractor, and a copy of their cancelled check front and back. The inspector will inspect for any code violations. The inspector sends the contractor a letter listing the code violations that must be corrected. Back to top