Failed rough inspection

[Usmoldmaker]

I failed my rough inspection. The inspector wants me to redo the drop from the toilet flange and add a vent. I'm having trouble understanding what is wrong with the fittings. I thought I was close enough to the vent stack pictured at right . Adding the vent I know how to do. Just want to understand everything so I can get it perfect the first time.

 

[phishfood]

He wants a vent between the toilet and the other fixtures to prevent the toilet trap from being either sucked or expelled by the other fixtures.

 

[Usmoldmaker]

The inspector said he didn't like the fittings I used and wanted to see them done differently which I didn't understand, Separate from the vent issue

 

[Matt30]

It would of been a good idea to ask the inspector exactly what he wants. Its their job.

Im not sure what is what in the picture. He doesnt like that tee wye on its back im sure. Replace that with a regular wye. That doesnt look like the ideal place for a cleanout either.

 

[Caduceus]

"The inspector wants me to redo the drop from the toilet flange and add a vent." Is the drop for the toilet the 3" piping and fittings coming down on the left of the picture (where the light bulb is and clean out)? Maybe a few more photos from other angles would help us get a better mental picture.

 

[Zanne]

Matt30, when you say the tee wye is on its back, do you mean the wye that is sort of at an angle and attached to the cleanout? Is it not allowed to be at an angle like that?

Would it have been better if he'd found a way to have the drop in to that section be directly above so the tee would be upright?

 

[Matt30]

Zanne,

Im referring to me most frontal pipe in the photo, not the wye with the cleanout. Wyes and tee-wyes are different. The wye with cleanout is more then likely the drop for the toilet. My screen is only small (ipad mini) so its hard to see whats going on.

 

[Usmoldmaker]

I am still confused myself, I thought I did a good job and correct.

The vent I totally understand. I thought when I did the job I was next to the main vent so I was OK.

The inspector didn't say anything about a problem with the clean out, just the pipe coming down.

The clean out I put there because I used the wye to make the transition to the waste line. When I replumb I may just use a long sweep elbow.

Thank you guys for trying to help me make sense of this. I did try to get clarification from inspector and the reply was maybe should hire a plumber to help finish.

 

[Matt30]

What are all the other wyes for? Can you re-pipe it to wet vent off of a fixture?

As for the drop, I would of laid the wye on its side, and just turn 90 degrees up into the flange. The inspector likely wants to see a horizontal run before it enters the building drain, then properly vented.

Fixture outlet pipes arent supposed to exceed 47", from the picture it looks like you are safe.

 

[phishfood]

Different areas have different codes, and different amounts of latitude given to inspectors. Code in my area, what is pictured would pass, and if an inspector decided he didn't like it, I could quickly cite code sections that would convince him to pass it. Bottom line is, unless you know the code in your area really well, and are willing to take it to his boss, and maybe his bosses' boss, and risk getting all of the other inspectors gunning for you as well, you need to figure out what he wants, and do it that way.

 

[Usmoldmaker]

Matt,
The vent I am going to go up through the wall parallel to the main vent and connect in above flood level of fixtures.
I think what you just said about the toilet waste pipe is what the inspector was getting to.

So basically I can come straight down from flange into a long sweep into another long sweep and in main waste line. I will get rid of the clean out.

Or I could go into a combo and keep the clean out.

The vent I can pull anywhere off those fittings.

You guys know a lot more than me about plumbing. What makes this better than the way I had it? If the toilet was directly above I could have come straight into the same wye but it would have been straight up. It seems to me it would flow good regardless.

 

[Usmoldmaker]

Phishfood,

Who knows maybe all he was trying to tell me was cause I had to add the vent he would have done the whole thing different and I misunderstood. I wasn't going to argue then and I'm not now. The inspector is a master plumber as are a lot of you guys . it was fun plumbing my whole house and I learned a lot. Trying to learn and follow all the codes was a pita. I also learned I only skimmed the surface of what you guys have to know to earn a licence.

 

[Zanne]

Thanks for clarifying that, Matt.

Sounds like the inspector was being rude. He might have been having a bad day. I will suggest that one thing he might have disliked is all of the glue drips. While functionally it isn't a problem, it can look sloppy and it might be something the inspector disliked even if it isn't a code violation.

I'm not passing judgment on that because I'm terrible with anything adhesive and my glue drips like that as well.

There is a thread around here somewhere that lists each state/territory and says what plumbing code each of them follows. If you can find out, you can look up the plumbing codes. Most states will use either UPC or IRC, but some have their own code.