IAPMO Research and Testing - Certificate of Listing

[johnfrwhipple]

If your working with a liquid membrane or a product like Kerdi in a remote location there is a good chance that the local plumbing inspector may have not seen it before. This was the case a few weeks back here in North Vancouver with a couple showers I had flood tested. The two showers in question had been waterproofed with Mapei's Aqua Defense and the inspector had not seen this before.

What the plumbing inspectors are after is a "Certificate of Listing" from IAMPO Research and Testing Inc.

Here is a link (http://www.iapmort.org/Pages/default.aspx) to the website. The website is a little hard to navigate but this is a direct link to where you want to look up products. http://pld.iapmo.org/default.asp It is important to click on the "Listee Name" button before your search key words.

With a copy of these letters in hand the local inspector can confirm you have used a product that conforms with the ANSI A118.10-2008. You might also print out the manufactures installation instructions and safety data sheet as well.

[jadnashua]

I had to do that when I built a new shower for my mother...the inspector was very agreeable when presented with the supporting test and certification documents. Some of them can be a big pain...then, it's time to ask for the supervisor. there's a lot of resistance to 'new' techniques in some places even though some of these techniques have actually been around for a very long time, just not popular.

[johnfrwhipple]

I meet yesterday with the head plumbing inspector and one of the field inspectors and we reviewed a curbless shower design. The clients wanted to work with Kerdi but the design needs and requires a standard clamping drain. Schluter does not endorse the use of this system I guess since they have their own drain now.

I called Schluter before heading to my meeting to see if there was any way of meeting my clients needs and never heard back from the technical support division.

I spend a little time with the inspectors at City Hall in Burnaby and outlined a few of my installs and the products I use. I left them with IAMPO documents on Nobel TS, Aqua Defense and Hydro Ban.

The key point in the entire meeting was that the product needs to be rated for shower pans and have the ANSI A118.10-2008 classification and that you follow the manufactures guidelines.

Laticrete's Hydro Ban has installation notes on a clamping drain.

Mapei's Aqua Defense has installation notes on a clamping drain.

Nobel Company's Nobel TS has installation notes on a clamping drain.

Schluter Systems's Kerdi does not. If they do - I can't find them. I was told they used to endorse this method before they made their own drain.

So that was good news and a new barrier free shower will start today in Burnaby.

My three Mapei Aquadefense showers past inspection yesterday as well so it was a good day. We feared the inspector would make us cut holes in the finsihed ceilings but we go away with leaving the showers under flood for three days and leaving an inspection camera behind!!!

[jadnashua]

Schluter does have a conversion drain that screws into the base of an existing clamping drain, if that helps.

[johnfrwhipple]

Thanks Jim. I have one of those in stock in my shop. This job needs to set the drain into a small 5 1/2" trench. The kerdi drain is too large for this application. A Zurn Drain, OS&B drain and Watts drain all make 5" wide compression drains that will fit in perfectly.

We start construction on this guy in the morning.

JW

[johnfrwhipple]

http://youtu.be/atHckvMT-44

Flood testing pictures.

Inspector signed off on the shower on Monday. The drain is enroute...