off topic , air testing drains

A.J.

We just got done repiping some clay pipe in a basement of a house that is up for sale . The air test was all set to go but the inspector wanted us to test past the house trap by about ten feet . The only problem is that we didn't put a second clean out past the tee because we put in new schedule 35 gasketed ( we have never ever had a leak on that stuff ) didn't see the need to .

 The inspector says the we can float a test ball down through the two 45 ells and the one 90 deg ell that make up the trap and get the test ball down the line , is that possible and if so how ?

Thanks Andy

Mark Eatherton

Try this...

http://www.cherneind.com/Pneumatic/Test_Ball/



On the left side bar, they have a LOT of other options avail able.



Good luck.



ME

Brian_19

air test

That sounds like a typical inspector on a power trip who likes nothing more than to waste our valuable time.  For him to make you go through all that trouble just to test 10' of pipe confirms he is in fact an idiot.

Mark Eatherton

Painting with a broad brush there Brian...

Granted, there are a few bad apples out there, but for the most part, these guys are doing their job for a reason. I assume you are a licensed, trained properly insured contractor who takes a lot of pride in their work, and don't leave any loose end details that could create situations down that road that lead to dangerous situations. Not everyone falls into that category. Some trunk slammers could care less, and will do things that WILL cause issues down the road. These men and women (inspectors) are charged with trying to circumvent these situations.



I have found, that most (95%) of these people do and can exercise common sense, and when I meet them on the job site, and discuss the options, will generally agree with me on situations like this. Most are former contractors, and have been in these situations before. And then again, there are those who are not former trades people, who are enforcing the code to their interpretation of the code, right wrong or indifferent. I too have come across these people in the field, and any attempt to prove them wrong only causes them to bristle, and start nit picking, and make your life harder than it really need be. Its like wrestling with a pig in mud. The harder you wrestle, the more they like it.



There are a lot of inspectors who frequent this web site that are good and decent human beings.



You can catch a lot more flies with honey than you can vinegar...



Maintaining the attitude that all inspectors are idiots out to waste your valuable time will create more ill will for you than its really worth. If you are doing your job safely and correctly, you shouldn't have any issues with the AHJ. If you are out doing things willy nilly, and creating dangerous situations, then you deserve the wrath being imparted to you. And, not knowing you or the quality of work you produce, I am giving you the benefit of doubt, and assume that you are out there doing things the right way....



Just saying, be careful with your choice and use of words...



ME

Brian_19

air test

Mark, I will stand by my original comment. If what A.J said is correct then this inspector  is being unrealistic. The time and money it will take him to find, purchase, and then go back and perform the air test is not justified. He will end up loosing money on the job just to pacify the inspector.

 Second, I treat code enforcement as they treat me and to be honest I have no problem with most.  As far as the bad ones, I can go on all night with stories of stupidity and nonsense. 

A.J.

Thanks guys

I didn't mean to stir things up it is just that I'm a little frustrated because I have to dig it up again to put a second clean out in when I just had it uncovered. Our sewage agency mandates that in order for you to sell you house you must have passed a pressure test within the last five years . I used to think it was hard to sell boilers and air condtioners to home owners untill this came along .

Thanks Andy

icesailor

Fanned and Fav'ed:

ME,

On the Huffington Post, if someone makes a comment that you appreciate, you can mark the poster as "Fanned" where you are listed as a "fan" of the poster and "Fav" meaning they have said something and say things that make them a "Favorite".

You have just been "Fanned & Fav'ed".

icesailor

Inspectors:

ME's comment about wrestling with a pig was a sign on one of our old inspectors office wall for all to see. He had a bum of the month club. All got to be in it. If it was a job with a crawl space, and there wasn't a ladder there for him to climb down, he wouldn't inspect it. If you ran a vent stack through a roof and it wasn't plumb, he would fail it. If you didn't have the relief valve overflow line installed as per code (10" off the floor), he wouldn't pass it. If the hot water in a shower wasn't less than 116 degrees, he wouldn't sign off and would require another inspection and fee.

He wasn't wrong.

Those that can, do. And those that can't, become teachers of AHJ inspectors. Payback time is a ****.

Mark Eatherton

Ouch!!

Chris, I use to travel back to N.J. to teach radiant/hydronics to plumbing contractors and AHJ's for continuing education credits... And, as you know, I still turn and burn. So do I fall into your category? Or am I an anomaly...



I could tell who was a good inspector, or who was a good contractor, and who was a bad inspector. The good guys paid attention, made notes and asked questions. The bad inspectors slept thru class.



It got so bad, that in one class, the sleeping inspector was snoring so loud that he was disturbing class. We decided as a group to take an early lunch, and let him sleep it off. We came back one hour later, and he was STILL sawing logs. I finally walked over and woke him up, and he said "Is it time for lunch?" When I explained to him that he'd slept thru lunch, he got up and huffed off and never came back. He might have heard the round of applause from his fellow students as he was walking away.



BTW, NONE of the contractors slept. They were paying for these classes themselves.



I no longer go back there to teach. It didn't pay enough for having to fight the travel factors between classes. One good thing that did happen there was that I got to meet Robert Obrien. Great guy, and he's a good inspector. If they were all like him, our jobs would be much easier.



ME

Mark Eatherton

Thanks Chris...

I think...;-)



ME