Home inspection standards and requirements differ depending on which state one is in, and sometimes even which county or city one is in.

When it comes to natural gas coming into the home to run appliances such as the range, water heater, and furnace, many states require somewhere on the gas line what is commonly referred to as a "drip leg" or "dirt leg" or "sediment trap."

While the terms are often used interchangeably, a "drip leg" is intended to catch moisture in gas, and is installed at all low points in a gas piping system for wet gas. A "dirt leg" (or more correctly, a "sediment trap") is installed at an appliance to catch tar, rust, scale, pipe dope, dust, debris, and other sediments. It is installed between the shutoff valve and control valve of a gas appliance, and supposedly is required by manufacturers and codes for all gas-fired water heaters and furnaces, but if it is required, then there aren't any people enforcing that requirement here in San Diego County since....

In my sixteen years here, I have never seen a drip leg, dirt leg, or sediment trap installed on a gas line, until today's inspection. This is what one looks like:

I was so excited that I took a picture to share with my ActiveRain friends.

I suspect that the person who installed this came from another state where the gas was less than the perfectly dry and clean gas that we have here.

*****

This week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

1. SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): You take my chair, I take your pillow.... - 6/21/09
2. ActiveRain brings us back together after a six-year split - 6/20/09
3. Balboa Park water lily slide show - 6/20/09
4. Viking Range refrigerator recall - 6/20/09
5. Foto Friday: It just takes a little balance. I know I can do it. - 6/19/09
6. Camera review: Canon EOS Rebel XSi - 6/18/09
7. WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): Takin' it easy - 6/17/09
8. How to have fun when the Realtor is late.... - 6/16/09
9. Do you have a yellow thingy? - 6/15/09

Previous week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

1. SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): Cat eyes - 6/7/09
2. Camera seller review - 6/6/09
3. Walter Andersen's Garden Nursery garden railroad - 6/5/09
4. Frenetic Friday pop quiz: Foto Friday - 6/5/09
5. Home inspectors could learn from the National Association of Realtors - 6/4/09
6. WWW (Worldless Wednesday with Words): San Diego Zoo cats have it made - 6/3/09
7. Another great Seller disclosure: "There's a leak by the chimney...." - 6/3/09
8. I love it when Clients follow up with me.... - 6/2/09
9. Manic Monday pop quiz: "There is a small roof leak...." - 6/1/09