stevenstarbuck1
New Member
I used to work in plumbing and gas fitting before switching careers, and in Virginia; here's how it works:
When a plumber/gas fitter installs a new gas line, such as for a gas stove, cooktop or to convert a woodburning fireplace to gas logs, he has to pull a permit from the county. He first does what is called the "rough in." That means he sets the new gas pipe to exactly where it will be tying into the existing line, and then puts a cap on one end and a gunge on the other. He has to prove to the inspector it will hold gas pressure before actually connecting the gas.
To do this you must put on a 30 PSI gauge and airtest it by pumping it up at least halfway to 15psi. Anywhere between 15-30 psi is passing. 14 and 9/10 psi would fail. The inspector comes and looks at the gauge on the scheduled day among other stuff and either says "Pass, continue" or "Fail, fix this and call us back."
After the rough in inspection passes he can finish the job then do the final inspection.
So a company I used to work for just did a rough in at a house in my neighborhood with the gauge positioned outside just near the gas meter. I absolutely hate the ex boss and am thinking of messing with him.
What I do is I go over there with a screwdriver and let the air out of the gauge to below 15psi. The inspector will come, see the gauge and think it's not holding air pressure and fail the rough-in. So then the plumbers come back, leak test again and find nothing. They'll tighten every fitting as much as their strength allows and then pump up the gauge to above 15 PSI again and watch it for quite some time. They'll finally be satisfied that it's holding air pressure now and schedule a re-inspection.
Under the cover of night I sneak back over there again with a screwdriver and let the pressure out again.
Next day, inspector comes back, looks at the gauge again and once again, it is below 15psi, Once again. Rough in fails.
Now the ex boss is really frustrated and the homeowner is on his ass. By now he may have had to pay a re-inspection fee, as if the rough-in keeps failing, there's only so many times the inspector will keep coming back under the original permit fee. So He sends his guys back to try and tighten each fitting even another millimeter. Soak the entire length of the piping with leak detector trying to find the (Nonexistent) microscopic leak that keeps causing the gauge to drop so slowly. They'll probably even change gauges wondering if the gauge itself is faulty.
Once again, they schedule the inspection for the rough in. And once again, yours truly strikes again.
Now, when that gauge drops below 15 AGAIN, the ex-boss is probably at a loss of WHAT to do now.
So in doing so I screw over my ex boss royally and help his workers get some overtime.
Ha what would he likely do if this just kept happening? He always said "there's a mechanical reason for everything" and he doesn't even know I live nearby, so the prospect of a prankster being the cause likely wouldn't cross his mind.
What would YOU do if this just kept happening inexplicably.
When a plumber/gas fitter installs a new gas line, such as for a gas stove, cooktop or to convert a woodburning fireplace to gas logs, he has to pull a permit from the county. He first does what is called the "rough in." That means he sets the new gas pipe to exactly where it will be tying into the existing line, and then puts a cap on one end and a gunge on the other. He has to prove to the inspector it will hold gas pressure before actually connecting the gas.
To do this you must put on a 30 PSI gauge and airtest it by pumping it up at least halfway to 15psi. Anywhere between 15-30 psi is passing. 14 and 9/10 psi would fail. The inspector comes and looks at the gauge on the scheduled day among other stuff and either says "Pass, continue" or "Fail, fix this and call us back."
After the rough in inspection passes he can finish the job then do the final inspection.
So a company I used to work for just did a rough in at a house in my neighborhood with the gauge positioned outside just near the gas meter. I absolutely hate the ex boss and am thinking of messing with him.
What I do is I go over there with a screwdriver and let the air out of the gauge to below 15psi. The inspector will come, see the gauge and think it's not holding air pressure and fail the rough-in. So then the plumbers come back, leak test again and find nothing. They'll tighten every fitting as much as their strength allows and then pump up the gauge to above 15 PSI again and watch it for quite some time. They'll finally be satisfied that it's holding air pressure now and schedule a re-inspection.
Under the cover of night I sneak back over there again with a screwdriver and let the pressure out again.
Next day, inspector comes back, looks at the gauge again and once again, it is below 15psi, Once again. Rough in fails.
Now the ex boss is really frustrated and the homeowner is on his ass. By now he may have had to pay a re-inspection fee, as if the rough-in keeps failing, there's only so many times the inspector will keep coming back under the original permit fee. So He sends his guys back to try and tighten each fitting even another millimeter. Soak the entire length of the piping with leak detector trying to find the (Nonexistent) microscopic leak that keeps causing the gauge to drop so slowly. They'll probably even change gauges wondering if the gauge itself is faulty.
Once again, they schedule the inspection for the rough in. And once again, yours truly strikes again.
Now, when that gauge drops below 15 AGAIN, the ex-boss is probably at a loss of WHAT to do now.
So in doing so I screw over my ex boss royally and help his workers get some overtime.
Ha what would he likely do if this just kept happening? He always said "there's a mechanical reason for everything" and he doesn't even know I live nearby, so the prospect of a prankster being the cause likely wouldn't cross his mind.
What would YOU do if this just kept happening inexplicably.
