Originally Posted by
Richard Pultar
not to be supported by sharp stones...
Correct, they are to be in "clean fill".
I've seen some with chunks of dirt in the trenches, when I point them out and the contractor says 'Those are just chunks of dirt.', I pick some up ask 'Mind if I throw this against the pipe then?', after the plumber says 'No, go ahead.' I would throw the chunks against the pipe, when the dirt smashes, I say 'Yep, you are correct.', but twice, the pipe broke, there was a large rock in "the chunk of dirt".
I asked if that was "clean fill" and the plumber would have no option but to say 'No, I guess it was not.'
technically, freezing issues may come into play
Freezing issues are not a 'technicality', freezing issues are in the code for a very good reason. If the code was followed, there would be no burst pipes on homes which are occupied, unless the home was located below the 'freeze line'.
One example of this is North Florida. Almost none of Florida (just a narrow slice across the top of the state) is above the freeze line, yet there are many broken pipes all over North Florida ... because people apply the "minimum code" to their area even though THEY KNOW it freezes there quite often and for hours on end ... but, hey, "I am *not required* to address that ... ", so they don't. They let the homeowner deal with the frozen pipes and leakage later. Just another case of "the builders looking out for their buyers" - don't all builders look out for their buyers?
