I passed my inspection today.
Well, kinda. I can't believe it, but in spite of my being extremely careful not to get my condensate lines swapped, I did exactly that.
I need to do a bit of rework on the PVC pipes. It's not a big deal, but it's pretty embarrassing, because I can't tell you how many times I looked at them and told myself not to make that mistake!
I was also asked to make the HRV more sturdy. It currently hangs on chains. I think I'll change that so that it's sitting on blocks inside the drip pan, similar to how my A/C system is set up.
My experience with the inspector was mixed. It started with a very awkward and frustrating phone call. He couldn't understand why I'm requesting these inspections one at a time, rather than the customary "all at one time" inspection of framing, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing (N/A). I had to explain that while I probably could have and technically should have been doing that, my inexperience and some aspects of the build made these disjointed inspections either necessary or desired. It worked out very well in the end but that initial phone call really tested my patience, and I'm sure it did the same on the other side of the line. I should be excited about the outcome, but that interaction kinda messed with my psyche.
OK, here are some more pictures.
Last weekend I sealed and painted the hoods. I'm really pleased with how well they turned out.
Here's one of the silencers, redone with the duct liner.
Here's what's kind of funny. I had such a difficult time finding
Linacoustic RC™ - Fiberglass Duct Liner w/ reinforced coating system in a small quantity. Well, I ended up buying "whatever I could," "settling" for a product I found at
Grainger Industrial Supply: a "noise absorbing duct liner" by a company called "Industrial Noise Control." I looked it up
on Industrial Noise Control's Web site It wasn't exactly a "small quantity," but at 25 linear feet, it's less than the 100' foot rolls I was being offered elsewhere... So I ordered it and picked it up a few days later. Well, imagine my susprise at the irony that this Industrial Noise Control product is actually...
So, apparently Industrial Noise Control doesn't actually
make this stuff!
They just put Johns Manville's product in a cardboard box with their name on it!
Sheesh -- if they had just been honest about that on their Web site and thus in Grainger's online catalog, I'd have bought it months ago!
I probably paid too much for it, but oh well!
I have a lot left over, so when my build is complete, assuming I don't need the extra for outer leaf silencers (which I'm trying to get away with
not building them if I don't have to), I'll probably sell it off here on the forum.
This weekend I'll try to fix the PVC and see if I can get the HRV more sturdily mounted.
I also think I've come up with a method of mounting my outlet and switch boxes in such a way that will accommodate my multiple layers of drywall. (I'm doing 3 layers of 5/8", plus 1/2" OSB in some areas.) Normal boxes and attachment methods don't work for such thick wall surfaces. In short I'll be attaching some 2x4 blocks between the studs, rotated so that they're 3.5" high and set back a little from the face of the studs, then I'll screw the boxes to the board through holes in the backs of the boxes. It will be kind of a pain to do, but after spending a long time at a wholesale electrical supply today, I think it's the path of least resistance. It will make more sense when I have some pictures to show you.
--Keith