module 10 Flashcards
The Ontario Building Code
Administered by the Building and Development Branch of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Ontario
Building Code is a regulation under the Building Code Act, 1992. The Building Code sets out qualifications for sewage
system inspectors and for those in the construction, installation, repair, servicing, and cleaning or emptying of
sewage systems. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing reviews and amends the Building Code
approximately every five years.
Septic Systems and Salesperson Obligations
Septic Systems and Salesperson Obligations
Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA)
An underground fuel oil tank is a buried or partially buried container, in direct contact with earth or backfill that
contains fuel oil used in appliances or property systems such as furnaces or boilers. TSSA regulates the installation,
testing, maintenance, repair, removal, upgrading, replacement, inspection, and use of appliances and equipment
that use fuel oil. TSSA also regulates above-ground fuel tanks, installed at or above grade level.
When the environment is affected by an incident such as a leaking storage tank, TSSA is responsible for ensuring the
incident is investigated according to the regulations and managed properly.
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
enforces the Environmental Protection Act,
1990. It promotes healthier communities and economic prosperity by protecting Ontario’s air, land, and water.
Environmental Protection Act, 1990
The Act provides for various types of orders that can be invoked by either the minister or the director of the
Ministry. The given five orders will affect real estate transactions:
1. Remedial order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to remedy a situation in which a
discharge is involved
2. Preventative order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to take preventative measures;
for example, equipment, personnel, and monitoring apparatus
3. Waste removal order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to remove hazardous waste
from a site
Environmental Protection Act, 1990
The Act provides for various types of orders that can be invoked by either the minister or the director of the
Ministry. The given five orders will affect real estate transactions:
1. Remedial order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to remedy a situation in which a
discharge is involved
2. Preventative order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to take preventative measures;
for example, equipment, personnel, and monitoring apparatus
3. Waste removal order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to remove hazardous waste
from a site
4. Control order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to control or eliminate the source of
pollution
5. Stop order: The Ministry can require a party (including a corporation) to stop the discharge of a contaminant
that is an immediate threat to human health or life
Current or Previous Use of the Property: Grow House
The Cannabis Act, 2018, legalized recreational cannabis in October 2018. The Act permits an individual to grow up to four plants per residence.
These signs are:
• Mould in corners where the walls and ceilings meet
• Unusual number of roof vents or signs of roof vents
• Fresh paint on window frames to cover damage caused by high levels of humidity
• Painted concrete floors in the basement with circular marks where pots once stood
• Evidence of tampering with the electric meter (damaged or broken seals) or the ground around it
• Unusual or modified wiring in the interior or on the exterior of the house
• Brownish stains on the underside of beams or arches that bleed down a wall
• Concrete masonry patches or alterations on the inside of the garage
• Patterns of screw holes on the walls
• Fireplace alteration
Aluminum wiring
Homes in Ontario built in the mid 1960s to late 1970s
may have aluminum wiring. The Ontario Electrical
Safety Code (the Code) permits the installation of
aluminum wiring as long as appropriate aluminum to
copper wire connectors are used in accordance with
the Code and the manufacturer’s instructions.
As you learned earlier, a salesperson may be able to
identify aluminum wiring if the plastic casing around
the wiring says “Aluminum” or “Alum.” Other signs of
the existence of aluminum wiring include hot or
charred outlets or silver-coloured wiring coming out
from under terminal screws
Knob and tube wiring
Knob and tube wiring can pose a few dangers and is a
fire risk because it is not grounded, cannot carry a
heavy electrical load or be used in outdoor locations,
and its rubber insulation breaks down over time. In the
late 1940s, this system was abandoned when a newer
system that included a ground wire was introduced.
Poor insulation
As you learned earlier, insulation is rated based on its
R-value, the capacity of an insulating material to resist
heat flow. Different types of insulation have different
R-values. The higher the R-value, the greater the
insulating power, leading to a more energy-efficient
house. A poorly insulated home leads to higher energy
bills; heating and cooling costs increase because the
home is not warm enough in the winter or cool
enough in the summer. Signs of a poorly insulated
home include high energy bills, fluctuating room
temperatures, and chilly drafts.
Galvanized piping/plumbing
Galvanized piping/plumbing
Galvanized piping/plumbing
Widely used in Canada until the 1950s, galvanized
pipes are steel pipes that have been dipped in a
protective zinc coating to prevent corrosion and rust.
Over time, these types of pipes begin to rust or
corrode from the inside out, which results in:
• Reduced water pressure
• Restricted water flow
• Increased risk of leaks or ruptures occurring in
the pipes
• Potential for flood damage
• Corrosion to steel when it is connected directly to
copper or brass
Lead-based products
Lead is a major health risk and is listed as a designated
hazardous substance under Ontario’s Occupational
Health and Safety Act. Lead-based products were
common before 1950 and up until the 1980s. The greycoloured metal was used to join pipes together. In
older neighbourhoods, municipal pipes that bring
water to the home could include lead as well.
As a salesperson representing a seller, you should:
• Be aware of possible lead contamination in
structures built before 1970, with the highest risk
in pre-1950s structures.
• Ask the seller if their home contains lead paint.
• If the seller does not know, advise the seller to
send paint chip samples to a laboratory for
analysis.
Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI)https://www.brainscape.com/decks/11143114/cards/quick_new_card
UFFI is a colourless, chemical compound that was used
to insulate properties between 1975 and 1979;
approximately 100,000 homes in Canada were
insulated with UFFI. The product was banned in 1980
due to health concerns.
At the time of installation, UFFI had the appearance
and consistency of shaving cream. While normally
identified as a white or cream-coloured substance, at
least one product contained blue dye.
UFFI was injected into a property’s walls and in other
areas formaldehyde gas was released. The gas can
irritate the eyes, nose, and throat and heighten
problems for asthma and allergy sufferers.
Radon
Radon is an invisible, odourless, and tasteless
radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the earth’s
crust. If allowed to reach hazardous levels indoors,
radon particles can attach themselves to lung tissue
when inhaled
The only way to determine the radon level in a home
is through testing.
Radon is not normally on a home inspection checklist.
The homeowner has two options to test for radon:
• Hire a radon measurement professional
• Buy a radon test kit
