Keeping unwanted pests out of the home is part of maintaining a healthy environment. Verminous pests can cause damage to insulation, wiring, drywall and other building components – not to mention the potential for introducing unhealthy conditions.

Question:

True or False? Dryer vents are required include a backdraft guard at the termination point to prevent vermin intrusion.

Since we’re on the subject of plumbing, how about bathrooms in general? What does the Building Code say about conditioning a bathroom?

Question:

True or False? According the the Florida Building Code, bathrooms are NOT REQUIRED to be conditioned [with heating and or air conditioning supply vents].

Answer:

TRUE – Yes, Sorry folks, but heating and cooling of bathrooms IS NOT REQUIRED by the Florida Building Code.

Why, you may ask? Because bathrooms are not considered living space. Along that same line of thinking, closets and hallways are not required to be heated or cooled either.

Should those rooms be “conditioned”? That is a matter of personal preference, but I have seen some closets that are larger than my living room, and I am sure the owner spends a considerable amount of time finding the right outfit – so air conditioning would be a perceived necessity. BUT technically, air conditioning and heating are not required in bathrooms, closets and hallways.

Winner:

Jim Marasia at Coldwell Banker – United

OK, enough with the FAR Purchase Agreement – how about some Building Code stuff?

Question:

True or False? According the the Florida Building Code, plumbing faucets are required to be installed so that hot is on the right side of the fixture.

Answer:

FALSE – I received a few emails from Agents saying this Question was too easy…but I had to respond that there were about 5 percent of the responses that were incorrect. So obviously, the Question was not that easy!

When I was in college, I dated a plumber’s daughter and from time to time I found myself in the uncomfortable situation of having to make small talk with the rather gruff guy. He was a “Licensed Master Plumber” with a lifetime of experience. I remember once, that I ask some inane question about the plumbing trade and he said: “There are three rules in plumbing: 1) Hot is on the left; 2) Crap flows down hill and 3) Payday is on Friday.”

I am not sure if that brief lesson was meant to apply only to the plumbing trade, or to be extrapolated to cover most of the Questions of Life, but 20 plus years later, I still remember it.

Oh, and if you don’t believe the Licensed Master Plumber, you can check the Florida Building Code, Plumbing Section 607.4 to confirm that hot water is on the left side of the fixture.

Winner:

Leslie Lee of The Beach Group

Now that the cool weather is here, the temperatures and dry air allow for opening windows to let the fresh air into our homes. But, windows without screens allow more than fresh air into the home. Without screens, all kind of little pests can come inside. So, shouldn’t screens be required on all the windows?

Question:

True or False? Missing and torn screens are considered cosmetic items under the new FAR 9 Purchase Agreement.

Answer:

Line 161 of the The Florida Association of Realtors’ FAR-9 agreement says – “…that torn or missing screens…will be repaired or replaced.”

Torn screens are pretty easy to identify, the screen is either torn or not. But, the tricky part comes into play when trying to determine if screens are missing. Here is my Rule of Thumb for determining if windows are missing screens. A) If SOME of the windows on the property are fitted with screens, but not all operable windows have screens – then those windows without screens would be considered as “missing”. B) Additionally, if the home has been built since 2000 and does not have ANY screens installed, then ALL those are windows would be considered to be missing screens. Why are those missing screens? Because the Florida Building Codes requires that operable windows be fitted with screens to prevent pest intrusion.

SO, if you are a Listing Agent, and your clients have removed the damaged screens for aesthetic reasons, they would still be responsible to “repair or replace” those screens under the standard FAR-9.

Winner:

John Miesen of Century 21 – Wilson Minger

While we are on the subject of the Florida Association of Realtors’ Residential Sale and Purchase Agreement (FAR-9), let’s talk about “warranted items”. A few days ago, we received a call from an agent asking what a ‘warranted item’ was. Hummm…how about this:

Question:

True or False? Warranted Items are items in and around the home that the Buyer or Home Inspector would like to be be repaired, replaced or fixed prior to close of sale.
Answer:

FALSE – Warranted Items are specific items outlined in the Purchase Agreement [FAR Paragraph 8 (a)(1)] and include “non-leased major appliances and heating, cooling, mechanical, electrical, security, sprinkler, septic and plumbing systems, seawall, dock and pool equipment… [which] are and will be maintained in working condition…[and include that] the structures (including roofs, doors and windows) are structurally sound and watertight …”

Every Buyer, Agent and Home Inspector should read and understand the conditions and terms outlined in the Purchase Agreement, and be aware that “working condition” of Warranted Items doesn’t mean pristine, but simply that the major components of the home are “operating in the manner in which the item was designed to operate.” Warranted Items are not random items that the Buyer and / or Home Inspector think should be repaired. The paragraph clearly outlines a list of items that are identified as Warranted Items and a list of conditions considered to be “cosmetic conditions”, “[which] do not affect the working condition of the item”.

Home Inspectors should know the difference. If your Inspector doesn’t understand what a Warranted Item is, it is time to call Beach To Bayou.

Winner:

Jerry Sollenberger of ERA American Realty