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Guide to Property Maintenance Codes

THE EXTERIOR

Is your home well maintained?  Use this checklist to evaluate your property.

Are your walls:
     In good repair
     Free of holes or decay,
     Without peeling paint
     Without graffiti,
     Without missing bricks or mortar, and
     With properly maintained soffet-fascia?

Is your roof:
       Free of leaks,
       With shingles in good condition (not worn or missing), and
       With gutters and downspouts in good repair and free of
        obstructions?

Are your doors:
(including garage)
     Properly maintained
     Weather-tight, and
     With secured hinges and locks?

Exterior Maintenance Requirements Outside your home and property - Accessory Structures

Include detached garages, sheds, fences, decks, patios, and pools.  These structures must be sound and in good repair; they must also be the proper size and in the proper location.

Yards must be clean and free of debris and trash

Weeds and Tall Grass must be maintained less than 8 inches in height

Sidewalks and Driveways must be:
     properly maintained, and
     snow must be removed from public sidewalks

Outside Storage:
     No garbage, refuse, landscape waste, rubbish or building
     materials are allowed.

Motor Vehicles:    
     must be parked on paved surface
     must be operable
     must be currently registered
     residential parking of only class “B” trucks

Garbage Containers must:
     be not less than 10 gallons and not more than 32 gallons
     be covered or securely tied whenever it contains garbage,
     litter, refuse or rubbish
     not be set out before 6:00 p.m. on the night before collection

THE INTERIOR

Is your home clean, safe, and well maintained?

Are your walls and ceilings:
     clean,
     without loose wallpaper,
     without cracks,
     without loose plaster,
     without flaking paint, and
     without lead paint?

Are your floors:
     sound,
     without holes,
     clean, and
     without cracked tiles or torn carpet?

Are your windows:
     without broken glass,
     operable, and
     with screens?

Are you heating and cooling systems:
     properly maintained, and
     able to maintain 68 degrees F?

Are your electrical components:
     able to provide adequate service,
     without frayed or unconnected wires,
     without broken light fixtures,
     used with proper type and size extension cords,
     with a fuse box accessible to tenants,
     without loose or broken outlets, and
     without cracked or missing outlet covers?

Are your doors:
     secure,
     fitting the frames,
     not blocked
     attached with the proper hardware,
     with door jambs intact,
     properly painted, and
     with an operating lock set?

The Kitchen
     Is your kitchen sanitary and safe?

Are your walls and floors:
     clean (no grease), and
     properly painted

Are your appliances:
      in good working condition, and clean?

Is your sink:
     without leaks in the faucet or drain, and
     with hot and cold running water?

Are your counter and cabinets:
     clean,
     properly secured,
     with all hardware attached,
     with drawers that work properly?

Are your Electrical Receptacles:
     with 2 separate outlets as required, and
     properly maintained?

Are your windows:
     without broken glass, and
     operable?

Is your exhaust fan:
     clean and operable?

Extermination:
     any insects or rodents must be eliminated

Sleeping is not permitted in the kitchen or other non-habitable areas such as the laundry room or bathrooms.

The Bathroom
     Make sure that your bathroom is safe!

Is your tub or shower:
     with grouting or caulking in tact, and
     without leaks?

Is your sink:
     properly installed, and
     without leaks in the faucet or drain?

Is your toilet:
     flushing properly, and
     without leaks at the base,
     with proper toilet seat?

Is your electrical system:
     equipped with at least one properly maintained receptacle
     and one light fixture?

Is your floor:
     clean and sanitary, and watertight?

Are your walls:
     Properly painted and clean?

Ventilation:
     Is there an operable window or exhaust fan?

Remember to:
     Clean the bathroom regularly
     Wipe down shower walls to prevent mold,
      Repair leaking faucets to avoid water waste and high water
      bills

The Basement - a danger area

Is your heating system:
     Able to maintain 68 degrees F,
     Properly installed and ventilated,
     Sealed against fumes,
     With ducts and pipes that are leak-free
     With a sealed chimney,
     With clean filters, and
     Clear of storage items?

Is your electrical system:
     Properly grounded,
     Have insulated wires,
     With an enclosed fuse box,
     Without exposed brass light sockets,
     Installed or modified only by a licensed homeowner or
     electrician, and
     Not less than 60 amps service

Is your stairway:
     Well-lit,
     With a secure handrail,
     With secure steps, and
     With evenly spaced steps?

Are your walls:
     Waterproof, and
     Structurally sound?

Are your floor areas:
     Waterproof,
     Free of trash,
     With a grill over floor drain, and
     Without hazardous materials?

Is the water service:
     Without cross connection of sanitary or storm water drains?

Is your water heater:
     Capable of heating to 110 degrees F,
     Properly vented,
     Equipped with relief valves,
     Equipped with metal drain pipe off pressure relief valves,
     Clear of storage items, and without leaks?

Is your smoke detector:
     Located in the proper location?

SMOKE DETECTORS ARE MANDATORY!

State law requires that every dwelling unit must have at least one smoke detector.  The owner is required to provide a detector.  It is the responsibility of the occupant to maintain the detector in working order.  Common areas and stairways in multi-dwelling units are required to have approved smoke detectors as well.

A smoke detector is required within 15 feet of every sleeping area.   In residential occupancies, smoke detectors are required on every story of the dwelling unit, including basements.  In a split-level dwelling unit with intervening doors between the levels, only one smoke detector for the two floors is required.  Smoke detectors should be mounted on the ceiling at least 6 inches from the wall or on the wall 4-6 inches below the ceiling.

Smoke detectors shall either be AC primary power source or monitorized battery primary power source.

“Overcrowding”  (What it means)

Dwelling units shall not be occupied by more occupancies than permitted.  Every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant shall contain at least 70 square feet of floor area, and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one person shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor area for each occupant.

Following is a chart that illustrates these requirements:

Number of Occupants           Minimum square feet required

          1                                                     70
          2                                                     100
          3                                                     150
          4                                                     200
          5                                                     250
          6                                                     300
          7                                                     350

Building Permits - When are they needed?

Following is a list of commonly needed building permits, which are issued by Community Development:

     House addition or remodeling
     Shed
     Garage
     Central air conditioner
     Wood deck
     Gazebo
     Swimming pool/spa/hot tub
     Fence/dog run
     Furnace
     Alarm system (low voltage electric permit needed
     Fireplace
     Screened porch
     Lawn sprinkler system
     Any electrical work
     Any plumbing work
     Roofing
     Siding
     Satellite dish (low voltage electric permit needed)
     Window or door replacement if opening size will change
     Sewer repair
     Water heater installation

Concrete paver patio notification and driveway permits are handled by the Community Development Department at Village Hall. Please contact (847) 459-2620 for more information. 

Village of Wheeling Comments

The Village of Wheeling establishes minimum standards for all property within the Village in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens.  These standards are maintained by Municipal Inspectors in the Public Health Division through a process called property maintenance (code enforcement).  The Division of Public Health in the Community Development Department is available to help residents understand and comply with these standards.

Any questions regarding this information noted above can be addressed by calling Community Development – Public Health Division at 847-459-2620.

Any questions regarding building permit requirements, how they are obtained or licensing of contractors can be addressed by call Community Development – Building Division at 847-459-2620.