Thread: Plumbing Mystery

I just inspected a Townhouse built in 1999 and was supposed to be de-winterized. The 3rd floor bathroom included a jetted tub and a vanity cabinet with basin. At the tub, I turned the jets downward and turned on the water (single knob diverter). A little water comes out then stops. I left the diverter open. Checking the basin, no water either. Shutoff valves closed. Opened the shutoff valves. When the sink faucet was turned on, water came out of the sink spigot AND the tub's. Turning the sink control knob varied the water flow in the tub. Turn off the water at the sink and the tub water shuts off.

There was one hot and one cold riser in the vanity. nothing coming out (other than the drain). The client and I played with this for some time. Of course, something is wrong and requires a plumber but I was just wondering if any of you bright people could shed any light on it.

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I'll take a shot
May be
Cold water valve is off at the water heater
Tub has a shower type valve
When you turn on the water at the sink, cold water backflows into the hot water line into the tub
The shower type valve (pressure equalizing) does not allow water to flow if pressure is not on hot and cold.

I probably did a poor job of describing that, and it may not even be what was happening, but I gave it a shot.

I was just about to say the same thing as Rick but he beat me to the post by minutes. I've seen this before, precisely as he explained.

Before I pat myself on the back I'll wait for confirmation from others.

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

I just inspected a Townhouse built in 1999 and was supposed to be de-winterized. The 3rd floor bathroom included a jetted tub and a vanity cabinet with basin. At the tub, I turned the jets downward and turned on the water (single knob diverter). A little water comes out then stops. I left the diverter open. Checking the basin, no water either. Shutoff valves closed. Opened the shutoff valves. When the sink faucet was turned on, water came out of the sink spigot AND the tub's. Turning the sink control knob varied the water flow in the tub. Turn off the water at the sink and the tub water shuts off.

There was one hot and one cold riser in the vanity. nothing coming out (other than the drain). The client and I played with this for some time. Of course, something is wrong and requires a plumber but I was just wondering if any of you bright people could shed any light on it.

The gas water heater was not on, I lit the pilot and got'er going (another issue, lot's not revisit that). The gate type WH shutoff valve was supposed to be open. I think the valve stem was broken because I could not reach an end point turning it in either direction (again another issue not to go to). After giving water time to heat up some, I was able to get warm water from the rest of the faucets in the house. By the time I got to the 3rd level, I had shut off the WH gas. Whether the supply was turned off or on was not actually known. But I did obtain water from all hot side faucets in the house EXCEPT the tub. Neither Cold or Hot would come out at the tub unless the sink faucet was turned on in any position. I'm not saying it was not the shutoff valve. It may have been open just slightly and there wasn't enough pressure on that side to get to the 3rd level.
There was NO water at the tub until both the sink shutoff valves and the faucet were turned on.

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

The gas water heater was not on, I lit the pilot and got'er going (another issue, lot's not revisit that). The gate type WH shutoff valve was supposed to be open. I think the valve stem was broken because I could not reach an end point turning it in either direction (again another issue not to go to). After giving water time to heat up some, I was able to get warm water from the rest of the faucets in the house. By the time I got to the 3rd level, I had shut off the WH gas. Whether the supply was turned off or on was not actually known. But I did obtain water from all hot side faucets in the house EXCEPT the tub. Neither Cold or Hot would come out at the tub unless the sink faucet was turned on in any position. I'm not saying it was not the shutoff valve. It may have been open just slightly and there wasn't enough pressure on that side to get to the 3rd level.
There was NO water at the tub until both the sink shutoff valves and the faucet were turned on.

Stuart,

Why would you light the water heater or mess with SOV's?


Corey

Originally Posted by Corey Friedman

Stuart,

Why would you light the water heater or mess with SOV's?
Corey

Let's not start those threads again. Some of us do things differently. Depends on the situation at the time.

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

Let's not start those threads again. Some of us do things differently. Depends on the situation at the time.

Play, but if you've ever seen a home inspector with burned off hair, eyebrows, and face, you will never feel the urge to light another gas appliance on an inspection ... not starting those threads again - just sayin' ...

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Play, but if you've ever seen a home inspector with burned off hair, eyebrows, and face, you will never feel the urge to light another gas appliance on an inspection ... not starting those threads again - just sayin' ...

So, just how long did it take for the eyebrows to grow back?

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

So, just how long did it take for the eyebrows to grow back?

.
A Verrry Lonnng Time !
lee press on eyebrows shown in example attachment.
.
.

Jerry, This is totaly off subject but I noticed in your wonderful picture that you carry some kind of over shoulder bag for your inspections. I am looking for the right bag other than my huge main bag to carry my most used tools. I tried the typical carpenters bag but stuff was always falling out of the bag when I was under sinks etc. What do you all use? Thanks and sorry for getting off track here.

Tom,

That photo is quite old, probably close to 10 years old, that strap was my camera bag, but the bag I carried was a pilot's bag with zippered pouches on each end. Still have that bag, but don't use it much anymore.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Tom,

That photo is quite old, probably close to 10 years old, that strap was my camera bag, but the bag I carried was a pilot's bag with zippered pouches on each end. Still have that bag, but don't use it much anymore.

10 year old photo??? I tell ya' what!----that is what we call a "recent" Photo for a real estate agent's business card.

Hey Larry, How's business in St. George?

Originally Posted by Tom Rees

Hey Larry, How's business in St. George?

Better all the time...remind me to send BO a thank you for all the foreclosures
the one I'm working on now...missing 1 air conditioning unit, 47 light bulbs...one kitchen...that's right the Kitchen...Ironicly...the only thing they didn't take was "the Kitchen sink"....I should post pictures

Originally Posted by Tom Rees

Jerry, This is totaly off subject but I noticed in your wonderful picture that you carry some kind of over shoulder bag for your inspections. I am looking for the right bag other than my huge main bag to carry my most used tools. I tried the typical carpenters bag but stuff was always falling out of the bag when I was under sinks etc. What do you all use? Thanks and sorry for getting off track here.

511 push pack
Made for conceal and carry
Works great for inspections

PUSH Pack | Concealed Carry Bags | 5.11 Tactical

Originally Posted by Chuck Kaatz

511 push pack
Made for conceal and carry
Works great for inspections

PUSH Pack | Concealed Carry Bags | 5.11 Tactical

usually a Blackhawk Serpa for my SAXD .45ACP (open carry most of the time except on inspections) I love Utah?
Oh' you mean for my other inspection tools...

Damn!! Reading posts and interacting with you guys is like reading a novel in that I have developed an image in my head of how the poster should look based on his/her writings. NOW Jerry P. has ruined my mental picture of him by revealing his identity!

It's a bit like reading the novel and then seeing the movie. The movie characters just aren't "right" sometimes based on what is mentally developed from the book.

Of course there's still hope since the pic is 10 years old!

I have experienced the same phenomena when checking "de-winterized" properties. In the more recent case, the water heater was shut down because it was leaking water . . . a fact that was found out when it was "back fed" through the bathroom fixtures.