New Construction Plumbing.....

[gbrasseur]

Hi Inspectors,

What do you guys make of this plumbing in this new house? I am not sure of this "double P trap"? Also I can't figure what the cord with the plug (not plugged in) is for? Any Help? Comments?

Thanks,

[arook]

Originally Posted by gbrasseur

Hi Inspectors,

What do you guys make of this plumbing in this new house? I am not sure of this "double P trap"? Also I can't figure what the cord with the plug (not plugged in) is for? Any Help? Comments?

Thanks,

Cord looks like it may go to the dishwasher. Did they have a dishwasher to the left of the sink? Looks they there was based on the drain line.

Trap looks ok, although I'm not sure why they didn't route everything to one trap.

[twasion]

The cord is probably for the dishwasher. The p-trap is OK and are often plumbed this way. I would have a triple stack of directional tee's for every thing. For example: one trap for each sink bay (two total) and one for the garbage disposer.

[homebild]

Couple problems.

If the red hot pipe is PEX, it is coiled in a manner inconsistent with its approved use....In other words, it is looped too tightly and appears kinked. This is a plumbing code violation.

The drain from the dishwasher is not connected at the highest point under the counter. This could cause backsiphonage of waste water back into the DW.

The second trap is completely unnecesary and the DW drain could have been simply installed to a diswasher "T" as part of the extension of the baseket strainer.

Looks like there is an air admittance valve for ventilation.

AAVs usually need to be installed above the flood level rim of the sink. This installation would normally be flagged as illegal.

[staylor5]

That doesn't look like PEX coiled. It looks like PEX before the valve. It looks like sloppy work.

[Ian Gills]

One GFCI next to the sink, but not the other. Nice try, although it could be on the same circuit. Good use of plumbers putty to stop the weeping. I am shocked. As I DIYer I could do better! And I know how much you guys hate DIYers!

[Barry Adair]

http://www.homeinspections-usa.com/hitips.php3

[jcundiff]

The red line appears to be reinforced poly supply line to dishwasher.

[homebild]

Originally Posted by staylor5

That doesn't look like PEX coiled. It looks like PEX before the valve. It looks like sloppy work.

Regardless if it is some type of PEX or other material, it appears kinked in photo 4 which is a plumbing code violation.

[jcundiff]

"Regardless if it is some type of PEX or other material, it appears kinked in photo 4 which is a plumbing code violation."


By definition- it's a flexible water connector. Not to say that I'm all for kinks, but please cite the code that the kink violates.

[homebild]

Originally Posted by jcundiff

"Regardless if it is some type of PEX or other material, it appears kinked in photo 4 which is a plumbing code violation."


By definition- it's a flexible water connector. Not to say that I'm all for kinks, but please cite the code that the kink violates.

2003-2006 International Residential Code plumbing requirements for example:

P2608.2 Installation of Materials. "All materials shall be installed in strict accordance with the standards under which the materials are accepted and approved. In the absence of such installation procedures, the manufacturer's installation instructions shall be followed. Where requirements of referenced standards or manufacturer's installation instructions do not conform to the minimum provisions of this code, the provisions of this code shall apply.

To make this long story short, flexible pipes are not permitted to be 'bent' beyond a certain radius as described by their testing and listing or according to their manufacturers installation instructions.

No manufacturer allows for their flexible pipe to be 'kinked'. It simply weakens or damages the pipe.

A common formula is to not allow a flexible pipe, like PEX, to be bent in a radius that exceed 6X it's pipe diameter.

What this means, is that if one is using 1/2" PEX pipe, it cannot be bent in an arc of radius that is produced by a circle with a radia of 3".

A 'kink' is not an 'arc'.

A 'kink' is a 'bend', and flexible pipe is not designed nor intended to be 'bent'.

I won't pretend to know just what kind of pipe material we are dealing with connecting the dishwasher supply in the original photos....Nor should anyone else. But presuming it is PEX, it is 'kinked' and 'bent' beyond it's design and therefore a plumbing code violation...and least under IPC/IRC.

Here is a link illustrating maximum bending radius for some types of PEX tubing:

http://www.pexsupply.com/bending_radius.asp

Hope this helped.

[jcundiff]

Its a stretch- but left to the ahj's interpretation, it might not fly under this rule. A flexible water connector cannot be grouped with Pex, PB, or any other flexible tubing.

[homebild]

No stretch...And sorry to disagree.

What I have stated is properly applied and basic plumbing code.

"Code" is what manufacturer and testing agencies determine to be the proper installation procedures for that given material.

A 'fexible water connector' IS grouped in the same way as PEX, PB, or any other flexible tubing by the limits and listing of its material testing agency and manufacturer's installation instructions.

Generally speaking, a 'kinked' pipe violates its listing and installation instructions.

If you want specific answers, have the OP supply us with the type of flexible pipe being run to the dishwasher, so we can look up its listing and installation instructions to be 100% sure.

Otherwise this 'catch all' Code section is designed to do just that:
Make all installations conform to the listing and manufacturer's instructions, and make 'Code' what the listing and installations instruction for the material demand.

Ohio Plumbing Code is based on the 2003 IPC, the plumbing code I cited.
You can see your own state's plumbing code online and its similar requirements here:
http://ecodes.iccsafe.org/iccf/gatew...0$vid=icc%3Aoh

Sorry.

[Bruce M. Graham]

Homebild,
Now that john is done with you, were did you get your info for the AAV?

[Mark Hopewell]

AAV only needs to be 4" above the weir of the trap.