Complying With National Plumbing Code

[Sichuan]

I'm going to replace the old copper tubing going to my water heater. I live in a township that must comply with county plumbing codes. The county I live in follows the National Plumbing code with no additions or variations to the code. I have two questions. Number one, does anyone know whether or not Sharkbite connectors comply with the National Plumbing Code and/or whether they are allowed? I've used Sharkbite connectors before and I've never had one leak or fail. I've already soldered copper tubing to the two dielectric unions that will attach to the inlet and outlet water connections on the existing water heater but I haven't installed them yet. I've never had a problem with leaks from any copper tubing I've soldered but I want to use Sharkbite fittings elsewhere for ease of disassembly if necessary. I may or may not use the soldered dielectric unions. I've done a lot of research for this project and I've read many horror stories concerning the dielectric unions leaking or failing after a few months. I may just go with using copper/brass connections threaded directly to the inlet and outlet nipples, either copper/brass that I will solder to the copper tubing or the 3/4 brass female ends of Sharkbite braided steel flexible connectors, which leads to my second question. Does anyone know whether or not these Sharkbite 3/4 and 1/2 connectors comply with the National Plumbing Code? I assume that they do as they are always displayed next to water heaters in the stores. I've learned that some jurisdictions don't allow flexible connectors unless they offer "full flow". I believe that these Sharkbite flexible connectors do allow full flow but I'm not certain.

I will replace my 45 year old Rheem 40 gallon water heater with a Rheem Performance Platinum 50 gallon Short 12 Year 40,000 BTU ENERGY STAR Natural Gas Water Heater Model # 204321571 sometime next year. I will be replacing the magnesium anode rod in the new Rheem water heater with an aluminum/zinc anode rod before installing it as I have very bad well water. I don't expect to get 45 years out of the new Rheem water heater. I do not need to pull a permit and have an inspection when I replace the copper water lines. However, I will have to pull a permit and be subject to an inspection for the installation of the new water heater next year. I don't want to fail a water heater installation inspection because of non-allowable connections to the water heater itself. I could probably install the new water heater without pulling the permit and get away with it because I had a new furnace and AC unit installed two years ago and there would be no need to replace anything else in the basement in the next twenty or thirty years that would require a permit and an inspection but I'm not going to go there. Codes are in place for safety reasons and I will not attempt to bypass or subvert them. Besides, the permit is only $30.00 and I'm allowed to pull the permit and install the water heater myself since I'm the homeowner.

Thank you in advance for your time and any assistance provided.

 

[Reach4]

http://www.sharkbite.com/how-to/sharkbite-plumbing-certifications-and-uses/ says "SharkBite® push-fit fittings have been certified for underground applications and as a manufactured joint without access panels. They meet UPC, IPC and cUPC requirements."

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Sichuan]

http://www.sharkbite.com/how-to/sharkbite-plumbing-certifications-and-uses/ says "SharkBite® push-fit fittings have been certified for underground applications and as a manufactured joint without access panels. They meet UPC, IPC and cUPC requirements."

Thank you, Reach, for your prompt reply. I appreciate it very much.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

you can probably just install the heater and not worry about it because you are
buying it from a hardware store and many folks bypass that pesky issue of permits

With the connections, the sharkbite flex connectors would work fine or simply install
2 SS flex connectors with female ends on them.... one end to the heater and the other to
a sharkbite male adaptor.... eliminates the problems you have with the unions..

 

[hj]

Codes are in place for safety reasons. Permits and inspections are in place for revenue and property tax adjustments.

 

[Sichuan]

you can probably just install the heater and not worry about it because you are
buying it from a hardware store and many folks bypass that pesky issue of permits

With the connections, the sharkbite flex connectors would work fine or simply install
2 SS flex connectors with female ends on them.... one end to the heater and the other to
a sharkbite male adaptor.... eliminates the problems you have with the unions..

Thank you for the reply, Mark. I've already soldered copper tubing to the two unions that may or may not leak, which I intend to connect to the Sharkbite braided stainless steel connectors with ball valves and then to the copper tubing coming down from the basement ceiling. I'll try it that way first but if necessary I'll eliminate these unions and connect the Sharkbite braided stainless steel connectors with ball valves directly to the water heater inlets and outlet.

I had to have the new water heater picked up and shipped back to Home Depot. Someone at Rheem or from the shipping company had damaged the bottom eight inches of it on both sides while negligently using a hydraulic machine with a barrel moving attachment on it. I informed HD that I would not accept it. HD is paying for the pickup and return shipment. The replacement should arrive in appx. two weeks. I'll inspect it this time before leaving HD and if it is also damaged I'll refuse it. I place the blame for the damage on Rheem as they ship their water heaters in thin-walled cardboard boxes with no reinforcement or protection whatsoever. HD and Lowes don't stock much in the way of "short" water heaters, which is what I want so it has to be ordered and delivered.

I could certainly install it without pulling a permit and having the inspection, pleading ignorance of the code. The penalty if caught is nothing more than paying twice the cost of the permit. However, I'd rather stay on the good side of the township and county.

I'll give HD credit for one thing. HD issued an electronic refund/gift card within one hour after the damaged water heater was picked up.

 

[Sichuan]

Codes are in place for safety reasons. Permits and inspections are in place for revenue and property tax adjustments.

I couldn't agree with you more, hj, but in my case it would work to my advantage. If they want to adjust the property tax it will have to be adjusted downward since the last real estate tax canvass was prior to the economic crash in 2008. I could save several hundred dollars annually on the property taxes if revised.

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate it.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

I couldn't agree with you more, hj, but in my case it would work to my advantage. If they want to adjust the property tax it will have to be adjusted downward since the last real estate tax canvass was prior to the economic crash in 2008. I could save several hundred dollars annually on the property taxes if revised.

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate it.

That sounds real good and fine, but in my experience the only way you would get a reduction on your taxes
would be to burn the property down to the foundation......

they aint never, ever gonna give you a break especially with a permit pulled...