Best Of

You may feel good "showing up" the inspector, but trust me, your Victory will be Short-lived.  I work in The 5 Boros of NYC and Long Island 🏝..   No inspector wants to see a union ANYWHERE but downstream of a Gas cock AND at the appliance.  Their reasoning is sound: They don't want to make it so easy for a Homeowner, DIYer, or Jack Leg GC to attempt gas work. Left and Right couplings and nipples don't stand out like a big chunky ground joint union...they also  baffle the Heck out of anyone who has never put one together successfully ha ha. Gennady is 100% right.  With the news gas rules, the party is OVER with any gas repairs & installations.  The Licensed Master plumbers hands have been shackled.Once again, the pendulum swings too far one way..then they other....over the top in my opinion.  In the 1970s and 198os it was a free for all:  Plumbers would spilt up houses to make 2 family and even have a 3rd meter for the illegal basement apartment.  The gas utility loved it and would hang meters with a phone call.  Oil to gas conversion?? No problem...no permits...no gas pressure test,, Leave the oil tank in the lawn...no big deal.  Mid 1990s that started to change..  Now Licensed plumbers are being punished for all the Unlicensed guys,, GCs and Homeowners who did their own work and left leaks and in NYC a few years ago,, blew up buildings. Tightening up enforcement is great, punishing the Licensed plumber ONLY hurts the Public who will be left LONG periods without heat,, hot water and cooking gas...😠 Mad Dog 🐕 

I am not trying to feel good showing up the inspector the code should be the code.You should not have to guess if you will pass a inspection or not. There are not that many pages in the code. If every one read the code now that they are readily available to view for free online and spoke up there would be less of a Russian Roulette to inspections. You seem like a pretty knowledgeable plumber. Don't you think you should share your knowledge with the others to prevent these types of traps. We can always petition to have the code changed to "exclude unions except" in NYS but until then they are not prohibited.

Please read below and show me where unions are prohibited and if not let me know how an inspector can change the code even though the code says otherwise

[NY] 104.2 Waivers, variances, and modifications. Noth-
ing in this code shall be construed as permitting any building
official or any authority having jurisdiction to waive, vary,
modify, or otherwise alter any provision or requirement of
this code or any other provision or requirement of the Uni-
form Code. Provisions or requirements of the Uniform Code
may be varied or modified only in accordance with proce-
dures established by Part 1205 or by such other regulations
as may hereafter be promulgated by the Secretary of State
pursuant to Section 381(1)(f) of the Executive Law
[NY] 104.3 Alternative materials, equipment, appliances,
designs, and methods of construction. The provisions of
this code are not intended to prevent the installation of any
materials, equipment, or appliances not specifically pre-
scribed by this code, or to prohibit any designs or methods of
construction not specifically prescribed by this code, pro-
vided that such alternative materials, equipment, appliances,
designs, or methods of construction (1) are not specifically
prohibited by any provision of this code, by any other provi-
sion of the Uniform Code, or by the Energy Code and (2)
shall have been approved, in writing, by the building official.
Alternative materials, equipment, appliances, designs, or
methods of construction may be approved only when the
building official shall have determined, in writing, that such
alternative is:
1. Satisfactory and complies with the intent of the provi-
sions and requirements of the Uniform Code, and
2. Not less than the equivalent of that prescribed in the
Uniform Code in quality, strength, effectiveness, fire
resistance, durability, and safety.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as permitting any
building official or any authority having jurisdiction to
waive, vary, modify or otherwise alter any provision or
requirement of this code or any other provision or require-
ment of the Uniform Code. Provisions or requirements of the
Uniform Code may be varied or modified only pursuant to
procedures established in Part 1205 or by such other regula-
tions as may hereafter be promulgated by the Secretary of
State pursuant to Section 381(1)(f) of the Executive Law