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Kitchen Pot-Filler…Code???

| Posted in Construction Techniques on March 27, 2004 08:16am

Morning everyone!

Need a little help here….Homeowner want’s a pot filler in the island of our remod. I’ve seen them before and had the plumber run the supply and stub up in our void of the cabinets.

Called for an under-floor inspection so we can sheath, and insp. says that this fixture needs a drain. Explained what this was for, and says “he has never seen nor heard of anything like this before in his 16+ years of construction experience.” (I know….but ya’ll gotta hold back on that comment!)  😉

I understand his point, but I also know of these ‘pot-fillers’ going in. It’s over a 6 burner gas cooktop, if that helps. Do I need to put a steel catch basin in the cab, under the cook top?

Anyways, anyone got any ideas on this??   Calling for another underfloor for Tuesday. Have you ever run into this, and where can I find some info? Been on the search engines for the last 2 hours.

Thanks for the help…Jimmy

 

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  1. calvin | Mar 27, 2004 09:13pm | #1

    Jimmy, you might try a real kitchen designer for the info.  It's shown in every ritzy appliance, plumbing fixture catalogue and kitchen/bath trade mag.  If all you want is a pic, check with Kitchen and Bath Design News, Kohler, et. al.

    Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

    Quittin' Time

    1. PostnBeam | Mar 27, 2004 09:19pm | #2

      Calvin,

      thanks...I've been talking to our cabinet and appliance supplier, and she has had them put in many times before, but she also can't find a specific code relating to its use or installation applications on it.

      As far as pictures, I've been looking at them in mags, catalogs, etc. for the last few years...and even found more 'potfiller' fixtures than I can ever dream of available on line.

      Do we need a drain though? I guess looking at it from the building dept., it's like having a hosebib inside a house, without anyway for it to drain out.

      Does that make any sense?

      Is there a specific plumbing code for this, or rather, an exception/exclusion?

       

      1. calvin | Mar 27, 2004 09:46pm | #3

        You might be able to email Tim Mooney.......our resident code official.  I know of no code requiring a drain with a faucet.  Evidence, washer (no washer box) hook up.

        Boiler drain, hot water tank drain. 

        Cripe, if you had a drain, you'd need a vent.

        I think this fella is just a little too old school and never saw it.......won't approve it.

        Course, this from a dumb carpenter.

        Best of luck.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

        Quittin' Time

        1. PostnBeam | Mar 27, 2004 11:00pm | #4

          Exactly how I was thnking.....

          Thanks for the lead.

          (From another dum Karpinter)

           

          1. calvin | Mar 28, 2004 12:15am | #5

            I didn't do anything but add to your common sense.

            Hope a plumber comes along and posts the chapter and verse.

            Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

            Quittin' Time

            Edited 3/27/2004 5:29 pm ET by calvin

          2. PostnBeam | Mar 28, 2004 01:23am | #7

            It's all good

            yeah, me to. 

  2. davidmeiland | Mar 28, 2004 12:26am | #6

    Most towns have a 'chief building official', someone you never see on an inspection. They sit in the office and deal with questions like yours. Call city hall on Monday morning, and see if you can find that person. Unfortunately it has less to do with what the code says than with what the inspectors in your town say. Ya gotta work with them.

    I did a few jobs in a place where the same inspector came out and required things to be better than code. After a few of those inspections I called the chief inspector and asked that this person not come to my jobs anymore unless they could provide a manual of the 'better-than-code' things they were going to require, so that we could do them before inspection. That nonsense stopped right away.

    1. PostnBeam | Mar 28, 2004 01:25am | #8

      I'll give that a shot on Monday morn.

      Although I don't think they would know either... ;)

      (Around there, it seems tarps are ok for a reroof. They'll even let you pick green or blue.)

      Hope you understand...

      ($25,000+ pole barns covering a $4500 single wide.) 

  3. davidmeiland | Mar 30, 2004 11:23pm | #9

    Hey Jimmy, what was the outcome on this one? Didja spank the inspector?

    1. User avater
      EricPaulson | Mar 31, 2004 02:46am | #10

      I'm curious too..........

    2. PostnBeam | Mar 31, 2004 04:43am | #11

      OK-

      Made the call, and got a hold of 'em at the County Bldg. Dept.

      Was told that our project came up during discussion and what we/they ran into.

      Came down that in an improptu talk there, that they (Inspectors) couldn't agree as to the interpretation of the plumbing code. Half didn't think that it was a big deal, while the other half said that it was a gray area as to interpretation, and that in thier eyes it would be a violation. Soooooo........They are going to have a meeting regarding this and let me know. (This was told to me finally by the Plans Examiner).

      'Course I suggested that with the thumb held over the fixture and holding your mouth just right, that you could get the water from the island, over to the kitchen sink and use that as the "drain."  :)

      You guys run into this yet??

       

      Edited 3/30/2004 9:51 pm ET by PostnBeam

      1. HeavyDuty | Mar 31, 2004 05:25am | #12

        See what you have stirred up in the pot that you hadn't even filled?

        I asked DW the same question about two months ago and the conclusion was it would be a good idea to have a drain. Also as I recall, in all the restaurant kitchens I have been the pot filler always had its own drain, usually as a trough along the back.

        The other thing you may want to do is try to convince the inspector that you'll use the floor drain in  the basement just in case.  

      2. User avater
        Mongo | Mar 31, 2004 05:47am | #13

        The pot is the 'basin', and it needs no dedicated drain.

        I don't believe this issue is addressed in the residential code, but then again, I've never seen anyone have a problem with it before.

        Commercial kitchens are a different animal.

        1. PostnBeam | Apr 01, 2004 06:42am | #16

          Good Point! 

  4. User avater
    CapnMac | Mar 31, 2004 05:47am | #14

    says that this fixture needs a drain.

    Could be it does, depends on how badly you want the green tag.  I've had to stub a supply line next to the drain installed for "potential future island sink" ("Ya kaint hav' a drain widdoutten a sur-ply; whacchertinkin?  Huh?") before.

    Now, I don't remember ever seeing a an island pot filler before (haven't been getting as out and about as befoer, either, in the fancy model, "showcase" houses).  Far too many of the pot fillers seem to live as a soldered on cap on a stub through the splash befind the stove.  This always prompted me to wonder where the cut-off valve is for the fixture.

    Now, in my much more unreasonable (brash, all-knowing, youth is best wasted upon the young) days as a designer, I used to expound that a floor drain ought to be mandatory in a kitchen.  Could be that cooking in a pro kitchen with floor drains may have taken the bluch from that absolute rose a bit . . . <g>

    Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
  5. timkline | Mar 31, 2004 06:38am | #15

    Commercial or residential, the purpose of the faucet is to fill the pot, not give it a bath on top of the stove.  The only difference between the two is that floor drains are required in commercial.  That could be the only sticking point I could see for the inspector.  You could always argue this way:  How is this faucet any different than the hand spray kitchen faucets which extend well beyond the edges of the kitchen sink bowl ?

    Anyway, you should be able to find what you are looking for here:

    http://www.plumbingwarehouse.com/potfillerfaucets.html

    The only quirk to your post was the "island" part.  As mentioned before, usually these babies are mounted on the wall behind the cooktop. Your island may not have this.  A goosneck faucet may not be tall enough to fill the pots.  If you really want over the top, you could try one of these:

    http://www.acitydiscount.com/products/product_detail.cfm?InvID=20101

    You still need some kind of mounting bracket to support the thing when the teenagers come over..........

    carpenter in transition



    Edited 3/30/2004 11:40 pm ET by TIM_KLINE

    1. PostnBeam | Apr 01, 2004 06:54am | #17

      The island has the cook top with downdraft, and is a multilevel with a substantial 'backsplash' to mount the thingy-me-bob. Wish I could attach the print.

      I stopped by again today to check on the status. Got the same answer as they were going to have a staff meeting on this. Really didn't want so much attention as this was getting, but hopefully it will turn out good for us, and pan out for whoever else will build in the area....

      Now...how to get the umbillical for the plasma screen from over the fireplace to the wetbar area thru dormers and wall height windows..........(oh, that's a whole other topic. Electronic specialists anyone???) 

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