Potential litigation. Client has no cold supply to shower- dwelling remolded in 2023, both bathrooms are back to back- tiled walls. I took the shower valve apart thing it was the mixing valve, it’s not, both supply’s are hot water- measured using my thermal.
I looked up the standard of practice and measuring water temperature in showers is listed under the items “inspector not responsible”
Any thoughts
Are you indicating that the client is holding you responsible for this defect (a condition that wasn’t discovered or listed in an inspection report prepared for them by you)?
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Seems like a legit gripe if you missed it. Should be an easy fix in most cases. Have them forward the plumber’s invoice to you, is what I would do.
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It would seem the bathrooms both had cold water at some point, so the cross-over or misconnection occurred during the 2023 remodel, should be “relatively” easy to locate/repair.
Measuring water temperature and verifying that a plumbing fixture has hot and cold water are two different animals.
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[quote="Ryan Uecker, post:3, topic:241929, username:ruecker”]
Seems like a legit gripe if you missed it.
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Agree.
For future reference…
Yep, run the water until “HOT”, then measure the temp. and run to cold.
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What SoP do you use in your state? You may be able to sidestep this with some slippery interpretation of the SoP, but your client will be justifiably upset. Your reputation will take a bigger hit than your wallet.
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Plus, it wouldn’t be right. IMHO
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If they were not back to back tiled walls it would be easy. Me thinks this is going to cost a bit!
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We expect this is possible litigation against you for missing it. Not sure why you did not identify it if you ran both hot and cold in all fixtures. I will ask though WITF are you disassembling fixtures regardless of the reason?? That you should be leaving to a Plumber who can come in, quickly check, and possibly give YOU an estimate of the money you will need to pay for missing this! It is not easy to damage a fixture but it can be done and if that happened would be just one more nail in the coffin so to speak.
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This is one of those things where monotony can lead to casual assumptions. Rarely do we run into tub and shower faucets that do not have both cold and hot. It has probably been four or so years since I have had a tub/shower faucet that didn’t have cold and hot. This is a reminder to check for both. And another reminder to run water for several minutes. Even in occupied homes, there may be a bath that the occupant rarely uses.
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Joshua, I have a simple question. Why would you take the water valve apart?
So… You are running a Home Inspection and you detect HOT water on both sides of the shower. Then you report that you just noticed “that”: “Hot water running on both sides of shower faucet”, done…!
Why would you go one step further and “play the plumber”. Here in Maryland a Plumber House Call is $350 to $450 just for coming to your house and doing a diagnostic.
Si… You are getting paid minimum $450, I hope! To do a Home Inspection, just that! And you decide to play the plumber for free and now you are facing a “potential litigation”. Did I understood this right?
You also mentioned a 2023 dwelling renovation, Did you do that renovation? If not! Why are you playing “fortune teller” trying to figure out what the contractor did or did not do right in 2023. Between whatever date in 2023 and the date you did the inspection many, many things may have happened. Maybe another plumber, not you! Another plumber was hired to do something else and he screwed everything up with the hot n cold water circuits.
I don’t quite get this…!! About the “Infrared Thermometer”, I have one, most inspectors do. This is why I do:
- I open Shower Valve…
- I wait for hot water to come out…
- When it comes out, if that is the case…
- I take temperature with device…
- I take picture of my reading on the spot…
- I include picture in my Report…
- End of story…
Along the walkthrough and at some point in time during the inspection…
- I find the water heater (may be in basement, it varies)
- I document the Brand, Capacity, Age/Date and other proper installation details like Pressure Relief Tank, Missing stuff, etc.
That is it…!! I do not touch the stuff beyond my Standards of Practice and there is certainly no reason for me to get my tools and disassemble anything, and I mean ANYTHING…!!
I may be wrong or did not understand your posting, but as soon as I read you have taken the water valve apart… I figure you were in the wrong “Blog”. I thought this fellow should go to “InterPLUMBERS” and no to InterNACHI…!!
Any additional information that you can provide to enlighten my understanding of the situation, is highly appreciated!
This is ALL I do with hot water faucets, sinks, kitchen, bathrooms and SHOWERS!!
I’m thinking he got a callback and went to investigate, and that is when he took the valve apart. Still not a great idea, I agree. But if he knew what he was doing, not too big of a deal I guess. Especially if it saves having to pay for an actual plumber to make the repair.
We have very, very little info about the situation, but my thought is it might just involve swapping some connections in the utility room, or wherever the plumbing lines originate from. No way to tell though without more info from the OP.
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I would turn a valve to hot and make sure the temp went up and then turn to cold and make sure the temp went down, I never stuck around long enough to measure either,but Im sure thats just me…
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Just had a plumber friend set a new shower pan in the basement asked if I wanted a new single handle shower valve. I said Hell no, I like to be able to control hot and cold independently. Now you know, gotta be careful with those single handle contraptions.
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But if you’re in the shower and your wife flush the toilet or the dishwasher / washer rinse, you would get a shot of hottt water, no. A one handle thermostatic valve would keep the water same temperature, much safer in my opinion.
Well, you buy me one then so you’ll feel better!
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I already feel better knowing that I won’t be the one getting scalded…
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I initially thought the same but it sound like there are two lines running to the valve and they are both hot. So, thinking they can catch the one that is supposed to be cold and make it cold somewhere more accessible than behind/between the showers. If not, yeah… something is getting broken open.
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It’s too bad you need a plumbing fixture to replace consideration from family members. Lived here over 30 years and raised two kids. Never got scalded.