Occupancy Permits in Rural Maine? (Dyer Brook: 2015, insurance, mortgage) - (ME) - City-Data Forum

kevin5098 · 12-11-2009, 06:07 PM

Is there such a thing, and if so, who issues? Recently purchased land and an older (ca. 1870) house in Amity. The house was last occupied in 2004, but there are a couple of issues that will require attention such as replacement of fuse with breaker panel, replacement of home-made furnace with alternate heating source, etc. Just wondering how strict the rules are regarding completion of these repairs before we can occupy the house. We're not afraid to rough it for a while, and we are safety conscious. I realize that insurance companies will have their own requirements. Any info on local government requirements that I can expect to meet will be appreciated. We are excited about retiring and moving to the area soon. Thanks!

RANGER.101ST · 12-11-2009, 06:53 PM

you can move in and work on it as you go.but the heating should be top priority then your electrical.if its the house im thinking of. then you will have some fixen up to do but its worth it.

kevin5098 · 12-11-2009, 07:05 PM

For heat we've been considering wood stoves in kitchen and living room with electric back-up - like maybe a Rinnai. Does anyone in that area use the outdoor wood-fired boilers? They seem to be popular here in Missouri since you can burn anything and supply both heat and hot water.

Maineah · 12-11-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin5098

For heat we've been considering wood stoves in kitchen and living room with electric back-up - like maybe a Rinnai. Does anyone in that area use the outdoor wood-fired boilers? They seem to be popular here in Missouri since you can burn anything and supply both heat and hot water.

Yes people use them. Some places have made moves to ban them as they smoke up the whole neighborhood. For now there are few restrictions.
People pretty much live in whatever they want to around here. I know people who live in camper trailers with nothing but a kerosene heater, no running water and use the great outdoors for a bathroom. Nobody has bothered them in years.

retiredtinbender · 12-12-2009, 04:17 AM

Occ. permits vary from place to place. Down here we only do Occ. Permits when the insurance or mortgage comp. require them. No charge and it only been on new stick built homes. As far as outside wood boilers, the state is supposedly coming out with requirements out of state planning office. They are worried about the smoke and fire prevention. We have a couple down here but not many. Haven't heard anything bad about them other than keeping them stoked.

fxtrader · 12-12-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin5098

For heat we've been considering wood stoves in kitchen and living room with electric back-up - like maybe a Rinnai. Does anyone in that area use the outdoor wood-fired boilers? They seem to be popular here in Missouri since you can burn anything and supply both heat and hot water.

I have a couple of cousins in that area that use the outdoor boilers and love them. One of them uses theirs year round and heats his pool and hot water without using any oil. I know a couple of guys that sell them over in Dyer Brook but I imagine there is a dealer a little closer to Amity.

Northern Maine Land Man · 12-12-2009, 10:29 AM

I have been on planning boards in Maine since 1974. I have never heard on anybody requiring an occupancy permit in rural Maine.

If you want an outdoor boiler, shop around. The dealer will deliver it and set it on your concrete pad. Some of the early models smoked badly in warm weather. It doesn't make sense to run one in warm weather. You will burn a lot of wood just to heat your shower water. It's better to put in an instant hot water heater for washing. You can get your hot water from the wood furnace in winter. Of course that would mean installing a heat exchanger to convert your wood system water to water from your drinking supply. Your wood system should be 50/50 antifreeze protected.

I know a family who put in a wood fired boiler outside and they have forced hot air heat in the house. That is very economical because you don't need to buy hot water baseboard units for the whole house.

Submariner · 12-12-2009, 03:04 PM

No Certificates of Occupancy are required here.

IRV007 · 12-13-2009, 08:12 PM

I'm an outsider.I've only been a visitor to your great state. But I'm not sure you want to leave the impression that "anything goes".

In his later years my FIL was the plumbing inspector for the Unorginized Territories. I remeber most of his fights were about folks who had outhouses too close to waters edge or who had enclosed outhouses as part of the house.

Just saying... there are some rules.

Maineah · 12-13-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IRV007

I'm an outsider.I've only been a visitor to your great state. But I'm not sure you want to leave the impression that "anything goes".

In his later years my FIL was the plumbing inspector for the Unorginized Territories. I remeber most of his fights were about folks who had outhouses too close to waters edge or who had enclosed outhouses as part of the house.

Just saying... there are some rules.

Not many rules in unorganized territories and even fewer people to enforce those rules.
The people I know that live outside the realm of what most would call normal (and certainly illegally) are not even in the unorganized territories. They do it right in town.