Allegheny County, PA Article XXII Inspections, Tests and Maintenance

§ 860-206 Inspection of new work.

A. Every new plumbing system and every part of an existing system which has been altered, extended, renovated or repaired, except for minor repairs, shall be inspected to ascertain whether it complies with the requirements of this Code and is in accordance with approved plans and the permits.

B. Work for which a permit is required shall not be covered or concealed in any manner until after it has been inspected and approved by the Administrative Authority's inspectors.

§ 860-207 Notification.

A. Notice. The holder of a permit shall give notice to the Administrative Authority as soon as the plumbing work provided for in the permit is completed and ready for test or inspection.

B. Plumber's responsibility. The holder of a permit shall NOT give notice of readiness for inspection unless he believes that the work to be inspected is in compliance with the Code. A reinspection fee shall be charged when an inspection is called for and the work is not progressed sufficiently to warrant inspection. The fee must be paid prior to any subsequent reinspection.

C. Retesting. If on inspection the Administrative Authority determines that the work has not passed any test, it shall submit a report of its findings to the person seeking approval thereof who shall cause all necessary corrections to be made in accordance with § 860-209 of the Code and to resubmit the work for testing.

D. Representation at test. Tests required by § 860-209A shall be conducted by the holder of the permit or his representative who is knowledgeable of the installed plumbing system. A representative of the Administrative Authority shall be present for the required test.

§ 860-208 Reinspections.

Reinspections of plumbing installations or any part thereof shall be made when deemed necessary or desirable by the Administrative Authority.

§ 860-209 Testing of plumbing systems.

A. New, altered, extended, or repaired systems. New plumbing systems and parts of existing systems which have been altered, extended, or repaired shall be tested as prescribed hereinafter to disclose leaks and defects, except that testing may be waived in any case where plumbing equipment may be set up temporarily for exhibition purposes.

B. Defective plumbing. Where there is reason to believe that the plumbing system of any building has become defective, it shall be subject to test or inspection and defects found shall be corrected.

C. Exposure of work. All new, altered, extended or replaced plumbing shall be left uncovered and unconcealed until it has been tested and approved. Where such work has been covered or concealed before it is tested and approved, it shall be exposed for testing.

D. Equipment, material and labor for tests. All equipment, material and labor required for testing a plumbing system or part thereof shall be furnished by the plumbing contractor responsible for installing the work.

§ 860-210 Test methods.

A. Drainage, vent and building sewer systems

(1) Rough plumbing. Except for outside conductors and perforated or open jointed drain tile, the piping of plumbing drainage and venting systems shall be tested upon completion of the rough piping installation by water or air and proved watertight or airtight. The Administrative Authority may require the removal of any cleanout plugs to ascertain if the pressure has reached all parts of the system. Either of the following test methods shall be used:

(a) Water test. The water test shall be applied to the drainage system either in its entirety or in sections after rough piping has been installed. If applied to the entire system, all openings in the piping shall be tightly closed, except the highest opening, and the system filled with water to point of overflow. If the system is tested in sections, each opening shall be tightly plugged except the highest opening of the section under test; and each section shall be filled with water, but no section shall be tested with less than 10-foot head of water. In testing successive sections at least the upper 10 feet of the next proceeding section shall be tested, so that no joint or pipe in the building (except the uppermost 10 feet of the system) shall have been submitted to a test of less than a 10-foot head of water. The water shall be kept in the system or in the portion under test for at least 15 minutes before inspection starts; the system shall then be tight at all points.

(b) Air test. The air test shall be made by attaching air compressor testing apparatus to any suitable opening and after closing all other inlets and outlets to the system, forcing air into the system until there is a uniform gauge pressure of five pounds per square inch or sufficient to balance a column of mercury 10 inches in height. This pressure shall be held without introduction of additional air for a period of at least 15 minutes.

B. Building sewer — sanitary. The building sewer shall be tested with a water or air test.

C. Test of conductors. Conductors and their roof connections within the walls of building, including inside branches to conductors, shall be tested by the water or air test.

D. Water supply system. Upon completion of a section or of the entire water supply system, it shall be tested and proved tight under a water pressure not less than the working pressure under which it is to be used. The water used for tests shall be obtained from a potable source of supply. "Chlorination of System," AWWA Standard C-601-81, Revised 6-2-81.

E. Separate tests permitted. Tests may be made separately as follows:

(1) The building sewer from the connection with the public sewer to its connection with the building drain.

(2) The building drain including all branch piping to a height 10 feet above the highest point on the house or building drain.

(3) The soil, waste, inside storm and conductors, and drainage pipes which would be covered, before the building is enclosed or ready for inspection. The test required for (2) or (3) may be combined.

(4) When minor alterations, repairs or other small projects, are being inspected, the intent of this Code is that, where it would be impractical to require air or water tests, the inspector, at his discretion, may waive such tests. When a dispute occurs between the inspector and contractor regarding the interpretation of this section, the Plumbing Supervisor shall review the problem with the inspector and contractor and decide the test method the Department will accept.

F. Final tests and certificate of approval. When the plumbing installation has been installed in a building, the Plumbing Contractor shall notify the Administrative Authority that the work is ready for a final inspection. A final smoke test (when deemed necessary by the Administrative Authority) shall be made of the system. It shall be made by filling all traps with water and then introducing into the entire system a pungent thick smoke produced by one or more smoke machines. When the smoke appears at stack openings on the roof, they shall be closed and a pressure, equivalent to a one inch water column shall be built and maintained for the period of the inspection. Except that single family dwellings, duplexes, and four family apartment buildings rising not more than two stories above grade, or remodeling work in old buildings need not comply with the above smoke test, however, such systems shall be finally inspected and tested by the use of existing water connections to the satisfaction of the Administrative Authority. Where there is reason to suspect faulty construction in the finished work, the Administrative Authority may require a smoke test. When the final test is completed and found satisfactory, a certificate of approval of the work shall be issued to the owner and Plumbing Contractor by the Administrative Authority; but no such plumbing or drainage work or system shall be used until said certificate has been issued.

G. Maintenance. The plumbing and drainage system of every building under the jurisdiction of the Administrative Authority shall be maintained in a sanitary and safe operating condition and to be at all times in compliance with the provisions of this Code which shall be the responsibility of the owner or his agent, except that existing plumbing installed under prior regulations or lack thereof, may remain unchanged unless immediate hazards to health, life or property are evident.

H. Inflow and infiltration. Storm, ground, or seepage water shall not enter the sanitary sewage system through inflow or infiltration. Where such conditions exists and orders are issued by the Administrative Authority. it shall be the responsibility of the owner or his/her agent to repair, replace, or otherwise correct the piping system.