Dayton, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 113 (2026) § 113.043
VENTILATION
Operative Text
Guestrooms and habitable rooms within a dwelling unit shall be provided with natural ventilation by means of openable exterior openings with an area of not less than 4% of the floor area of such rooms with a minimum of four square feet. Exterior openings for natural ventilation shall be provided with tight fitting insect screens. Bathrooms, water closet compartments and similar rooms shall be provided with natural ventilation by means of openable exterior openings with an area not less than 4% of the floor area of such rooms with a minimum of 1-1/2 square feet. In lieu of required exterior openings for natural ventilation in bathrooms containing a bathtub, shower or combination thereof; and similar rooms, a working mechanical ventilation system connected directly to the outside. All ventilation will follow building code at the time of construction; if no codes were in effect, it will follow general construction practice at the time of construction. (Ord. 2018-18, passed 2-28-2018; Ord. 2019-07, passed 6-11-2019)
Dayton Ch. 113 Rental Dwellings § 113.043 establishes minimum ventilation standards for rental dwelling units. Habitable rooms and guestrooms must have openable exterior openings covering at least 4% of the room's floor area (no less than four square feet), fitted with insect screens. Bathrooms and similar rooms require openable exterior openings of at least 4% of floor area (minimum 1.5 square feet), or alternatively a mechanical ventilation system vented directly to the outside. Ventilation requirements are benchmarked to the building code in effect at the time of construction, or to general construction practice if no code existed then.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of rental dwellings in Dayton should ensure that all habitable rooms and guestrooms comply with the openable-opening and insect-screen requirements set out in § 113.043. For bathrooms with bathtubs or showers, a properly functioning mechanical ventilation system connected directly to the outside is an accepted alternative to exterior openings. Compliance is measured against the building code that was in effect when the structure was built, so maintaining documentation of the original construction standards can support a showing of compliance during inspections.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Dayton Ch. 113 § 113.043, tenants are entitled to rental units where habitable rooms have adequate natural ventilation through screened, openable exterior openings, and where bathrooms are ventilated either by exterior openings or a working mechanical system. If a unit appears to lack these features—such as windows that cannot open, missing insect screens, or a non-functioning bathroom exhaust fan—tenants may consider documenting the conditions and contacting the City of Dayton's code enforcement office to report a potential violation. Tenant-rights organizations in the Dayton area can also provide general information about how to raise ventilation deficiencies as part of a habitability concern.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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