Maryland Heights, MO

Residential Occupancy Inspection Checklist - What Will Be Inspected?

Our inspectors will be looking for compliance with the City’s Property Maintenance Code, which addresses maintenance and safety issues. This list is not all-inclusive and should be referred to as a general guide of the types of items that will be checked by our inspectors. If you have specific questions, please contact our inspection staff at (314) 291-6550.

Plumbing:

• Water distribution system must be in good repair and free of leaks.
• All waste lines must be in good repair and properly vented.
• Bathrooms must be vented by a window or fan discharging directly to the outside.
• Plumbing fixtures such as faucets, sinks, and toilets must be free of leaks.
• All faucets (except bathtub) must be equipped with a water shut-off valve.

• Interior drywall must be in good repair, properly taped and painted or covered with other approved materials (wallpaper, paneling, etc.).
• Stairs must be equipped with handrails.
• Floors must be sound and free of holes. Floor covering must be in good repair and free of tripping hazards.
• Each residence must be equipped with one smoke detector on each floor, one in each bedroom and one outside bedroom areas.

• Electric service must be large enough to meet the demand placed upon it.
• There must be no double lugging (two circuits coming off the same breaker).
• Service panels must be properly mounted and grounded.
• Each branch circuit must be properly fused or served by a circuit breaker.
• Each air conditioning compressor must be equipped with a disconnect.
• Each electrical outlet near a wet location must be protected with a GFI outlet.
• All bathrooms must have at least one GFCI receptacle.
• All splices must be made inside a junction box. No open splices will be approved.

• Foundation walls must be straight, in good repair, free from open cracks and able to support the loads placed upon them.
• Structural elements must be sound.
• Exterior walls must be free of holes, breaks, loose/rotting boards and peeling paint.
• Roofs must be structurally sound, tight, leak proof and drained so water is carried away from the building and discharged without affecting neighboring property.
• Chimneys, decks, stairs and porches must be sound and in good repair. Depending on height above grade, decks must be equipped with guardrails. Stairs from decks must be equipped with guardrails and handrails.
• Windows and door openings must be weather tight. Glass must be in good repair. Every opening must be properly caulked.
• Every exterior faucet must be equipped with a hose bibb vacuum breaker.
• Driveways must be in good repair.
• Yard areas must be covered with vegetation to prevent erosion. Grass must be well-kept.

• Furnaces must be in good repair, properly wired and properly vented. Each blower must be protected by a clean and serviceable filter. Gas furnaces must be equipped with a gas shut-off valve.
• Water heaters must be properly vented and equipped with a pressure relief valve connected to a drip tube extending to within six inches of the floor. Water heaters must be equipped with a shut-off valve.
• In-ground swimming pools must be surrounded by a four-foot fence in compliance with current property maintenance code. All pool wiring must meet the requirements of the National Electric Code.
• Fireplaces must be properly vented. Fire boxes and flues must be kept clean and free of obstructions. The area 20 inches on all sides of a fire box must be noncombustible. Manufactured fireplaces must bear the seal of a recognized testing agency. Smoke dampers must be operable.
• Attics must be vented, either by openings at the eave, at the top of the gable or by mechanical means.
• Buildings should be free from insect infestation.