HomeMy WebLinkAbout6579 Rookery Rd - Correspondence/Building Code - 06/13/2005Community Planning and Environmental Services
Building and Zoning Department
City of Fort Collins
June 13, 2005
Mr. Reggie G. Burger
554 SW 18i° Street
Loveland, Colorado 80537
Reference: Plumbing Test
6579 Rookery Road
Fort Collins, Colorado 80528
Mr. Burger,
This letter shall serve notice as to the actions taken by the building department for the
City of Fort Collins, in regards to a rough plumbing test installed under your direct
control and supervision at the above referenced address. The attached document, dated
May 10, 2005, details the events and sequence of inspections performed by City inspector
Sam Hancock and confirmed by my licensed plumbing inspector Kurt Harris, describing
how it was determined that the rough plumbing air test, which you were the licensed
plumber responsible for, was deliberately falsified by insertion of plugs into the piping
system, blocking large portions of the waste and vent system from test.
The State of Colorado, CSR Title 12 Article 58 Section 12-58-101(1) (a) & (2),
Legislative declaration states: "Improper plumbing can adversely affect the health of the
public and that faulty plumbing is potentially lethal and can cause widespread disease and
an epidemic of disastrous consequences." and "To protect the health of the public, it is
essential that plumbing be installed by persons who have proven their knowledge of the
sciences of pneumatics and hydraulics and their skill in installing plumbing."
Additionally the 2003 International Residential Code, adopted by the City, section
P2503.5.1 requires testing of building DWV systems.
The City of Fort Collins relies on the State's licensing program as a way of assuring that
the individuals performing plumbing have the credentials and skills to safely install
plumbing. When it is found that a State licensed plumber has deliberately falsified a
required test for the express purpose of misleading a City inspector, all faith in that
individual's professionalism and trust in his abilities is lost.
Therefore effective immediately, as the administrator for the City of Fort Collins building
department, I will not except any plumbing installations, within the City limits of Fort
Collins, for which you are found to be working, regardless of whether you are the
281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6760 • FAX (970) 224-6134
Reggie Burger
Violation
Pg. 2
licensed plumber for the project or are working under someone else's license. You should
know that a copy of this notice is being sent to the State of Colorado Plumbing Board for
review and appropriate actions as determined necessary.
Lastly, enclosed you will find summons #151352 to appear in the City's Municipal Court
citing the violations noted above where you will be given an opportunity to explain your
reasoning for what I consider to be a deliberate, grievous and unlawful action on your
part.
i
Michael W. Gebo
Codes & Inspections Administrator
Cc: Sanco Plumbing
1331 S. Garfield Ave.
Loveland, Colorado 80537
Certified Mail - Retum Receipt Requested - 7002-3150-0000-5039-4861
Community Planning and Environmental Services
Building and Zoning Department
City of Fort Collins
May 10, 2005
To Whom It May Concern:
On Tuesday May 10"', 2005 I had an inspection request for 6579 Rookery Rd.. KC
Harris had asked me to do it as I had history on the house from a previous inspection date
of 5/06/2005. Two of the branches on the plumbing system rough -in had bad tests. One
was the main floor laundry branch located in the northwest area of the house which was
fairly simple. The second was a large branch that took care of the corner kitchen sink,
the island kitchen sink and a bathroom on the second floor above the kitchen nook area
all ending in a 3" stack in the basement. Upon releasing the air gauge that had been
relocated to the corner kitchen sink from the island sink on the previous visit the air
pressure was very light and the needle moved very fast. This did not act at all like the
large system that I have just described above,
I called KC Harris who was in the area and had him come over to verify what I had
found. He thought something was wrong as well. We proceeded to examine the system
again putting a hole in the glue cap upstairs in the double vanity. No air came out and the
gauge was still up. We then went to the kitchen island riser and took the gem cap off of
it. Still no air and the gauge was still up. Then we went down stairs and put a hole in the
glue cap at the bottom of the 3" stack. Still no air and the gauge was still up. At that
point I made a call to Dan Ratzlaff, Brannen Constructions representative.
When Dan arrived we showed him what we had found so far and asked if he would help
us determine what was wrong. We asked Dan if he would cut off the test gauge at the
kitchen comer sink. As the pipe was cut the gauge went do zero. We then filled the riser
with water which only took 3 to 5 gallons. Tapping on the pipe we came to a small
section of pipe in the basement wall made of two couplings and about 10" of abs pipe.
There was water to the right of the right coupling but no water between the couplings and
no water to the left of the left coupling. At that point we asked Dan to cut between the
couplings. About half way through water started to come out of the pipe. About three
quarters of the way through the section started to flop around and I asked Dan to stop
cutting. I was able to grab the pipe and separate the left coupling as it had been dry fitted
(no glue) as I handed the coupling section to KC Harris I noticed something in the pipe,
reached in and pulled out a blow up that had been cut by the saw allowing the air to
escape and the water to run out of the cut pipe. At about this time a plumber who's first
name is Reggie showed up from Sanco Plumbing and Heating and asked who had cut off
his test gauge upstairs.
At this point neither KC Harris nor myself felt comfortable with any of the system in the
house as it had been tested with air prior to this inspection date. We instructed Dan and
Reggie to have the entire house on test for the next inspection and they both agreed.
281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6760 • FAX (970) 224-6134
Upon returning to the office I discovered that Sanco was not even listed as the plumber of
record for the job site but that Providence Plumbing was listed. To make matters worse,
Sanco Plumbing's registration with the City of Fort Collins had expired as well. I called
Dan to give him the news and instructed him to have the records for the job updated to
list Sanco not Providence as plumber of record and to have Sanco come in and get their
registration current before we could do a re -inspect.
With all of the above items taken care of, we scheduled a re -inspect for 9:30 a.m. on
5/12/2005. Dan Ratzlaff and Jay Brannen were their as well as Reggie from Sanco and
KC Harris and Myself. Upon walking the house several stacks were still not on test. We
instructed Reggie again that the entire house needed to be on test. Jay asked us to wait
but that would have taken a minimum of an hour or more. I gave Jay my phone number
instructed him to have the plumber put the entire house on test then to call me and I
would get in touch with KC Harris and we would do everything we could to return. I
received a call from Jay at about 11:03 a.m. that he was ready. KC Harris and I returned
to 6579 Rookery Rd.. Upon walking the house again we found the system to be full and
okay except for one small leak in a vent stack in the basement. KC Harris showed
Reggie where that was, we signed off the plumbing and left the site.
These are the events to the best of my knowledge.
Respectfully,
Samuel W. Hancock
Lead Building Inspector
Building Inspection Department
City of Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado
Certified Mail - Retum Receipt Requested - 7002-3150-0000-5039-4861
UNIFORM SUMMONS $ COMPLAINT OR PENALTY ASSESSMENT
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
DOCKET 0 Thisp.
❑This is Case
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❑ MandMory Cain PppearanodSermor0 O Penalty Assessment
WNnutadOSNtrg guf , I hereby promise to eppegT at the time and pMw Indicated above QB Upon payment of this penalty assessment.
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SEARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT is accepted:.
Fire: $ Sulchatge: $ Court Cost: $ 0 Min. Total Due: $ Points:
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Rna: E Sucherge: $ Cmrt Cost: $ inn. Total Due: $ Points:
DEFENDANT SIGNATURE X
THE UNDERSIGNED HAS PgOaAIA.E CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE DEFENDANT COMMITTED ME OFFENSEG) AGAINST THE PEACE D DIGNITY OF THE KOP E OF THE STATE OF 00 0 AND AFFIRMS THAT
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