# How does your home measure up?



## Amish Electrici (Oct 5, 2012)

I thought I'd start this thread togive everyone a chance to reflect.

Look at the place where you live. Would it meet current codes? If not, where does it fall short? Does it matter to you?


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## fatboy (Oct 5, 2012)

Actually mine would, except I need a CO dectctor upstairs, have one downstairs already. I still even have my self-closing hinges wound on my garage/house door!


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## Daddy-0- (Oct 5, 2012)

Mine would need some serious engineering for the post and beam/mortice and tenon construction as well as the red clay bricks that were fired on site. No chimney to framing clearances, no fireblocking, energy etc. Since it was built in 1754 it what code would it be under?? Hammurabi??


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## cda (Oct 5, 2012)

Mine gets blessed by the inspector at least once a day


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## Rio (Oct 6, 2012)

Let's see, for the old house we had in the post WWII building tract on one of the mesas of San Diego; no shear panels, no metal connectors, roof pitch less than 3:12, no insulation in walls or roof, no weep screed for the stucco, window heights wrong for emergency egress in the bedrooms, no exhaust fan in the bathroom, no high efficacy lighting, no auto off switches anywhere, no GFCI outlets, no grounded outlets at all!, no arc fault outlets, no steel in the footings or slab, no vapor barrier in the slab.

These houses were cranked out by the thousands and talking to an old timer neighbor who bought one new cost $10,000; $100.00 down and $100.00 a month would get you one of these homes.


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## Black Dog (Oct 6, 2012)

Amish Electrici said:
			
		

> I thought I'd start this thread togive everyone a chance to reflect.Look at the place where you live. Would it meet current codes? If not, where does it fall short? Does it matter to you?


No mine would not today but 1950 it would.There have been many updates that would meet today's code but as a whole house no.


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## cda (Oct 6, 2012)

Rio said:
			
		

> Let's see, for the old house we had in the post WWII building tract on one of the mesas of San Diego; no shear panels, no metal connectors, roof pitch less than 3:12, no insulation in walls or roof, no weep screed for the stucco, window heights wrong for emergency egress in the bedrooms, no exhaust fan in the bathroom, no high efficacy lighting, no auto off switches anywhere, no GFCI outlets, no grounded outlets at all!, no arc fault outlets, no steel in the footings or slab, no vapor barrier in the slab.  These houses were cranked out by the thousands and talking to an old timer neighbor who bought one new cost $10,000; $100.00 down and $100.00 a month would get you one of these homes.


What part of San Diego???

I grew up and my mom still lives national city

Same house for over fifty years


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## Rio (Oct 6, 2012)

cda said:
			
		

> What part of San Diego???I grew up and my mom still lives national city
> 
> Same house for over fifty years


Clairemont Mesa; it ended up with over 10,000 houses going in.  Definitely a bare bones house, 900 s.f., single car garage, 3 bedrooms, one bath.  When I said no metal connectors I was wrong, they did have nails!  National city has some really nice areas.  Is your Mother's house up where it has a view of the bay?  I tore down a barn there that was owned by a tug boat captain/owner who was part of an old time family as was the barn.  It was made of 1" (actual) by 14" to 16" planks of redwood stuck in the ground.  The framing was all redwood also without a knot to be seen.  He told me that redwood used to be the cheapest wood to build with years and years ago.  One of his tug duties was helping the big ocean going tugs dock the huge lumber barges that make the run from the northwest to San Diego Harbor.


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## cda (Oct 6, 2012)

Rio said:
			
		

> Clairemont Mesa; it ended up with over 10,000 houses going in.  Definitely a bare bones house, 900 s.f., single car garage, 3 bedrooms, one bath.  When I said no metal connectors I was wrong, they did have nails!  National city has some really nice areas.  Is your Mother's house up where it has a view of the bay?  I tore down a barn there that was owned by a tug boat captain/owner who was part of an old time family as was the barn.  It was made of 1" (actual) by 14" to 16" planks of redwood stuck in the ground.  The framing was all redwood also without a knot to be seen.  He told me that redwood used to be the cheapest wood to build with years and years ago.  One of his tug duties was helping the big ocean going tugs dock the huge lumber barges that make the run from the northwest to San Diego Harbor.


No not at all she is on the national city SE San Diego border about five miles inland, about two blocks east of the 805.

Did work at miramar a couple of times when it was navy

More than likely would be back in sa, but just to crowded


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## chris kennedy (Oct 6, 2012)

My meter base is burning up. Been planing to fix that for a couple years now.


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## fatboy (Oct 6, 2012)

"My meter base is burning up. Been planing to fix that for a couple years now."

I felt bad because I still don't have cabinet doors after 14 years. I guess the cobblers kids needing shoes really does play out......funny.


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## DRP (Oct 6, 2012)

No, I experimented on my own. It won't fail structurally, blessed be the unintended load path, but it does show there are some laws you just can't break. The rest is 80's BOCA/CABO and I have no problem with that. I could understand most of it.


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## Msradell (Oct 7, 2012)

With the exception of the recently adopted Arc Flash codes our home built in 1990 that easily pass all of the code requirements imposed today.  This is because it was built well to start with and I've upgraded other areas.


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## fatboy (Oct 7, 2012)

oops, I don't have AFCI's either........built in 1998.


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## mtlogcabin (Oct 8, 2012)

Amish Electrici said:
			
		

> I thought I'd start this thread togive everyone a chance to reflect.Look at the place where you live. Would it meet current codes? If not, where does it fall short? Does it matter to you?


(a) residential buildings containing less than five dwelling units or their attached-to structures, any farm or ranch building of any size, and any private garage or private storage structure of any size used only for the owner's own use, located within a county, city, or town, unless the local legislative body by ordinance or resolution makes the state building code applicable to these structures;

Since I live where there is no code, my log cabin with no indoor plumbing or electricity complies.

Don't ask about the propane lights and home made barrel stove.


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## ICE (Oct 8, 2012)

I'm waiting for Cal-Trans to get back to me 'cause I live under a bridge.


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## Amish Electrici (Oct 9, 2012)

Well, ICE, has the bridge been seismically retrofit, or is it ready to do the Minnesots Bridge splash?  

My purchase, and remodel, of a 1957 ranch house got me pondering just how much our lives have changed since then.

OK, there are the obvious electrical shortcomings: no ground wire to the outlets, let alone any GFCI's, AFCI's, SABC's, etc. Bathroom electric is a 2-prong receptacle in the base of the lamp over the medicine chest.  Entire house served by 6 circuits.

No laundry circuit? How about no laundry? Well, OK, there was provision for a washer in the water heater closet - which was set off the carport - but no provision for a dryer. One vent in the door, on the carport side, for the gas water heater. Gas piping buried, but not  coated or wrapped (it rusted through last year). No strapping of the WH. There are at least six changes needed to make this water heater 'legal' under today's rules.

Sewer is 3" and the water main is 3/4". A new home might well have 4" sewer and the water meter would be able to handle 1".

Today the plumbing would likely be ABS for the sewer (rather than cast iron) and PEX instead of copper for the lines.

Shear bracing of the framing is questionable under today's rules, and there was no use of metal framing clips.

Naturally, there are no interconnected fire alarms.

The lead paint on the asbestos-cement siding .... need I say more?

Our manner of termite abatement is quite different today.

Roof venting requirements have greatly increased.

Nowhere near enough receptacles in the kitchen. No receptacle under the sink for the Disposall, and as for the dishwasher ... you're kidding, right? Dishwashers didn't become common until the early 60's.

Framing lumber is in direct contact with the concrete foundation. No metal brackets or pressure-treated wood back then.


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## Mac (Oct 9, 2012)

Is there any insulation visible?


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## Frank (Oct 9, 2012)

1950's house

No arcfault, could use a two recepticals in kitchen--have upgraded to 2nd circuit but there is a counter section that would get one now

Added CO detection

Smokes are battery not interconnectd but can hear the far one in the bedroom.

Most of the lead soldered copper pipes have been replaced with plastic due to well water eating the copper.

upgraded to GFI where required.

Have upgraded attic isulation--would be close on overall energy envelope and could likely meet annnual energy budget method of compliance.

Heat pump does not meet current energy eff standards but would be about 10 year payback if used zero electricity for new one--heat mostly with onsite gathered renewable energy from wood

Handrails on side door have been upgraded but rear does not meet current gripability standard

Inside stair does not have returns on handrails


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## fireguy (Oct 12, 2012)

Built 1890, real 2x4, Knob and tube mostly replaced, 8" clay sewer pipe, no insulation except for a bedroom exterior wall and ceiling.  Probably the same code as Daddy-O's house.  Has not fallen down yet, so the builder must have done a good job. The garage burned several years ago, fire chief determined an electrical problem was at fault. There was no electrical service in the garage, but the fire report still listed the cause an an  electrical problem.  The little house in the back yard was gone when I bought the property, probably another electrical fire.


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## Architect1281 (Oct 13, 2012)

Well except for the guard space mine would still exceed all todays codes and it was biult in 1988 -

exceeds structural snow loads by double, met wind when it didn't have to; even will exceed the 2012 energy code.

cause Its walls Are r-26 or 30 depending on exposure and even lighting would exceed cause Ive been changing over to ICF and now to LED systems.

Low energy - renewable backup source .

It's getting to the repair stage now - new deck in, things due and to upgrade new roof covering, new appliances

and this is possible cause the last of 3 is now done with college.


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## kyhowey (Oct 15, 2012)

Mine stinks.  It was built before I became a building inspector and was inspected by a jurisdiction that I don't work for.  It's laughable how much the building inspector allowed me, as the builder, to get away with.  I am slowly bringing it up to current building code as my meager inspector wages allow.


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