Thread: Double Check Valve Installation

I inspected a new house last week that had the backflow valve installed above ground and with no insulation of the piping. As it was 13° F. on that particular morning, I thought it appropriate to point this out to the builder and the buyer. The builder sent me the attached .pdf which says nothing about protecting the piping from freezing.

All of the backflow devices I see in new homes are in installed below grade. Am I the only one who thinks this is correct?

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?? I am not following AD, the first line I read in the attachment talks about protecting the installation in an insulated box. Did I miss the sarcasm emoticon?

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

I inspected a new house last week that had the backflow valve installed above ground and with no insulation of the piping. As it was 13° F. on that particular morning, I thought it appropriate to point this out to the builder and the buyer. The builder sent me the attached .pdf which says nothing about protecting the piping from freezing.

All of the backflow devices I see in new homes are in installed below grade. Am I the only one who thinks this is correct?

A.D. I about got a Charlie-horse tipping my head to read that!

Did you mean to add a to your post? It says right at the top (left) must be covered with pipe insulation.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

?? I am not following AD, the first line I read in the attachment talks about protecting the installation in an insulated box. Did I miss the sarcasm emoticon?

JL: I must've missed the "sarcasm emoticon" as well, else it would be used in most of my posts.

Originally Posted by Vern Heiler

A.D. I about got a Charlie-horse tipping my head to read that!

Did you mean to add a to your post? It says right at the top (left) must be covered with pipe insulation.

VH: Et tu? Well, maybe the green smiley is for sarcasm, after all. I thought it was just a schit-eating grin.

sarcasm or?

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

sarcasm or?

JL: I give up.

AD,

We are only lowly home inspectors. Don't expect too much of us.

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

AD,

We are only lowly home inspectors. Don't expect too much of us.

GA: Now that, coming from the Left Coast, is truly sarcastic!

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

GA: Now that, coming from the Left Coast, is truly sarcastic!

Gunner gets the grin, I get "Et tu" I'm crushed .

Originally Posted by Vern Heiler

Gunner gets the grin, I get "Et tu" I'm crushed .

VH: Well, you know, one has to ham it up for those in Shangri La so as not to upset their sensitive natures . . .

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

All of the backflow devices I see in new homes are in installed below grade.

All the backflow devices (well, 99.5%) around here are all above grade.
And not a single one is ever insulated, nor protected.

Dom.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

All the backflow devices (well, 99.5%) around here are all above grade.
And not a single one is ever insulated, nor protected.

Dom.

DDA: Does it ever actually freeze in Flahdah?

Yes, it does.

We've had 11 straight days of sub-freezing temps this month, a new record.

Here's what happens to those backflow valves:

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Yes, it does.

We've had 11 straight days of sub-freezing temps this month, a new record.

Here's what happens to those backflow valves:

DDA: Guess I'll have to budget for OJ, right?

Our citrus farmers are in a jam, that's for sure. Much of the crop froze and can't be harvested. Even the roof rats won't eat it.

Time to switch to V8.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Our citrus farmers are in a jam, that's for sure. Much of the crop froze and can't be harvested. Even the roof rats won't eat it.

Time to switch to V8.

Out of curiosity do they use smudge pots in Florida......I would guess that they are banned for air quality reasons. Just wondering?

Originally Posted by Scott Murdock

Out of curiosity do they use smudge pots in Florida......I would guess that they are banned for air quality reasons. Just wondering?

They used to, and to my knowledge still do.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

All the backflow devices (well, 99.5%) around here are all above grade.
And not a single one is ever insulated, nor protected.

Dom.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

DDA: Does it ever actually freeze in Flahdah?

There is a big difference between here and where you are Aaron ... here, in Flahdah, the freeze protection line is well north of Dom and myself, it runs basically along I-10, so freeze protection IS NOT REQUIRED here, but, there in Texass, where you are, you are above the freeze protection line and protection from freezing IS REQUIRED.

So (non-sarcastically speaking), the brochure did say "insulate". Is the builder blind or agreeing with you?

Of the few above ground valves here is East Texas (most are in a box), they are either insulated or covered with an obviously fake looking rock.

Bruce

Originally Posted by JB Thompson

So (non-sarcastically speaking), the brochure did say "insulate". Is the builder blind or agreeing with you?

Of the few above ground valves here is East Texas (most are in a box), they are either insulated or covered with an obviously fake looking rock.

Bruce

JBT: The builder is neither blind nor agreeing with me; he is simply an idiot.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

DDA: Guess I'll have to budget for OJ, right?

ad,
you are supporting OJ? i thought he was in jail in nevada!

Originally Posted by brian schmitt

ad,
you are supporting OJ? i thought he was in jail in nevada!

BS: Nope, the only support that murdering, misogynist, jock-boy, MF would get from me would be to lift his worthless ass on the end of my boot into the next reality.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

BS: Nope, the only support that murdering, misogynist, jock-boy, MF would get from me would be to lift his worthless ass on the end of my boot into the next reality.

very eloquently stated and i concur with your opinion!