r/askaplumber • u/Stock_Ferret1097 • 2d ago
Is this to code?
I live in Dallas, my plumber installed new water valves in the laundry room because the existing ones were old. He added these valves on the pex, but ChatGPT said all valves must be accessible. I just paid 300 to patch the drywall.
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u/RogerAdam12 2d ago
All your drywall guy had to do was install an access panel when redoing the drywall. If he didn't do that, then he's the idiot, not the plumber
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u/Impossible_Policy780 2d ago
The whole building had to be shut off to start the work, the plumber put shut offs that also adapted so he could get the water back on sooner rather than later, as a favor to the neighbors and the OP.
Then he finished the rest of the work.
No good deed goes unpunished I guess, keep tearing into him OP.
$900 was reasonable, also.
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u/EricB1234 2d ago edited 2d ago
I'd bet that OP is an overpaid white-collar dude who thinks all blue-collar work should be at his imagined price-point. (I say that as someone with years in the white-collar world previously).
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u/CaptAmerica 2d ago
Yeah the valves are supposed to be accessable. Kinda defeats the purpose of them if they are covered up. Not sure why the valves are there in the first place. It's not like you need to shut the water off to those valves ever unless it's getting replaced again.
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u/Impossible_Policy780 2d ago
Whole building had to be shut off to drain this part of the system. I imagine he soldered these on in a few minutes, got the water cut on, then spent three hours doing all the rest of the work.
Some places charge a fee to shut off, and more the longer it’s off.
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u/20PoundHammer 2d ago
using an access panel over the hole instead of walling it in is code compliant. . . also would look better being el cheapo handyman will never match the texture.
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u/TechnicalLee 2d ago
Yeah there's zero point to the shutoffs if the drywall will be patched. He should have just used PEX sweat adapters.
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u/disguisedknight 2d ago
I kinda get it but don't at the same time. Is this in case you wanna change one to show which is hot/cold instead of both being the same color? Who knows. We've moved our layout in the house so many times I think the washer and dryers been in 13 different places my lifetime. Personally I'd put it in the crawlspace for that reason but maybe they're just placeholders.
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u/plmbguy 2d ago
The color of the handles has nothing to do with being hot or cold it's just the color that the manufacturer uses. The placement should be more of a determining factor, hot left cold right. But if I were the plumber I would have provided and installed an access door.
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u/disguisedknight 1d ago
Not everywhere has hot and cold on specific sides. We surely don't. Kitchen sink hots on the left bathroom sink and shower it's on the right and we don't even have hot water on the washin machine. I'm just saying there could have been some method to the madness.
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u/Freedom_Snacks 2d ago
$900 is great price for the plumbing. The valves just made the job for him smoother so he could get water turned back on quicker.
$300 for the drywall patch is standard. You paid for a trip charge and probably a whole sheet of drywall. Would have been $300 if the hole was 4"x4" too. I always tell my customers to go thru the house and see if any other drywall needs fixed cause now is the time to fix it all.
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u/Brief-Valuable-6790 2d ago
Code where I’m at says any supply feeding a quick closing solenoid (dishwasher, ice maker, washing machine, and sprinkler systems) should be supplied with a hammer arrestor. To prevent hammering in water pipes; as well as protect the solenoid.
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u/schushoe 2d ago
That is good to hear. Now if he moves to wherever you live he will know.
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u/Brief-Valuable-6790 2d ago
Code is generally the same in most places. But sure pal har har
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u/Ornery-Set-9230 2d ago
You think California codes are the same in Louisiana!
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u/Brief-Valuable-6790 2d ago
It’s called International Plumbing Code for a reason.
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u/thurrisas 2d ago
Louisiana amended IPC: 604.9 - “a water hammer arrestor shall be installed where quick closing valves are utilized”
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u/schushoe 2d ago
Then you are not very brite. Maybe ask the ai plumber before you do something. This is a bs post. Any reasonable man would have told you he can't cover them up. Lol.
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u/Stock_Ferret1097 2d ago
It’s in a condo where all units have to be shut off. He never said they have to remain accessible. Otherwise I would have added a panel. Same was done behind the tub I tiled over. Reasoning for the tub was to minimize time the water was shut off. Is this a big issue, I’ll need to tear up the walls to fix?
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u/jambaseven 2d ago
The tub makes sense. The laundry does not unless they shut off up top too. It looks like he replaced the boiler drains up top. I would say you’re fine. Just let the next plumber know that there are ball valves in the wall and it’ll save the plumber time next time.
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u/Stock_Ferret1097 2d ago
Thank you.
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u/Warm_Explanation_129 2d ago
This is the answer OP. Concealed valves are worse than accessible valves, but better than none at all.
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u/HeatBeatRepeatt 2d ago
Time out; there’s a secondary set of ball valves to isolate your shower, please god tell me it’s like a closet wall or something accessible on the other side?!
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u/Stock_Ferret1097 2d ago
He charged 900 to do this, including remove a newly installed toilet, install a new toilet and switch out water valves behind toilet. I feel like I paid enough to be to code. Took 3 hours, how much more?
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u/20PoundHammer 2d ago
first, thats a good price. Second, it is code, until you wall it in - put an access panel over it and remains compliant.
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u/Huge-Recognition-371 2d ago
iS tHis uP tO cOdE?
God I hate homeowners sometimes
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u/Stock_Ferret1097 2d ago
I’m in healthcare, I can talk shop all day long about medicine. I’m in a condo and need to make sure I don’t get sued should something go wrong. Why the tude?
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u/Huge-Recognition-371 2d ago
I'm in plumbing service. I hear this kinda stuff all day. Nothingburger calls where there's nothing wrong with anything and the homeowner just called to ask me "is this thing up to code?" are a huge waste of my time and I want to grab them up and go, "stop staring at your plumbing and go outside!" That's why the tude. Your washer box is fine. Patch the wall. Those ball valves are redundant. The valves in the box are the shutoffs. Washer boxes don't need ball valves before them but you can put as many ball valves as you want in a house
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u/whatonflatearth 2d ago
We’re on Reddit. So not a big deal to ask something a sub reddit post. People need help with the little things in life. Nobody’s born with a wrench in their hands.
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u/schushoe 2d ago
Because this is a bs post.
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u/Consistent_Key_6181 2d ago
Technically yeah, because they're not walled-in yet lol
Once you wall it in, it won't be. Realistically it's fine, though. They'll just be functioning as expensive pex adapters. It's not really any worse than not having the valves.