I just found out my town has no required plumbing inspection. There is a LOT of plumbing in my pool that will not be accessible after the gunite is shot and the deck is done... Do PB always do a pressure test whether required or not? It is not in my contract... I did not think I had to specify that... since I never thought that my town would not have my back on that. I have not talked to my PB yet... but just curious how it is with most PBs... always test or only if required?
No plumbing inspection?
- Thread starter jtech1
- Start date
They should always test, required or not. I would insist on it if they don't already plan on doing it. However, I can't imagine that they don't already plan on it.
I would insist as well that they do test the plumbing lines. What a mess if they do the gunite and then find out there is a plumbing leak. Even if they've never had to repair a leak before, I wouldn't tempt fate!
Thanks... my thoughts exactly... do most PB run all plumbing to pad before shooting the shell, or just stub out through gunite then run to pad after shooting the shell?
I seen it both ways. A stub out with pressure testing individual branches or all connected to a manifold and tested together.
OK. I talked to my PB. He stubs out everything before gunite shoot... then after gunite, he runs it all to the pad and pressure tests it all.
My only concerns are the main drains and the bubbler plumbing that will be run before gunite not being pressure tested... and I specified rigid PVS... so there will be a bunch of joints in there. I should probably ask that they plug those two pipes and fill with water/air before gunite is shot to check for leaks.
My only concerns are the main drains and the bubbler plumbing that will be run before gunite not being pressure tested... and I specified rigid PVS... so there will be a bunch of joints in there. I should probably ask that they plug those two pipes and fill with water/air before gunite is shot to check for leaks.
I'm no pro but he seems to be taking a lot of risk.
But I suppose, if there is a leaking pipe connection in the gunite it might take a while to expose itself.
He'll be long gone by then
But I suppose, if there is a leaking pipe connection in the gunite it might take a while to expose itself.
He'll be long gone by then
- Jun 23, 2012
- 1,053
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Maybe you could insist on being there when the pressure test is conducted..?
We live outside of city limits, and there are no inspections required. That doesn't my PB a bad guy... just saying.
We live outside of city limits, and there are no inspections required. That doesn't my PB a bad guy... just saying.
OK. I was not around today when they tested except at the end... but I saw they basically glued a fitting on the end of each stub up at the pad individually, pumped it to 10lb of air only, watched for a few minutes and cut it off and went to the next. I assumed that when I told them I wanted it pressure tested they would tie them all together, fill with water, pump up to 20 or so with air and let it sit over night.
Is what they did good enough, or should it be done again properly?
Is what they did good enough, or should it be done again properly?
I'd think a lot of Towns/Cities will not do a plumbing Inspection on a pool, unless something is connected to Town water/sewer
They only care about what might impact the Town system/water supply
That leaves it up to the HO/PB to make sure the pool plumbing does not have any leaks
I have a 240g Salt water fish tank, more plumbing & pumps then in my pool, no Town inspection required...tho they were curious about the setup
They only care about what might impact the Town system/water supply
That leaves it up to the HO/PB to make sure the pool plumbing does not have any leaks
I have a 240g Salt water fish tank, more plumbing & pumps then in my pool, no Town inspection required...tho they were curious about the setup
My area does require a plumbing inspection and what my PB did was run all of the lines into a manifold and then into one upright which had a gauge and valve with a pressure nipple. They pumped it up to 10 psi and then let it sit for about a week to see if it had any slow leaks. It had to be left that way until the city inspector noted that there was no pressure drop.
You might want to have them wait a least a day or so to see if there is any type of slow leak. I'm not sure if a "few minutes" would be adequate to determine if there was anything wrong other than something catastrophic.
You might want to have them wait a least a day or so to see if there is any type of slow leak. I'm not sure if a "few minutes" would be adequate to determine if there was anything wrong other than something catastrophic.
Ok. I filled one line with water and cranked it up to about 10 lbs. held with no problem. I was going to do the others separately but ran into problem. I can't blow the water out of the one i tested. I tried using a leaf blower. No luck. I am wondering if it is how they installed the lines, or a better blower is needed. All lines go down a few feet at the pad. Then horizontal to the pool. Then UP a foot or two to the return sleeve(s)in the wall (some go to dual returnd). And i have 2 and 3 inch lines. A lot of water to move. Is any blower going to be able to lift the water up from the horizontal run and get it out the return?
jtech1 said:
Mine pressurized the lines (to like 10 - 20 or maybe even 30 psi, i can't remember) but they left it pressurized for days, weeks. Until the gunite was shot.
So i am 100% sure that mine isn't leaking. Can't they just leave it pressurized until they have to cut the pipe to hook stuff up?
If you had a leak it would be apparent pretty quickly. Go to a hardware store and but some pipe, fittings, and glue. Don't glue one joint completely, try to pressurize it. If there is a leak, unless it is a minute leak pressure will drop quickly
Why do you need to remove the water?
I have a similar situation. My non english speaking plumbers did a simple stub out. In the spa they did complete the jets, drain connection, bypass and blower lines. Nothing was run to the pad; nothing was pressure tested before gunite.
Once I finished a section of plumbing to the pad I filled it with water and pressure tested it with water with a homemade pressure rig like this:
Using my garden hose I pressured the line to 50 psi, tighten the valve, removed my hose and pressured another section the next day.
So far - so good - no leaks.
The only line that will carry air is the spa blower section. I think running the blower separately will clear the line in time.
Yeah... I have a similar rig... I tried to attach it to the stub up with a fernco connector, and cap the pool return stub outs with rubber caps... but I suspect they are not 100% leak proof. How did you plug the stub outs in the pool? I will have to glue it to the stub at the pad... but I don't want to glue anything to the return stubs in the pool... since it would have to be cut off and there is not much length there to begin with.
I will need to get the water out since we are not going to plaster until spring...
I will need to get the water out since we are not going to plaster until spring...
I see, freeze protection. We do not have to worry about that here.
I've capped and glued all my connections. You might be able to see, my pool stub outs are plenty long.
[attachment=0:2r3of2h8]poolgunite.jpg[/attachment:2r3of2h8]
What size are your stubs? I'm pretty sure Waterway makes eyeball fittings that glue to either the outside or the inside of the pipe.
I've capped and glued all my connections. You might be able to see, my pool stub outs are plenty long.
[attachment=0:2r3of2h8]poolgunite.jpg[/attachment:2r3of2h8]
What size are your stubs? I'm pretty sure Waterway makes eyeball fittings that glue to either the outside or the inside of the pipe.
Attachments
Very nice pool! Is that hot tub on right? Lots of places to sit and enjoy! What are the dimensions?
You can sit in there and referee the volleyball game in the pool!
You can sit in there and referee the volleyball game in the pool!
OK. I am going to answer my own question... MIGHT VAC ROCKS!!!!!! I found a good deal on one, and let me tell you... the water shot out of the pipe harder than from the outside hose bib on my house! About 8 ft of pipe and a 2ft rise to the return inlets. Did not even break a sweat.