I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! Due to the recent increases in reported COVID cases, we thought it would be prudent to cancel our July meeting.
I am looking into setting up a call-in video conference-style meeting and will keep you posted.
Meanwhile, I urge you all to review the InterNACHI® Home Inspector Newsletter to keep current on the latest news.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you with your business, whether technical or business-related. Feel free to call me if you observe an unusual condition that you want a second opinion on before calling it out, or if you have questions related to structural framing that I can assist you with. Send me pics and I'll be happy to discuss what you're looking at.
You are welcome to let your customers know that you have a "PE in your pocket" through your local InterNACHI® Chapter – this fact brings big value to your inspections over those done by firms that don't belong to our chapter.
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NEW ISSUE:
One of the latest issues that has jumped onto my radar is the lack of an air gap device being installed at all dishwashers. See IRC Code Section 2717.1. From 2000 to 2012, the IRC has stated "2717.1 Protection of water supply. The water supply for dishwashers shall be protected by an air gap or integral backflow preventer."
In 2015, the language changed slightly: "2717.1 Protection of Water Supply - The water supply to a dishwasher shall be protected against backflow by an air gap complying with ASME A112.1.3 or A112.1.2 that is installed integrally within the machine or a backflow preventer in accordance with Section P2902."
If you Google "dishwasher air gap," you will see photos of what the device looks like. You can watch YouTube videos on how to install them. It does require a hole be cut through the countertop next to the sink, unless there is already a hole for a soap dispenser that isn't being used.
South Carolina has not waived this requirement, and neither have any of the local building departments. They have all just overlooked that air gaps are not being installed but are required to be installed by code. There are a lot of people moving here from other states, and many of these homeowners had dishwashers that had an air gap installed.
The main purpose of the air gap is to protect the health of persons using the dishwashers so that the potable water supply that fills the dishwasher does not get contaminated by mixing with wastewater from the sewer drainpipes every time the disposal, P-trap, or sewer pipe gets backed up.
So, be sure to write up the absence of an air gap at the dishwasher as a defect.
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Talk to you soon!
Thanks,
Bob
