We started the day with Liz tackling the electrical rough-in and me trying to get the bathroom wall framed, but as is so often the case there’s always one more thing that needs to happen before the next thing can happen. I can’t frame the wall without putting the shower stall in and I can’t put the shower stall in until we pressure test the plumbing and insulate the wall. So we switched gears, plugged the pipes and hooked up the garden hose.
All seemed well at first, a tiny seep from the drop ear plug, the cold and hot drains under the house functioned perfectly, and then Liz heard a hissing noise under the floor at the front of the trailer and we instantly knew that the VERY FIRST pex fitting, and literally the only hidden and inaccessible fitting in the entire structure at this point, was blasting water into the underfloor insulation.
We instantly sprang into damage control mode with Liz running to turn off the water and me quickly cranking down the tongue of the trailer so any water would drain out the front.
From there it was a very sheepish half hour of cutting an access hatch through the subfloor (I was was already planning to do this at a future plumbing tie in point), and then crimping the offending fitting.
Overall a small mistake that could have been a huge disaster. This is why you always do a pressure test before you close anything up.
It seems like anytime I feel like I’m experienced enough that the rules don’t apply to me, I get a cold bucket of water in the face keeping me humble. Thanks to Liz for insisting on the pressure test!
- Brian
