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Inspector trying to locate pre existing vent

H

hassaneng

Registered User
Joined
Feb 16, 2021
Messages
4
Location
Ottawa
We are putting a bathroom in the basement and we tied to an existing vent that was labelled "Future Vent". The vent runs up the living room wall beside the kitchen vent. Looking at the roof from outside, that's where we can also see the main stack vent coming out. The inspector wanted me to go up in the attic and confirm that the vent we tied into is indeed tied to the main stack. I got up in the attic and I located the main stack, but I don't see anything tied to it. My plumber says these are always tied in the main floor with the kitchen vent before they go up to the main stack. Is it reasonable for the inspector to ask me to open the wall in my living room or should it be assumed that the vent was correctly tied when the house was built and inspected. I really don't want to be poking holes in my living room wall.
Thanks for the advice.
 
I would trust the plumber....and a smoke test. But you asked if the inspector was being reasonable and to that I would answer, totally. What I will accept and what any other inspector will accept can, and does, be polar opposites.

Now if there were other indications such as this is a tract home and many others have the same "future vent" .... or there is water pipes, that were stubbed. How about a waste pipe?

I just noticed that you are in Canada. It has been my experience that Canadian inspectors are reasonable to a fault.
 
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Rather than a pope test, why can’t the plumper push a snake up from inside the house, and look from the putside yo see if it’s poked up through the main stack? Or the homeowner could do it with a electricians snake. Or maybe a squirrel ... stuff him in the ”future vent” connection and light a piece of paper on fire under his butt, see how high he clears the roof line.
 
The integrity of the future vent should have been inspected on the house rought, only has to go above the flood rim of the highest fixture above where it is tied into the stack. Or as one plumber I knew said the tie in has to be nipple height off the floor
 
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