Associated Master Inspectors

A Sirius Problem?

A few things are wrong here. The most obvious is the plumbing vent pipe that supports a satellite dish. Our plumbing code calls this “flagpoling” and prohibits it outright. Plumbing vents shouldn’t support any other objects, including television aerials, satellite dishes, and, of course, flagpoles. Flagpoling can cause the horizontal portion of the vent (in the attic) to sag and hold water. It could also cause the vent to break and admit sewer gas, or even water, into the attic.

At the right side of the photo, trying to hide near the edge of the frame, the B-vent is very badly rusted. This vent carries exhaust from a furnace and/or water heater through the roof. When they get this badly rusted, B-vents can develop holes and leak. It’s time to replace this one.

A toilet fill valve performs the thankless task of refilling a toilet’s tank after each flush. They come in a variety of configurations, based on the size, shape, and design of the toilet. A malfunctioning one can make the toilet run continuously or fail to refill the tank with the right amount of water. When they’re installed too low in the tank, they can cause a cross-connection, where water that’s not safe to drink contaminates the drinking water. The one pictured here is too high for this tank. It might work fine, but no one can re-install the tank lid. Most people would find that unacceptable. Time to call a real plumber.