Code & Standards References

💧 Water, Grading & Drainage

• IRC R401.3 (Drainage): ground must fall at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet of the foundation — the rule behind our grading checks.
• IRC R801.3 (Roof drainage): downspout discharge at least 5 feet from the foundation in expansive-soil areas. We recommend 4–6 feet everywhere as best practice.
• IRC P3303 + WSSC Plumbing Code: sump pump discharge rules — never into the sanitary sewer in Montgomery & Prince George's counties.
• IRC R310.2: emergency-escape window wells must stay clear and operational (and need a ladder beyond 44 inches deep).

🏠 Roof, Attic & Exterior

• IRC R806.2 (Attic ventilation): net free vent area of at least 1/150 of the attic floor (1/300 with balanced high/low vents) — why we have you feel the attic on a hot day.
• IRC R905.2.8.5: drip edge is required at eaves and rakes on shingle roofs.
• IRC R903 / R905: flashing requirements at chimneys, walls, and valleys — the spots we tell you to photograph after storms.
• IRC R317.1 & R318: wood within 6 inches of the ground must be protected, and homes need termite defenses — the basis for our mulch-clearance warnings.
• University of Maryland Extension: termite vs. flying-ant identification (equal wings, straight antennae, no waist = termite).

🔥 Life Safety

• Maryland Public Safety §9-104: smoke alarms on every level; battery replacements must be sealed 10-year units with a hush button; replace any alarm over 10 years old.
• Maryland Public Safety Title 12, Subtitle 11: carbon monoxide alarms in homes with fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage.
• DC Code §6-751.02 + DC Property Maintenance Code: the District's smoke and CO alarm duties for owners.
• IRC R314 / R315: the model-code placement rules for smoke and CO alarms.
• NFPA 72 + CPSC: test alarms monthly; replace at 10 years.
• NFPA 211 §14.2: chimneys, fireplaces, and vents must be inspected at least once a year.
• NEC (NFPA 70) 210.8 + CPSC Fact Sheet #99: where GFCI outlets are required and why we have you press TEST monthly.
• IRC M1502: dryer exhaust rules — outside termination, no screens, length limits. Lint is a leading cause of dryer fires (NFPA).
• NFPA 1 §11.5 + UL 1278: space heaters plug into the wall — never a power strip — with 3 feet of clearance.
• CPSC Publication 5098: set water heaters to 120°F to prevent scalds.

🤝 Hiring & Consumer Protection

• Maryland Bus. Reg. §8-601 (MHIC): home-improvement work of $500+ requires a licensed contractor. Verify any license free at labor.maryland.gov.
• Maryland Bus. Reg. §8-617: a contractor may not collect more than one-third of the contract price as a deposit. "Half down, cash" is not a norm — it's a violation.
• DC 16 DCMR Chapter 8: DC home-improvement contractors must be licensed and bonded ($25,000) — and an unlicensed contractor may not take any payment before the work is complete.
• Maryland Door-to-Door Sales Act (Com. Law §14-301+): home-improvement contracts signed at your door can be cancelled within 5 business days — 7 if you're 65 or older.
• FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR 429): the federal 3-business-day cancellation right for door-to-door sales.
• EPA RRP Rule (40 CFR 745): anyone paid to disturb paint in a pre-1978 home must be an EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm.
• IRC R507 / R312: deck framing, ledger, and guard requirements — and yes, Montgomery County requires a permit for every deck.

Nothing here is legal advice — it's where to look. Codes are amended locally and updated on multi-year cycles; your county's permit office has the final word.