Shower Inspection Issues

[ICE]

Or perhaps the intent is not to ban more than 1.8 gpm in a shower, but just to add an extra hurdle to construction of such a shower, thereby reducing how many such showers get built.

Oh I'm pretty sure that the intent is to limit the use of water in a way that has no holes. Can you purchase a shower head that doesn't restrict the flow? I haven't tried but the contractor that did the re-pipe claimed that California has banned non-restricted shower heads. And what about a bath tub? I have a huge bath tub that would take a long time to fill.... the water would be cold by the time it reached ... I've never used it and it still has the original faucets that blast. Bathtubs are a waste of space. And to think that I inspected a few hundred tubs with jets... what were those people thinking?

 

[wwhitney]

Oh I'm pretty sure that the intent is to limit the use of water in a way that has no holes.

Yet that is not what is written. I don't believe the code writers are so incompetent that they messed up trying to say "no more than 1.8 gpm per shower, period." Rather for some reason they chose to write a more complicated rule.

It is not our job to enforce something stricter than what is actually written based only on a supposition of what the intent may have been.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[ICE]

It is not our job to enforce something stricter than what is actually written based only on a supposition of what the intent may have been.

Trust me on this Wayne, I never enforced that. I do not recall having ever asked the question. Another one is the bathroom light fixtures. I show up for a final inspection and it's the outlawed type of light fixture. A nice one too. Tell the contractor that it has to be replaced and watch him squirm. It took his customer two weeks to decide on that fixture.

You don't think that the code writers were incompetent and I agree. They are crazy but competent.

 

[Yikes]

Is that still being done?

I don't know if gang showers are still being done in school, but they definitely still exist in the California Plumbing Code:





the more I think about it, this inspector might be trying to offer a workaround on the code limitations:
Two drains enables him to imply a "gang shower", and now two showers can operate simultaneously, each at 1.8 GPM.

Being a bit devious for the moment:
What if you took a regular shower drain grate and screwed a little divider onto it, making it into "two" drains at time of inspection?

 

[wwhitney]

the more I think about it, this inspector might be trying to offer a workaround on the code limitations:
Two drains enables him to imply a "gang shower", and now two showers can operate simultaneously, each at 1.8 GPM.

Not necessary, as the quoted code sections provide for a limit of 1.8 gpm per shower valve, regardless of the number of drains.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[steveray]

Not necessary, as the quoted code sections provide for a limit of 1.8 gpm per shower valve, regardless of the number of drains.

Cheers, Wayne

I agree the section posted does not limit valves per shower, just flow per valve or head.....4 valves it is...You can waste water as long as you spend a lot on valves...

 

[Gregg Harris]

How many homes actually have 80 psi to worry about.
r

 

[Genduct]

So you're acknowledging that you intentionally and knowingly approved a code violation.

Is there any reason why the OP should expect an inspector in a different jurisdiction to approve such a violation?

Sounds like ICE made an ADA accommodation for those Height Challenged Young People!
Well Done! Unless this was a Commune where the Hippies would all shower together