I'm installing a half-bath (toilet, sink) on my second floor. I'm doing
the work myself. Right after the rough-in was finished, the city
inspector came in to inspect. At that point, I had to perform an air
pressure test on the new lines. It passed.

After I am done with the rest of the project (i.e. with sink and toilet
in place and hooked up), the inspector will come back to have me
perform a SECOND test. This second test will also be an air pressure
test, but will also involve putting a tube down into the trap of the
toilet.

Anyhow, can anyone fill me in on the details of this test? I'm not
really confident that I know what I'm supposed to do. For instance, if
the sink is installed, where do I hook up the pressure gauge (the gauge
mechanism is also is where I pump the air into the system)? What is
this tube going into the toilet trap business? What is being tested
with this test?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim F
Minneapolis, MN

wrote:
I'm installing a half-bath (toilet, sink) on my second floor. I'm doing
the work myself. Right after the rough-in was finished, the city
inspector came in to inspect. At that point, I had to perform an air
pressure test on the new lines. It passed.

After I am done with the rest of the project (i.e. with sink and toilet
in place and hooked up), the inspector will come back to have me
perform a SECOND test. This second test will also be an air pressure
test, but will also involve putting a tube down into the trap of the
toilet.

Anyhow, can anyone fill me in on the details of this test? I'm not
really confident that I know what I'm supposed to do. For instance, if
the sink is installed, where do I hook up the pressure gauge (the gauge
mechanism is also is where I pump the air into the system)? What is
this tube going into the toilet trap business? What is being tested
with this test?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim F
Minneapolis, MN

you use a manometer (google "manometer plumbing inspection") a tube
connected to a manometer in inserted through the water in the trap of
the toilet. you blow on it to obtain a one inch difference in the
levels (i think, i'm not a plumber so someone might correct me), and it
should hold that difference. you need water in all your traps and your
vents must be blocked.

Sounds like the gas trap test. This is copied from the 2000 international
building codes.


P2503.5.2 Finished plumbing. After the plumbing fixtures

have been set and their traps filled with water, their connections

shall be tested and proved gas tight and/or water tight

as follows:

1. Water tightness. Each fixture shall be filled and then

drained. Traps and fixture connections shall be

proven water tight by visual inspection.

2. Gas tightness. When required by the local administrative

authority, a final test for gas tightness of the DWV

system shall be made by the smoke or peppermint test

as follows:

2.1. Smoke test. Introduce a pungent, thick smoke

into the system. When the smoke appears at

vent terminals, such terminals shall be sealed

and a pressure equivalent to a 1-inch water

column (249 Pa) shall be applied and maintained

for the period of inspection.

2.2. Peppermint test. Introduce 2 ounces (59 mL)

of oil of peppermint into the system. Add 10

quarts (9464 mL) of ho****er and seal all vent

terminals. The odor of peppermint shall not be

detected at any trap or other point in the system.


--
Steve Barker



wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm installing a half-bath (toilet, sink) on my second floor. I'm doing
the work myself. Right after the rough-in was finished, the city
inspector came in to inspect. At that point, I had to perform an air
pressure test on the new lines. It passed.

After I am done with the rest of the project (i.e. with sink and toilet
in place and hooked up), the inspector will come back to have me
perform a SECOND test. This second test will also be an air pressure
test, but will also involve putting a tube down into the trap of the
toilet.

Anyhow, can anyone fill me in on the details of this test? I'm not
really confident that I know what I'm supposed to do. For instance, if
the sink is installed, where do I hook up the pressure gauge (the gauge
mechanism is also is where I pump the air into the system)? What is
this tube going into the toilet trap business? What is being tested
with this test?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim F
Minneapolis, MN

marson wrote:

you use a manometer (google "manometer plumbing inspection") a tube
connected to a manometer in inserted through the water in the trap of
the toilet. you blow on it to obtain a one inch difference in the
levels (i think, i'm not a plumber so someone might correct me), and it
should hold that difference. you need water in all your traps and your
vents must be blocked.

Thanks Marson, and Steve (below) for your help. A challenge for me is
that I don't have a manometer, and I really don't want to have to buy
one. The deal is, I (not the inspector) have to perform this test with
the inspector standing there watching me. I'm not sure I have a firm
grasp of enough of the details to do that.

wrote in message
oups.com...
marson wrote:

you use a manometer (google "manometer plumbing inspection") a tube
connected to a manometer in inserted through the water in the trap of
the toilet. you blow on it to obtain a one inch difference in the
levels (i think, i'm not a plumber so someone might correct me), and it
should hold that difference. you need water in all your traps and your
vents must be blocked.

Thanks Marson, and Steve (below) for your help. A challenge for me is
that I don't have a manometer, and I really don't want to have to buy
one. The deal is, I (not the inspector) have to perform this test with
the inspector standing there watching me. I'm not sure I have a firm
grasp of enough of the details to do that.

A manometer is nothing more that a *U* shaped tube with liquid in the loop
and up the sides (any height should be OK). Why not get some clear tubing,
make a loop and put water in it. Fasten the loop to some plywood, make it a
foot or two long vertically. For the rest, one leg should be long enough to
insert into your toilet and the other leg whatever is needed for you to blow
into it without difficulty. Put some lined or marked paper behind the loop
and make some sort of scale so that you can measure the height difference
between the columns. Throw some food coloring in the water to make it easier
on the eyes. Of course, the height difference is a function of the liquid
that is used in the manometer. Many manometers use Mercury, because of it's
density, to keep the height difference to a manageable level. A column of
water 34 Ft. high is = to 14.7 psi. So, using water, a 1 in. height
difference is only 0.036 psi. (Another way to get the answer---Pressure=
height* fluid density).
Good luck
MLD

On 1 Jun 2006 20:09:32 -0700, wrote:

marson wrote:

you use a manometer (google "manometer plumbing inspection") a tube
connected to a manometer in inserted through the water in the trap of
the toilet. you blow on it to obtain a one inch difference in the
levels (i think, i'm not a plumber so someone might correct me), and it
should hold that difference. you need water in all your traps and your
vents must be blocked.

Thanks Marson, and Steve (below) for your help. A challenge for me is
that I don't have a manometer, and I really don't want to have to buy
one. The deal is, I (not the inspector) have to perform this test with
the inspector standing there watching me. I'm not sure I have a firm
grasp of enough of the details to do that.


I dunno why you need a meter. YOu block the vents
and the main drain, mark the water level in the toilet,
and blow air into the system until the water in the
bowl rises an inch. Then come back in however long
it's supposed hold the pressure and see if the water level
has gone down.

I dunno why you need a meter. YOu block the vents
and the main drain, mark the water level in the toilet,
and blow air into the system until the water in the
bowl rises an inch. Then come back in however long
it's supposed hold the pressure and see if the water level
has gone down.

Thanks MLD and Goedjn. You've been helpful.

Another question I have about all this is, where do I pump the air in?
For the first test, I pumped air into the sink drain line where it
enters the wall. But for the second test, that sink (as well as the
toilet) will be installed, so I can't pump air at that spot. I'm
guessing I'm going to have to add another test tee?

Or do I actually blow air into the system via the u-shaped tube that I
will be sticking into the toilet?

Thanks again for your help.

Tim F.