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  1. #1
    Reggie Russell's Avatar
    Reggie Russell Guest

    Question Need Some Advice

    Hey Guys,

    Inspected a new home yesterday and just would like to be sure before I call something out. I got the evil eye from the builder when I first showed up!

    The water main shutoff valve area is buried in water, I am assuming this is from the punch hole in the top of the cover and not from a plumbing leak. My question is; is that acceptable? Especially with an open splice and other wiring in there? I am sure they are low level voltage wires for the sprinkler system, but I am still leery of that setup.

    The other picture is of a PVC pipe sticking out of the ground that is water logged with several small frogs jumping around trying to get out. The cleanout is just a few inches to the side of this so I am not sure what this is used for. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    That looks like a water sprinkler access hatch and not the water main, and the wiring is low voltage going back to the sprinkler control panel.


  3. #3
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    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Reggie Russell View Post
    Hey Guys,

    Inspected a new home yesterday and just would like to be sure before I call something out. I got the evil eye from the builder when I first showed up!

    The water main shutoff valve area is buried in water, I am assuming this is from the punch hole in the top of the cover and not from a plumbing leak. My question is; is that acceptable? Especially with an open splice and other wiring in there? I am sure they are low level voltage wires for the sprinkler system, but I am still leery of that setup.
    That is ground water. Think about how much rain you have had over the past week and a half! I'm looking for blueprints for an Ark!

    Yes, it could be a leak but I doubt it. One reason I carry a hand bilge pump with me! A coffee can also works well..

    The other picture is of a PVC pipe sticking out of the ground that is water logged with several small frogs jumping around trying to get out. The cleanout is just a few inches to the side of this so I am not sure what this is used for. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
    Did the home have a private waste system, like a septic or treatment plant??

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  4. #4
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    Mar 2007
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    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Raymond Wand View Post
    That looks like a water sprinkler access hatch and not the water main, and the wiring is low voltage going back to the sprinkler control panel.
    I really think that those wires are for an automated meter reading device. The meter readers drive down the street or walk down the sidewalk and the device transmits the numbers to a handheld device. I have this at my home and it looks like what is in the picture, except mine is not underwater!

    Last edited by Scott Patterson; 09-20-2009 at 09:43 AM.
    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    Sorry Scott, but I'm going with Raymond on this one. Looks like a sprinkler valve control box.

    rick


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    I'm going with Raymond and Rick too, those look like sprinkler system solenoid valves - however, the manual valve on the right may be the water service main, so it may be a combination in that one hand hole (but I suspect that manual valve is the sprinkler system manual main).

    Agreeing that it is most likely ground water and not a plumbing leak. The way to verify this is to watch the water meter flow indicator (that little triangle) and see if it moves, however slowly, when all water is off and not being used.

    The other photo looks like a cleanout, with the cover laying over to the left in the mulch (see that square white plastic piece - could be the clean out cover). If so, looks like the plumber forgot to glue on the clean out adapter.

    However, if that were the clean out, and if the water were that high in it, that would indicate a sewer drainage problem, and I doubt that overflowed when you ran all the water, so that may not be the sewer clean out. In which case I don't know what would have been planned to drain into it, if it is full of ground water, then it is likely an underground drain connection point.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  7. #7
    Reggie Russell's Avatar
    Reggie Russell Guest

    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    Scott - the home is on public water and sewage. How do you keep water from flooding that area at your house?

    Jerry - that cleanout cover is the cleanout. It is firmly secured where it is, it is not the cover for what I am asking about. And you are right, in the other picture, that is the sprinkler main, I had that in my notes, it was just buried and I forgot about the main being separate. Sorry about that one. I have attached a closer view of the valve that is located in there. I couldn't make out what type of valve it says it is, so I still am not sure what it does.

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  8. #8
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    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Reggie Russell View Post
    I have attached a closer view of the valve that is located in there. I couldn't make out what type of valve it says it is, so I still am not sure what it does.
    I'm guessing that one is the water main. The piece of PVC up to and above ground level is just to keep it accessible - provided the PVC is large enough to allow you to reach down and turn it on , because it is not turned on at this time.

    That valve is "mostly" "OFF", barely "ON".

    I would recommend a removable cap be placed over that open PVC to keep debris and rain out, however, it looks like ground water is in it too.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Hurst View Post
    Sorry Scott, but I'm going with Raymond on this one. Looks like a sprinkler valve control box.

    rick
    I agree, but it does look a great deal like the electronic readers for a meter.

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  10. #10
    A.D. Miller's Avatar
    A.D. Miller Guest

    Default Re: Need Some Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Patterson View Post
    I agree, but it does look a great deal like the electronic readers for a meter.
    SP: Pass that doob this way, please . . .


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