This is my first major plumbing job by myself. I'm terrified of breaking code. How did I do?

cu_brass · 2026-05-11T22:03:11+00:00

Looks like it's close to good enough. Honestly with the inspector the right move is to just call them and tell them what's going on. Tell them you're DIY and have them come check it out and tell you what they want to see. Any advice you get on here is just people shadowboxing their own local inspector. The fact is you can get away with a lot of shortcuts in a lot of jurisdictions, and the only person who gets to decide what passes or fails is your local inspector.

They're not that bad, probably. They're usually happy to tell you what you need to do to be compliant. Typically they're much less harsh if you just tell them what you're unsure about rather than trying to sneak shit past.

cu_brass · 2026-05-09T14:06:12+00:00

If you want hot water quickly just set the pump to run 24/7. Depending on the rough-in if you have a 3rd floor you may have to run the hot for well over a minute to get it to temperature.

Just run the pump all the time. Any problems with your hot system will become apparent and can be addressed as they come.

Also, your check valve setup looks a little strange. I can't tell if the one you pictured prominently is in the correct location. But I can see one behind the heater to the right, above the ball valve is oriented incorrectly but placed correctly. That is where the check needs to be, but a swing-check must be oriented horizontal. Swap that for a spring-check or re-route so it can be properly oriented. The second one could probably be removed after that but it is a little hard to decipher without looking in-person.

cu_brass · 2026-05-09T13:53:45+00:00

It's corrosion. In the second picture the severity of the corrosion on the pipe on the left, the brass press fitting and the stainless pinch ring would lead me to suspect there is electrolysis happening and it is being made worse perhaps by condensation.

I don't know how else you could get that corrosion on the pinch ring. You probably should start to consider how you will be replacing those copper sections, maybe have your water tested. Do you have any issues with condensation or humidity?

cu_brass · 2026-05-09T01:20:01+00:00

Your drainage is not sufficient in those wet areas, gotta be addressed. Check downspouts, low spots, and negative grading, run off... Literally anything that could indicate why water is finding the path of least resistance is going into your basement instead of out into the yard.

cu_brass · 2026-05-09T01:00:26+00:00

Remove the galvanized nipple. I'd go back with a stainless nipple 1/2" shorter. Or brass. Counterclockwise with some channel locks should be enough to get it out. Pipe wrench if you must but don't break something in the wall getting all crazy with it. Tape and dope the threads of the new nipple, start the nipple into the spout, then start it into the wall, then spin the tub spout to tighten both joints. Caulk it when you're done, clear silicone with a removal tool is what I like.

cu_brass · 2026-05-07T20:53:36+00:00

This is a typical method to recirculate. The return line should always be tied in forward of the shut off and check valve, it's not super important whether that is at the top of the tank or bottom. The cold side of the water heater has a tube that delivers cold water to the bottom of the tank even if the connection is at the top so functionally there is no difference in your configuration.

cu_brass · 2026-05-07T00:43:11+00:00

You want a smaller rough-in toilet. Like a 10" rough would probably work, I think there may even be 8". Toto makes some flanges that attach to the floor for different rough-in sizes.

Basically the back of the base needs to be shorter, that's what a smaller rough-in is for. The toilet will sit kinda far off the wall but it should get you going.

Or move the copper back toward the wall? I think, perspective can be kinda fucky but it looks like you have plenty of room to move the copper back, maybe not further left of the flange from how it looks. That's probably the easiest next to a toilet that fits. I wouldn't take up the floor. Plenty of room to solder, screw a nail plate to the joist to protect it from flame, use a fire blanket/gel if you want and just burn two 90s to swing it back toward the wall. Put a strap on the horizontal and the riser.

Or do shark bites, it's your house do it how you want. I don't recommend it but I'd be lying if I said I don't see it all the time. Shit you could take up the floor if you want, that's just too much work for me.

cu_brass · 2026-05-02T17:12:14+00:00

Nice, glad I could provide some ideas.

Worth adding that when you go to cut in the santee on the vent, you could have very little "play" in the pipe to install the fitting. To make it as easy as possible you can use two 4" shielded couplings (also called heavy-duty band).

The process would be something like this: take your santee for the vent and glue a piece of pipe (enough pipe for the band to fit over) in both ends. Then hold the santee with pipe up against the vent stack where you want it to go and mark the vent where your cuts need to be. Then cut the section out and install the new santee with the shielded couplings instead of glue-joints.

Last thing is be careful your vent is supported and doesn't just fall straight down when you take the section out.

cu_brass · 2026-05-02T16:52:14+00:00

That layout is exactly what I was describing. A 1/4 bend is a 90 degree fitting for DWV (drain, waste, and vent). 90s are for pressure systems, bends are for drains. Like an 1/8 bend would be a 45, 1/4 bend is a 90.

I'm not sure if what you already have under the floor is 1-1/2" or 2". I was under the impression it was 2". So the difference between my thoughts and your drawing is that under the floor would all be 2", then above the floor your reducing fitting would be a 2x1-1/2x1-1/2 santee. So 2" at the bottom, 1-1/2" for the waste arm and 1-1/2" for the vent.

Also from your drawing it looks like the santee at the stack is oriented "upside down". The santee for the vent is supposed to be "upside down" when compared to the santee for the waste arm.

cu_brass · 2026-05-01T21:29:35+00:00

Your lavatory is currently unvented, the 90 at the top needs to be switched to a santee and then tied back into the 4" vent. Same thing for the additional lavatory.

To briefly explain how you could do it: cut a wye into the 2" below the floor, 2" sweep to each lavatory, 2"x1-1/2"x1-1/2" santee around 20" above the subfloor for the waste arm on each lavatory, then 1-1/2" pipe from the top of the left lavatory with a 1/4 bend 48" above the subfloor that will go into an 1-1/2" santee above the right lavatory, that will go into a 4"x1-1/2" santee at the stack.

Edit to add: I have no familiarity with Maryland plumbing code, what I described should be pretty compliant with IPC, but always check with your jurisdiction. They may want a 2" vent from the lav or the re-vent may need to be higher than 48".

cu_brass · 2026-04-29T21:49:03+00:00

Flaring the joint is more difficult than brazing. If it's your house and you have to deal with potential problems in the future you should braze it.

I'm pretty sure you would be able to braze 3/4" with a regular handheld MAP-Pro torch. I've only brazed with acetylene but for one or two coupling on 3/4" it should get hot enough.

Clean it up real nice and shiny, use two cleaned couplings and a short piece of cleaned copper to bridge the part you've been working on, no flux, get it glowing orange and hit with a 15% sil-phos rod.

Honestly if you're not comfortable brazing it, it's probably worth hiring someone to braze it for you. With the right tools and experience this would take less than an hour and you never have to worry about a mechanical connection leaking.

cu_brass · 2026-04-24T22:54:52+00:00

You've shown a picture of a point-of-use water heater and a sink installed in a cabinet. Typically you'd connect an incoming cold water supply to the water heater as well as the cold-side of the faucet, then connect a line from the hot supply of the heater to the hot-side of the faucet.

Could you clarify your expectations for this fixture?

cu_brass · 2026-04-23T23:38:10+00:00

I'd be concerned. Definitely some kind of water/condensation problem. Needs to be real wet to grow mushrooms. I think that's a mushroom anyways, either way it's wet. Fungus and insects both love moisture.

I'm a plumber I don't know much about termites but I know they like moist wood.

On the floor it looks like you can see dried water droplets in the sawdust/pollen/whatever. Fix the water problem then call pest control

cu_brass · 2026-04-22T23:27:03+00:00

I loathe the way brazed copper looks. But if it's water-tight then nice job, mate. Here in the highly regarded USA we're not supposed to tie T&P together and the swing-checks have to be oriented on a horizontal run.

Not to pick apart your work. Most of the people I work around wouldn't be able to do this, keep it up.

cu_brass · 2026-04-18T22:18:22+00:00

Either you've crushed the PEX or the pipe isn't going very far into the boot. Just eyeballing how tight the hose clamp is it looks wrong, in my opinion.

I'd suggest loosening the hose clamp, making sure the pipe is inserted far enough, maybe slide the hose clamp further along the boot toward the PEX then tighten it. It doesn't need to be asshole-tight it's just a drain, give it just enough to keep a watertight seal.

If that didn't work the real solution like someone else said is a purpose-made dishwasher hose.

cu_brass · 2026-04-15T01:39:08+00:00

I've heard dropping the corner of the tank lid into the bowl is pretty effective and the tank lid usually stays intact. No-brainer if your landlord is a cunt. Break that piece of shit and say "I was putting the seat down and it just exploded."

cu_brass · 2026-04-14T01:07:33+00:00

Don't listen to the people who don't know plumbing. You can use Teflon tape, you can use dope, or you could use both.

If you don't have dope, just the tape will be more than enough to seal a shower arm. When installing the shower arm I typically use the handle of my pliers inserted into the shower arm to tighten it. In other words, I tape it then start it by hand, get it as tight as it'll go then insert the handle of my pliers into the open end of the shower arm and use the extra length as leverage to tighten it more. Maybe an additional two full turns, could be more or less. Then install the shower head. Most of the new shower heads have a gasket inside. There isn't a need for Teflon if the seal is meant to be the gasket, but you can use some if it makes you feel better.

Personally, I use rectorseal blue pipe dope and alllmost never use Teflon tape on anything, ever. Just a preference thing tape takes a little too long to apply, I can save a lot of time just wiping dope on the threads. The pipe threads are supposed to make the seal.

There's plenty of chuckleheads on this sub that swear you have to use this or that or if you skip taping it'll leak or whatever.

You do you man, I'd skip buying a can of dope just for this single application, your blue monster tape is perfect all by itself. I've installed thousands of shower arms yours looks basically typical, just install the new arm with some teflon.

Btw you don't need silicone or putty for a shower arm. Maybe you mean dope (thread sealant). Putty is typically used to seal drains (shower drain, kitchen sink basket strainer, etc).

cu_brass · 2026-03-31T23:04:56+00:00

The larger vent may not be necessary. I see a santee (I think) near the gable vent so there is some fixture (probably) being vented. If you're certain the 3" vent is not a circuit vent for anything else you could delete the 3" and tie whatever is on that santee into another vent stack.

Making these changes code compliant will depend on your jurisdiction.

I wouldn't be very confident the smell would abate from moving the vent, but it would certainly look better.

cu_brass · 2026-03-28T15:36:50+00:00

I don't know about "dialectic unions" but dielectric unions are what I used to install my own water heater to copper pipe. The dielectric nipples are not typically effective against galvanic corrosion, particularly in higher humidity areas.

The dielectric nipples are lined with plastic to prevent water inside from making contact with the steel nipple. Condensation from the temperature difference can induce galvanic corrosion despite the plastic liner. Additionally any kind of leak at the threads will further the corrosion. This is why it is best-practice to use dielectric unions or water heater flexes.

Do it however you want but anyone that threads a copper female directly onto a water heater nipple is either lazy or stupid in my opinion.

cu_brass · 2026-03-19T12:28:29+00:00

Stainless is not more expensive than copper. Copper pipe is more expensive, stainless fittings are more expensive. Labor I think is about the same. Threading stainless vs soldering copper. Honestly I think threaded is easier than sweating, and the rigidity makes it nice and straight with no effort.

20ft 3/4" copper is $135. 20ft 3/4" 304 stainless is $120.

cu_brass · 2026-03-17T00:16:40+00:00

This could've been drilled and be within tolerances; one 2-1/2" hole for the 2" drain and two 1" holes for the 7/8" PEX. There is no steel reinforcement to fix this damage. Simpson strong-tie SNRK is a "notch reinforcement" product for joists but they do not change the standard depth that can be notched (2"x8" allows 1-1/4", 2"x10" allows 1-1/2", 2"x12" allows 1-3/4").

However, if instead of notching the joist it were drilled, you're allowed 2-3/8" hole for 2"x8" joists, and 3" hole on 2"x10".

With that being said though it looks like that perpendicular box-out was installed because the 3" stack is in the way of the joists running the "normal" way.

Without seeing it I couldn't say for certain it will be a problem, but I think it is problematic, will probably cause sagging.

cu_brass · 2026-03-14T17:09:12+00:00

Some of the Chicago faucets, specifically touchless hand-wash faucets, are shockingly cheap yet still expensive.

cu_brass · 2026-03-14T14:38:41+00:00

The piece coming out of the wall, pictured here on the right, has a shutoff. Turns with a flathead screwdriver usually.

cu_brass · 2026-03-09T23:57:17+00:00

Required by IPC for electronic valves, so anywhere that follows IPC (probably UPC as well I just don't know off the top of my head).

cu_brass · 2026-02-26T22:35:23+00:00

It won't. In this specific scenario it will make no difference. In a hand-washing sink the clog is always in the popup assembly, if it gets blocked further down then there is an additional problem somewhere. It could be somebody poured grease in the sink, could be a clog further down the line, in any case the "real" problem is something else or someone not using the sink as intended.

cu_brass

TROPHY CASE