backflow and cross connection

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Jimbo

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In case you haven't seen this month's edition of "OFFICIAL" ( the IAPMO mag) there is a good article about why we are quite sensitive about this subject, and possibly harsh with an otherwise well intentioned homeowner.

In the story, a homeowner had a softener company install a softener. In his jurisdiction, plumbing license NOT required for that. They connected the waste discharge into a sewer line in such a way that sewer gas and actual waste came back into the softener. SUMMARY: everyone one in the family became ill, homeowner LOST HIS HOUSE to foreclosure because he couldn't live in it and the cost to clean and sanitize the water system was out of reach! Handyman installer was basically judgement-proof...no money and no insurance.

Sad Story.
 

Hackney plumbing

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So was it a handyman or a softener company? To have an official business in most places your required to have a bond.
 

Jimbo

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Why is a gallon of bleach out of reach in cost, plus a few hours of re-flushing and re-bleaching?

Well, you have to read the long story. It was pretty bad, and then the lawyers got involved, and it was downhill from there.

I used the term handyman loosely....he contracted with a softener company, whose installers are not plumbers. I think the company went BK, and a $5k bond was a drop in the bucket on the damage.
 

hj

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It sounds like the lawyers and "mitigation" company conspired to make a slightly bad condition, catastrophic. Pull the softener if necessary, then chlorinate the piping.
 

DIYPlumber90

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In case you haven't seen this month's edition of "OFFICIAL" ( the IAPMO mag) there is a good article about why we are quite sensitive about this subject, and possibly harsh with an otherwise well intentioned homeowner.

In the story, a homeowner had a softener company install a softener. In his jurisdiction, plumbing license NOT required for that. They connected the waste discharge into a sewer line in such metal buildings a way that sewer gas and actual waste came back into the softener. SUMMARY: everyone one in the family became ill, steel buildings homeowner LOST HIS HOUSE to foreclosure because he couldn't live in it and the cost to clean and sanitize the water system was out of reach! Handyman installer was basically judgement-proof...no money and no insurance.

Sad Story.

Holy crap man that is some really scary stuff.. To think that no one could have ever guessed that would have happened. What a truly sad story.
 
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