My old boss in Milwaukee always said to use a mirror on a pole for every inspection, no matter what.

I thought it was overkill for a simple cleanout, but last week I skipped it on a job in Oak Park. Found out later the homeowner had a hidden flue liner crack about two feet up that I missed. Has anyone else had a simple piece of advice save them from a big mistake?

2 comments

2 Comments

blakeharris4d ago

Man, that hits home. I had a foreman who drilled "check the damn cleanout plug for a second" into our heads. Thought it was pointless busywork until a brand new PVC plug blew off a test cap during a pressure check. The threads were stripped from the factory. That two second glance saved us from flooding a finished basement. Old guys have those rules for a reason.

reese864d ago

Honestly used to think all those old school rules were just for guys who liked to make things harder than they needed to be. Like @blakeharris said, it feels like pointless busywork. But man, I learned the hard way too. Skipped checking a roof flashing seal because it looked fine from the ground. Got a call two months later about a ceiling stain. That tiny leak did a few grand in damage. Now I drag the ladder out every single time, no matter what. Those rules exist because someone already paid for the lesson.