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Are You Ready for the Seattle Home Inspector

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Home Builder with Retired

Are You Ready for the Inspector?

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There are certain things all inspectors call everytime. Are you prepared?

 

This will depend a lot on plumbing codes in your area, but in Seattle, every dishwasher should have an "Air Gap," and Steve Smith describes it better than I can. Mine didn't, and then my inspector of choice decides to have this challenge on Active Rain to write a blog post about what's under your kitchen sink. I'm always game for a little fun and thought my kitchen sink was a little boring. It was then I realized that Charlie would give me a bad time for not having the proper air gap installed.

If you're selling your home, the day is going to come and when the inspector first walks into the kitchen he's going to be looking for that air gap.

Soap dispenser installed

My kitchen had a soap dispenser in the suggested air gap location for the type sink we have.

Choices? tools and air gap

I headed to a home improvement store and found that the better $15 air gaps were sold out, so I had to settle for one that only cost $5.

With a few tools ready I plunged into the job.

Air gap installed

Before long, (okay, I had to make another trip to the store for a short piece of hose) the job was done. (Plumbing tasks always take at least two trips to the store).

Charlie would probably find something else wrong under my kitchen sink, but that's okay. He does it with such aplomb you can't help but like him anyway.

Posted by

 

 

 

 

Glenn Roberts
Retired

 

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Comments (9)

Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Hey great job----nice looking kichen too!  You might be able to put the soap dispenser on the other side :)

Oct 16, 2010 04:53 AM
Glenn Roberts
Retired - Seattle, WA

Charlie - We've had the dispenser for ten years and used it for nine. Don't know why we stopped, but we did. So now, it's an air gap. I've got another one between my ears.

Oct 16, 2010 06:04 AM
Gerry Michaels
Glasswork Media Arts - Gettysburg, PA
GettysburgGerry Social Meida

Glenn, I appreciate the fact that you admitted you had to go back to the store for more parts, we all do it but very few admit it....

Oct 16, 2010 06:11 AM
Glenn Roberts
Retired - Seattle, WA

Gerry - The truth shall set you free, plumbing projects have you tied up for days.

Oct 16, 2010 06:13 AM
Darrell Hay
Safe & Sound Home Inspections, Inc. - Seattle, WA

Coulda just done a high loop.....  :-)

Oct 16, 2010 08:22 AM
Glenn Roberts
Retired - Seattle, WA

Darrell - Had a high loop and it worked great for ten years. Just sayin'

Oct 16, 2010 08:37 AM
Tish Lloyd
BlueCoast Realty Corporation - Wilmington, NC
Broker - Wilmington NC and Surrounding Beaches

Glenn ~  Everyone needs to have thier air gap checked from time-to-time!  Seriously, I have had so many buyers question the reason for "that silver thing" on the sink -- "did they forget to plug it?" 

Oct 16, 2010 02:27 PM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Until now I had no idea what an air gap was...interesting post and it got Charle's thumbs up Glenn!

Oct 17, 2010 01:18 PM
Glenn Roberts
Retired - Seattle, WA

Trish - I was just at my mother-in-laws, and cleaned her air gap.

Wanda - I think it was the link to Charie that got the thumb.

Oct 17, 2010 02:07 PM