Which States and Provinces require flood testing your next shower renovation?

To my knowledge Kansas or at least my region does not require flood testing nor did Savannah GA when I Operated there for six years. Maybe stricter codes would help keep "fly by night" installers out of business! I still strongly believe in a pre slope underneath a shower pan liner with a mud bed on top. No Styrofoam! I also like to waterproof the mud bed and my walls. There are so many extras you can do and techniques to ensure your installation is tighter than a bullfrogs butt! Unfortunately the basic knowledge of construction and water flow has seemed to bypass a huge chunk of our industry.

To my knowledge Kansas or at least my region does not require flood testing nor did Savannah GA when I Operated there for six years. Maybe stricter codes would help keep "fly by night" installers out of business! I still strongly believe in a pre slope underneath a shower pan liner with a mud bed on top. No styrofoam! I also like to waterproof the mud bed and my walls. There are so many extras you can do and techniques to ensure your installation is tighter than a bullfrogs butt! Unfortunately the basic knowledge of construction and water flow has seemed to bypass a huge chunk of our industry.

Nashua, NH: International Plumbing Code, shower line test was required (re: IPC 312.9). The inspector did remain on premises for the (minimum) 15 minutes required by the IPC, and observed the water drain when the test plug was removed. I actually filled the shower 24 hours prior to the test to be sure I didn't have any slow leaks.

Common sense would dictate that if you construct a shower, with or without a permit, the only way to be sure it will NOT cause structural failure would be to "flood test" it. As far as I know, there is no code that does not require it, but have seen some "on grade" showers which would not have benefited from it, since they could not retain water.

John Whipple said:

A company like Laticrete based out of Maine

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Laticrete is based out of Bethany CT.

LATICRETE International, Inc.
One LATICRETE Park North
91 Amity Road
Bethany, CT 06524-3423, USA

Flood testing requirements for Bridgton, Maine - From the town managers office

I received an email back from the mayor of Bridgton, Maine.

Here is what was written.

Good Morning Mr. Whipple,

The Town of Bridgton follows the 2009 Uniform Plumbing Code and does inspect shower pans. In discussing this with our CEO, we may have missed one but that is the exception since we try to inspect all. The plumber sets up the feed line, we do not check for pressure. Robbie does a flood test of the pans.
You will have to research construction elements in the codes or through manufacturers recommended installation manuals....

Cordially,

Mitchell A. Berkowitz
Town Manager
Bridgton, Maine 04009
207-647-8786

Mitchell Berkowitz <townmgr@bridgtonmaine.org>
Non City Official Names edited out of email


I was called a ______ Bastard for suggesting that this was required. It is staggering the amount of pros that have no clue how to do their job's properly. I hope this puts to bed the subject of flood testing showers in Maine for a while....


UPDATE, August 2, 2012

Good morning John,

All shower, either pre fab or built on site shall be tested per the 2009 Uniform Plumbing Code. There are no exceptions to this rule. Showers shall also meet a minimum size requirement and if built on site they shall be constructed per the requirements in chapter four of the UPC. Too many times if they are not test a leak occurs and creates an insanitary condition where mold and bacteria can grow unstopped.

The testing requirements are referenced in Chapter 4-411.8.1 and all other shower requirements are in 411.0 through 41.11.

If I can be of any other assistance please feel free to contact me @ 207-624-8639.

Dana C. Tuttle
Senior Plumbing Inspector
Dana.C.Tuttle@maine.gov


JW

Flood Testing requirements in New England, Maine and all over the USA

I was wondering if anyone else online lives and works in Maine. I'd love to see what the flood test inspection approved sheet looks like.

It really is quite funny how upset tile setters get when you inform them they are building their projects wrong. This tile setter from Bridgton, Maine who works all over New England has been quite pissed with me ever since.

It seams online there are a number of different schools of thought.

Some people take great offensive to us Pro's sharing our trade secrets.

Others like to laugh at the misfortune of others and take shots at them for not hiring a pro in the first place

Other's like this guy in Bridgton obviously never new better and are pissed off to be called on it online.

When it comes to researching answers and local codes it always pays to double check and triple check your facts. Finding out that shower flood tests are in fact required all over New England and Maine was easy. It just took an email. I have a list of questions you should ask your next tile setter or contractor. Asking about flood testing is on of the most important. You would not want to have your new shower built and this step skipped....



Hiring-a-bathroom-renovation-contractor-Top-Ten-Questions-to-ask!


https://terrylove.com/forums/showth...enovation-contractor-Top-Ten-Questions-to-ask!

Springfield, MO area, Flood testing is rare and showers are not inspected. Testing would save a lot of homeowners substantial grief.

kevinp said:

Springfield, MO area, Flood testing is rare and showers are not inspected. Testing would save a lot of homeowners substantial grief.

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Is Springfield near New England? Sorry my geography is not so good with all the US States. I agree with your comment about saving people grief. Sadly I think it is an uneducated labour pool that leads many clients down this road.

Here anyway in Vancouver most bathrooms built never see a city inspector. I can only assume here like the US most bathrooms are built without city inspections. This can do two things.

1). Save a little money on the job

2). Make the builder's life easy as pie since - anything goes if unpoliced and self checked.

I think understanding the basics is so key. If I lived in Maine and asked my tile guy if he was going to do a flood test and he looked at me and said dead straight "They are a waste of time. They are not needed. We never do them." I might think this step was silly. But, living and breathing shower drainage and waterproofing opens your eyes to all the many pitfalls skipping this step opens up.

Never skip a flood test.

I have seen more examples of flood test from my clients abroad than I have seen collective online (excluding my work). Sad really that a group of homeowners coached by me are showing up most if not all online tile men. This is why I think many clients GC their own bathroom renovation. The sad fact is that most bathroom experts really have no clue what they are doing!

JW

Hi John,

johnfrwhipple said:

Is Springfield near New England? Sorry my geography is not so good with all the US States.

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That particular Springfield is quite far away - in Missouri (MO). We have LOTS of "Springfields" here - nearly one in every state, it so happens.

johnfrwhipple said:

I think understanding the basics is so key. But, living and breathing shower drainage and waterproofing opens your eyes to all the many pitfalls skipping this step opens up.

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Agreed! The waterproofing IS the shower. And thank goodness that I did one. It turns out that Laticrete's Watertight is NOT like their Hydroban premium product. The flood test failed after less than than 24 hours. I replaced that with Wedi subliner and viola! A perfect flood test.

johnfrwhipple said:

I have seen more examples of flood test from my clients abroad than I have seen collective online (excluding my work). Sad really that a group of homeowners coached by me are showing up most if not all online tile men. This is why I think many clients GC their own bathroom renovation. The sad fact is that most bathroom experts really have no clue what they are doing!

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Thanks John! Now, I'm well-versed in exactly how to do linear drains, and build 100% waterproof shower assemblies from scratch! You are the man!