I made the wrong call in a report, resulting in the wrong repair, rejected by the code authority. The work will have to be redone. I post here so others can learn from my hasty cut & paste of Internet resources.
I saw a missing sediment trap on gas water heater during a compliance inspection. I clipped this:
Which is very similar to the Nachi diagram:
But it turns out my clip was based on the 2013 code, and I did not check.
And so the client had the plumber do exactly that. The plumber did not check or know the code either (likely did not care).
The AHJ inspector failed the job, wanting the sediment trap be before the locally required flexible connector:
I know you’re experienced and really respect they way you are handling this and educating us… but, why are you going so far down the road of designing repairs? Dangerous waters!!
What is a compliance inspection? That sounds like you were doing a code compliance inspection which is beyond a normal home inspection.
Your first illustration is the exact one that I have in my 6th Edition of Code Check based on 2021 code. California appears to have modified this requirement independently of the International Code.
So, if I read you correctly, your “mistake” was adding the illustration to the report. And then a bad plumber followed the illustration instead of California code?
Agree that the plumber should have known better, but I don’t see what you mean by a contrived story.
That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?
Bryce is a top tier home inspector. All of us should be as good as he is. (BTW, based on what you post, I rate you as top tier also)
First, I and maybe you, would have made the same mistake after checking a Code Check book, which is generally quicker than thumbing through the IRC or IPC.
Secondly, most of us aren’t doing code compliance inspections. Obviously, most of what we do overlaps with code items, but I only know of one inspector who is preacher literate in all the code books. (He mostly does expert witness work).
Thirdly, it is brutally tough to stay up on all codes and changes, and even tougher for local interpretations and variations from the code books. This one is a subtle difference from international code.
Before or after what? If you zoom in it shows the sediment trap in the wrong location (according to California Plumbing Code). The reasoning given in the CPC code cite is a little farfetched, but hey, this is California. . . everything is a stretch.
Personally I think the whole story is contrived. Neither illustration provided shows corrugated tubing so it’s not as if the plumber had bad information, it was just incomplete and he should of known the code.
No Home Inspector should ever give repair instructions. Let the pro figure that out.
Martin, wouldn’t the preferred answer be “Should because galvanized piping is not recommended in a lot of areas.”?
Although, both the IRC and the UPC do not prohibit it.
Not understanding the concern in this particular case:
I clipped an image identical to a Nachi diagram into a report, and referred the matter to a qualified professional plumber.
What narrative do you use if you see a missing drip leg or missing sediment trap?
Have you ever clipped an image “of how it’s supposed to be” from Nachi or the Internet into a report? That’s well within the rails of a home inspection report. My message was a cautionary tale: when you clip an image from the Interwebs make sure it’s up to date.
