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Advice to Builders (and Homeowners) doing work in Ira Township:Some Builders, not all, have been making mistakes that violate the 2015 Michigan Residential Building Code. Why? I am not sure. My guess is that there may be a break-down in communication between the Licensed Builder and his foreperson or crew. This second item (below) is a growing problem not only in Ira but in many other nearby Townships.Footings and FoundationsThe Frost level is 42 inches below ground level. This is from the top of any pad-footing to the lowest expected finish ground level. If your lot slopes 6 inches front to back, then the front footing must be 48 inches deep (in the front). Any steeper sloping lot you may want to consider a stepped footing. Regarding any new planned two-story houses on a crawl space or basement, (or one-story house with brick veneer or concrete block construction) then you must provide a soil bearing engineering report. For any building planned for a previously swampy area (flooded for days after a hard rain), you also must provide a soil bearing engineering report.You must plan on hiring a geotechnical engineering firm for soil testing. Submit to the Township Building Department a written report or analysis?from that Firm as to what the Load-Bearing Value of the soil at footing Depth. (IE- 1500 to 4,000 Pounds per Square Foot.) Also submit their recommended footing width and thickness for your project. (They must figure in a 30 p.s.f. roof snow load). The Township will compare to Building Code Table R403.1(2, 3).Ideally, have this (several days long) test performed and submittal after basement or footing excavation is completed but before any concrete (footing) forms or concrete is placed. Allow this extra time in your schedule. Do not proceed until above information is submitted to Ira Township building department and approved. Or, you can do all this soil testing before you excavate the ground; however, we understand that this method usually will cost you $3,000 to $5,000 and takes much longer. For one story, stick-built homes with vinyl or T-111 siding, the standard 42” footing with rebar at the bottom (per code) should not require soil testing unless it is a swampy area.No basements allowed on any buildings for water-front lots. Anchoring the Sill or Mud-Plate to the FoundationI still like the old fashion way of using 10-inch-long ? inch diameter galvanized “L”- shaped anchor bolts imbedded 7 inches into the poured foundation wall with the threaded end 3 inches above the top. However, this is more labor intensive than the newer method. The trend now to use a pair of 16 gauge galvanized and perforated band iron straps. These are placed on closer spacing than the “L” shaped anchor bolts. For instance: instead of 6 feet (or 4 feet for 2-story) on center spacing, a Simpson #MAB15 Mudsill anchor is placed on 3’-10” (or less) spacing. Here is the problem I see happening: No-one is spreading the pairs of straps outward, to the edges of a normal 6-inch-wide foundation, BEFORE THE CONCRETE IS POURED. So, what you end up with is all pairs are on the foundation center-line. Unless you drill holes in the mud sill plate for each pair of straps; (which is not done), you violated the Code and Simpson / Strong-Tie’s warning found on page #51 of their 2017-2018 catalog. This results in a screw-up caused by miss-communication.Then what (too many) builders do is pound the straps; one right and the other left. Put down the 5.5-inch-wide foam Sill-Seal, slap down the treated 2x6 or 2x4 and continue along. If we discover this wrong design, it will NOT be approved. If you have gone too far ahead with construction, then the only fix will be for you to install many Simpson #FJA/FSA Foundation Anchors on the inside. (Which are costly.) Consider yourself warned.Stairs; Steps and Hand RailingsHere are the code rules again: Michigan Residential Code: R311.7.4.1 and R311.7.4.2.All steps in a stair assembly must have all the same tread height or rise. This rise cannot be over 8 1/4” high. (Minimum Rise of 4”) The treads (toe to toe) must be 9 inches minimum. The rise of the bottom step must be the same as the top step after the finish flooring is installed. Steps must have round nosing: ?” minimum to 1 ? inch maximum. (Max radius is 9/16”). You are allowed a tolerance difference of no more than 3/8” for Riser Heights and Tread Depths. (This CODE allows for a smaller footprint than a more comfortable 7 ? to 10.All stairs with four or more steps must have a handrailing at least on one side. Insurance companies like to see two. Top of handrailing to the steps must be 34 inches to 38 inches. No more, no less. This is measured from the line projected along the nosing of all steps. Winder Treads have specific requirements found on R311.7.5.2.1.Outside steps to a door must have a 36-inch landing (minimum). There are many more specs for stairs, landings, guards, etc. Every year people get injured on stairways. Please follow all the codes.The confusing Riser and Tread codes R311.7.5.1 and R311.7.5.2 Has been omitted. My personal preference is the safer design of 7 ?” rise with a 10” tread (which takes up a longer foot-print); but the code is stated in bold, above.Roof TrussesHow many Licensed Builders know that the trusses you install can only be plus or minus 1/4" out of planned spacing? Center to Center, if your trusses are supposed to be 16 inches on center, you can only be off ? of an inch. If the truss is twisted or tilted, the manufacturer will not honor the stated loads he calculated in his design. I see this abused way too often. Whatever happened to making a pair of spacer guides out of 8-foot 2x4’s and 2x4 blocking?Tune-In your CREWThis reminds me of a good suggestion an Old-Timer (Builder) taught me thirty some years ago.He said “Before the start of a very Large Construction project, he would take all the levels and tape measurers from his crew and stack them up. There was always be one level off from the others and one tape measure not reading the same 8-foot dimension. Throw the bad ones out and get new ones.”Roof ShinglesRoof shingles must be rated for 115 MPH after installation. Follow all installation information ON or Inside the bundle wrappers. If there is a plastic protection strip over the tar line, leave it. It will eventually melt, on 3-tab and 3-D shingles use (6) six nails per shingle, on all sides of roof. Four (4) nails does not meet our Township wind rating of 115 MPH. {Code R301.2(4) B}. If you find something different, let me know.Underlayment: 2/12 slope up to (and including) 4/12 slope: two overlapping layers. (1507.2.8) Underlayment over 4/12 and greater slope: one layer is required. See building code for application. Aluminum drip edges must be installed at all eves and rake edges. Overlap pieces 2 inches.Mineral-surfaced roll roofing shall not be used on slopes less than 1/12 (8% slope).All roofing nails must penetrate the roof sheathing boards by at least ? of an inch. This is what locks the shingles down and satisfies the wind rating. (I must see the roofing nails poking thru the sheathing from inside the attic. Ground snow loads in Ira Township are 25 PSF. (pounds per square foot.)Roofing contractors use pricing formulas for an exposure of 5 inches. Every row is spaced five inches. This is good for roof pitches of 3/12 to 12/12 and more. However, for roof pitches less than 3/12 (3” vertical to 12 inches horizontal) use a 4-inch exposure pattern.Second Layer of Shingles is allowed but not recommended. Why Not? Because first you are not stripping off the first layer and inspecting the roof sheathing boards for damage or failure. Second, two layers of shingles is a lot of weight, added to 25 PSF winter snow load may be too much for an old house roof. Third, double layers of roof shingles become a bigger heat sink in the summer; which means your A/C may not be able to keep up with the BTU’s radiating into the attic.However, it is allowed, and you may be pinching pennies and on a well-built garage it would be fine. You can only add a second layer of shingles over a 3-Tab style of roofing shingles. You can place another layer of 3-tab shingles or a layer of architectural (3-D) shingles. You must first put one (1) layer of roof felt down, (overlapping by 2 inches) on top of the old 3-Tab shingles before you cover it with a second layer.If the old first layer of shingles is architectural (3-D) type; it must be removed because the finished job would be very bumpy and look bad.Ideal weather for roofing jobs is no-rain, no snow, weather temp between 40 and 85 degrees F. There are potential problems outside that range. Have your roofer assure you they know how to deal w/ under 40 or over 85 F.Attic Access Hatches and Pull-Down Ladders30 inches minimum (clear) head room is required above the access hatch ceiling framing. For the removable cover use ?” or 5/8” drywall, screwed to a matching rectangular piece of (3/8” to ?”) plywood. On top of the plywood make a pillow out of a ‘hefty’ 2-mil black garbage bag and two (2) pieces of 6-inch-thick fiberglass batt insulation. Staple the 12” thick insulated pillow to the top of plywood. Do not use finishing nails on the wood trim pieces holding up the hatch cover; they come loose. Wood screws would be better. (The building code says to use the same thickness as on the attic floor.) The code also says to gasket-seal the cover. (place the gasket on all four face edges of the cover; not the frame.)However, Since the code is now R-38 for attics; which is 13” of insulation, 2x13 =26” so if your clearance above hatch is the minimum 30” you may be ripping off the Hatch cover insulation when you removed it upward and to one side.) Therefore, if you have way more clearance than 30” above hatch, make you pillow 13” thick.Third; If you use loose blown -in insulation you must provide a 4- sided plywood curb around the hatch opening. This is where I see many problems. Some contractors use cardboard which does not last very long and violates the intent. Even ? “or 3/8” thick plywood gets busted up the first time a TV Cable guy crawls around up there.Here is a smart suggestion: 16 inches high, 3 walls of (firmly secured) ?” thick plywood curb. This will be 2 to 3 inches above the insulation. However, instead of loose insulation 100% covering the attic floor; surround the access hatch with fiberglass batt insulation for two feet out, just at the access hole. Make the fourth side of the curb (facing the highest attic space) out of 3/8” plywood removable slide-in design.) Two tracks on each side on the ?” thick material; and a 1x2x8” block handle on the removable piece. So, you can tap with a hammer on the handle to slide it up and out. (Please sand off all top edges to avoid splinters).This way a stocky TV cable installer will have room to enter your attic and switch cable provider again. This is not mandatory however you will stand-out as a “Professional” (not mediocre).PULL-DOWN LADDERS:Regarding pull-down ladder access inside attached garages. The attached cover must be 30-minute fire rated, equivalent to the 5/8” type X drywall.Fires frequently start inside garages. Also, too many homeowners get injured on flimsy pull-down ladders.All pull-down garage ladders must be 300 pounds rated minimum; if storage is planned for above any garage ceiling and / or inside the garage attic trusses then a 350-pound rated ladder is required. Final comment on pull-down ladders. Ever wonder what would happen ten years later, after much use on a pull-down ladder, if one of those springs gave way while you were 2/3 of the way up the ladder? I have. That is why I added 1/8” galvanized safety cables thru both springs. Just like on many garage door openers. I value my face.Jobsite safetyYou must be more Pro-Active and safety conscious as a contractor. As you know, when you leave your jobsite at the end of each work day, many curious, school age neighborhood children visit there. Please do not leave conditions that may cause an accident. Use temporary fencing if required. I have found a front porch footing wall with a 12-foot fall to the basement floor below and wobbly plank boards spanning this opening to the front doorway. Contractors must be responsible and are “LIABLE”.Otherwise, the Township may invite MIOSHA to visit your jobsite.Floor Joists (Hole drilling)I do not see this too often lately, but it shows not every crew has a right-angle drill motor. Please, NEVER drill holes (for wiring or pipes) into floor joists other than thru the middle third of the joist. If you see a large wood knot, move the hole to one side.Letting Right-Hand know what Left Hand is doingEvery now and then I see the sacred space in front of the main (basement) Electrical Panel blocked. This space is 30 inches wide x 36 inches out and down to the floor. We find sump pump pits and sewer cleanouts. Sometimes even water meters are too close. Please co-cordinate these sub-contractors.Rain GuttersPlease keep in mind that the standard 5” K aluminum gutter can only direct so much water per hour at the recommended required pitch; ? inch slope per every 10 feet. If your gutter is 40 feet long, split it in half and pitch each side 1” to a pair of downspouts.The steeper your roof pitches the more windblown rain it will collect. The formulas you find on the internet are: 12/12 and higher use a factor of 1.3; 9/12 to 11/12 use a factor of 1.2; 6/12 to 8/12 use a factor of 1.1; 4/12 to 5/15 pitch use a factor of 1.05; last from flat to a 3/12 pitch factor is 1.0.Now take the square feet of your largest roof section, multiply it by the correct factor. Then multiply that sum by 6.4 (inches) which is our area’s maximum expected heavy rainfall per hour.K-Style 5-Inch size can handle 5,520 square feetK-Style 6-Inch size can handle 7,960 square feetExample: Say your roof section (for one gutter run) was 600 square feet and had a pitch of 9 to 12. Your formula would be 600 x 1.2 x 6.4 = 4,608. Therefore a 5-K gutter will handle this roof section.The initial design consideration is to plan ahead and have a “Fascia” board deep enough to mount the required gutter size and have room for ?” per 10 feet pitch. I see way too many small size (2x6) fascia boards that result in gutters not being sloped enough to get rid of the rain water. Some builders use ?” per 10 feet for the slope; (It ends up level.) Use the ?” per ten feet rule and we will not have to worry about mosquitos breeding in the gutters.Last point; gutters must be supported at least every 32”. Add a down-spout 5-foot extension to the bottom of every downspout after final grade in done. Extensions not required if there is an underground 4-inch drain system to capture all the roof rain mentAgain, I must point out that most of our Licensed Builders who are registered to do business in Ira Township are very up to date on all these building codes. These comments (above) are for the new builder or home owner who wishes to do the work themselves. Like many of us have heard before,” we are never too old to learn something new.”Anchoring Mobile Homes. (This Item is under Review)Regarding single-wide and double wide mobile home building codes: The Michigan Residential Building Code refers this responsibility over to H.U.D.H.U.D. refers the responsibility over to the Mobile Home Manufacturing Industry. Ira Township will inspect the placement and anchoring of new mobile homes within our township per these directions.All homes must withstand a 115 MPH wind requirement and a 25 pound per square foot ground snow load. The Ira Township Building Department will inspect new mobile homes for:Proper Electrical Ground Rod connection.Safe and proper gas, water & electrical tie-ins.Safe external stairs.Anchorage to the ground per Michigan “LARA” Industry Standards.The information listed below is the minimum standard. Based on Zone 2, which is 90 to 110 MPH. The length does not include the draw bar. Numbers based on minimum working load per anchor of 3,150 pounds, with 50% overload of 4,725 pounds.Diagonal ties must deviate at least 40 degrees from a vertical direction. Pole Barns & 115 MPH Wind Zone.Before you purchase your pole barn, either a kit for the home owner to erect or from a construction company who will supply & install one per your size requirements you must have the supplier’s Professional Engineers address our 115 MPH wind zone spec. The 2015 Michigan Residential Building Code does not tell you how to do this because there are too many variables. For instance, much of the soil in out township is sticky marsh-like clay. The smooth treated posts you will install into the ground does not have much resistance to being pulled out by a tipping barn when very high winds push on a side wall while the same wind creates lift on the roof like an airplane wing.The Pole Barn support posts have to sit into the ground at least 42 inches and on top of 4” concrete pads. 42” minimum from top of pad to finished ground level. The problem is that just filling these holes back up with dirt does not prevent a 115 MPH wind from pulling the posts up out of the ground. Especially if the doors are open when this wind happens along.Ira Township Building department does not design pole barns. The suppliers & installers of these enclosures must hire design engineers to do that. Browsing thru ‘Opti-Kits’ Web site by APB Pole Barns you can get some ideas on what would be required. Here you will see what the minimums we are looking for.Wick Buildings recommends 4 foot or deeper holes and creating column anchors and maybe back-filling with concrete (not dirt & gravel). I suggest you visit these two websites from APB Pole Barns and Wick Buildings .comWe are not recommending any supplier; however, they both address wind problems on pole barns quite well. The websites are: : must detail (describe) how your pole barn will be anchored to the ground and the trusses to the posts. I have one suggestion on picture #14 that will work only if you intend on having a 4-inch poured slab with 24-inch rat wall on all four sides. See picture 14-A.Lastly: Get the Wind Rose Example for our area from the US National Resources Conservation Service. This tells the Direction most high winds come from. You may want to rotate your pole barn a bit to lesson these damaging winds. Insulating New Homes and AdditionsOur green cover, 2015 Michigan Energy Code, incorporates the 2015 edition of the International Energy Conservation Code. It is approximately 70 pages combining the “C”, Commercial Provisions and the “R”, Residential Provisions.The purpose is to optimize the use of fossil fuels and nondepletable resources in all communities, large and small. This will save money and not destroy our way of life for future generations.First, we are in Climate Zone 5A (as opposed to 6A & 7 which is further north and has colder winters.Also, these codes go beyond just new construction. They also apply to Additions, alterations, renovations or repairs to existing livable structures. There are (9) exemptions to this but the main one is if you expose existing ceiling, wall or floor cavities and they have insulation; you do not have to upgrade the insulation. (Unless you want to).Without getting into the details (which there are a lot of them); The formulas involve size of room, type of outside walls, number, size & type of windows & doors. Heated basement or cold crawl space; size of walls, etc. On a new large home, the engineers must get involved.Minimum R-Value for ceilings is 38. Minimum Ri Value for Outside wood framed walls is 20 or 13 + 5’. (the ‘or’ means R-13 cavity plus R-5 continuous insulation or insulated siding.) Basement wall is R- 10/13. Concrete WorkMy concrete book is a 1966, 112-page booklet by Richard Day. I am sure he is no longer with us. Back then I owned a 1943 gas motor driven 1/3-yard cement mixer. Boy was that hard work. But that is how you learn about concrete. Many people say Cement Driveway. Cement is the “Portland Cement” that is mixed with sand, gravel & water to form Concrete.Ideal: Six sacks of cement per cubic yard, a 4-inch slump (+ or – 1”), Less than six gallons of water per bag of cement, 6% entrained air (+ or – 1%), This formula gives you the strongest concrete. Also, do not let the concrete mix from the chute fall more than a foot or two. Falling from higher up forces the larger stone to settle to the bottom of your slab. You want an even mix. Problems I see now and then: The loose fill near a porch is not tamped down enough. Months later the walkway settles into a dip, creating a spot for ice to form on your walkway.Driveways not crowned enough in the center. Rain does not run off very well.Not placing expansion joints between brick walls and concrete walks. All materials expand and contract, even concrete. Skipping this will cause the brick to ‘chip-off’ where it touches the slab.Not finishing the slab properly. You want a pro to work the cement up to the top of your slab just enough; not too much nor too little.Poor planning: based on weather & crew size and /or experience. Do NOT order (for delivery too many cubic yards, too soon. Do the job in sections, with finish & rest times planned between deliveries. Pay a little more for more trips and do a better job.Last item. The code may allow you to place a 3 ?” thick slab down. However, some spots will be 3” and your sections may be cut too large. Result is cracks. 4 inches thick is only 14% more material and you get a stronger slab. If you expect motor homes or large delivery truck traffic, go with 5 ? thick slabs. Also, do not waste your money on chicken wire (slang) reinforcing steel mesh. Investing the cost into a ?” thicker slab will be a better bet.Now the last six. Take six days to cure, keeping it wet after it sets up. Do not cover or wet it until it sets up which will only take a couple of hours depending on hot it is, how windy and dry the wind is and how sunny (direct sun-light). Tap the side wood or metal forms right away to get a smoother finish. Leave the forms in for thicker slabs or walls for up to six days. I cover large slabs with plastic, holding down the edges with sand or earth and I run a lawn sprinkler on it for six days if it is during hot summer-time. Ask your contractor how he or she will approach your project. ................
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