2025-11-17 – Weekly Plumbing News : Shaving time on heat pump installs

Last week in the Plumbing community, discussions centered around practical education and effective practices. Members delved into the importance of continuing education that aligns with current plumbing codes, as well as courses designed to enhance response times during emergency calls. There was also significant interest in updated checklists for rough-ins in line with the 2021 IPC, alongside strategies for more efficient installations of 50-gallon heat pump systems. Conversations on how plumbers began their careers and what defines excellence in the trade provided an insightful backdrop to these technical discussions.


This Week’s Hot Topics

CE that teaches to the code
This thread examines the value of continuing education that directly addresses current plumbing codes, a must-read for anyone looking to stay compliant and informed.

Read more here

Courses that speed up emergency calls
Explore new courses aimed at reducing response times during plumbing emergencies. A practical discussion for those who prioritize efficiency.

Read more here

Rough-in checklist keyed to 2021 IPC
A detailed look at a rough-in checklist that aligns with the 2021 International Plumbing Code. Essential for ensuring your projects meet the latest standards.

Read more here

Shaving time on 50‑gal heat pump installs
Discover tips and tricks for reducing installation time on 50-gallon heat pump systems, a topic generating much interest for its practical benefits.

Read more here

FAQ/Guidelines
A useful resource for those new to the forum or in need of a refresher on best practices and community guidelines.

Read more here

Admin Guide: Getting Started
For administrators looking to optimize their use of the forum, this guide provides foundational insights.

Read more here

Thinking About a Career in Plumbing? Here’s What You Need to Know!
An in-depth discussion on what to expect and consider when starting a career in plumbing.

Read more here

How Did You Get Your Start in Plumbing?
A thread full of personal stories and advice from seasoned professionals about their entry into the plumbing field.

Read more here

What Makes a Great Plumber?
A conversation highlighting the qualities and skills that define a top-notch plumber.

Read more here

Do You Know When the First Indoor Plumbing System Was Invented?
A fascinating look at the history of plumbing, suitable for anyone with an interest in the origins of the trade.

Read more here


Looking forward to another productive week of sharing knowledge and experiences. Keep the conversations flowing.

Biggest time-saver for us: core removal tool with a tee-mounted micron gauge so we can pull vac while setting condensate and landing the whip; if the lines are suspect we skip the speed play and do a triple evac. @installers, what micron target are you holding before release?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌‌‍‌‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌​‌​​‍‌​​⁠‌​‍​‌⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‌⁠​​‌​‌‍‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

We’ve shaved time by bringing a plywood heat-pump jig with pre-marked centers for the line-set sleeve, condensate, pad anchors, and a 30A disconnect so rough-in and set placement happen in one pass. Building on @logan_gar48, it pairs well with your vac workflow, but on old brick/stucco you still need to check level and be ready to shim or switch to Tapcons. It’s a cookie cutter for wall work.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌​⁠‌‌⁠​‍‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌⁠‌​‌‍​‍​⁠‌‌‌​‌⁠‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌⁠​‍​⁠‍​‌⁠​⁠‌‌​​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

@ella4657 that jig is slick; we’ve been saving about 45 minutes by switching most joints to RLS press on ACR — press the drier and 90s with a light nitrogen sweep, then pull vac while we set condensate and land the whip, though a few OEMs still want a brazed stub at the service valves so double-check the manual.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌​‌⁠‌⁠‍‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠​‌‌​​‍‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‌‍‍​⁠​​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Quick tip: for HPWHs I prefab the condensate run on the bench — 3/4-in PVC with a clear union cleanout and a trap with a primer port — so on site it’s two glue joints and a quick water test before we set the pan. Saves about 20 minutes for us, but check your AHJ on primer requirements and whether they want the cleanout after the air gap, @ella4657.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌​⁠‍‌‌​⁠‌⁠‍‍‌‌​⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠​⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌​​‌‍​‍‌‌‍‌​⁠‌​‌‍‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

@Guide I carry a laminated ‘rough-in’ clearance template; saves layout minutes, but confirm local A2L spacing.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌​‌‌⁠‍‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​‍‍‌⁠‌​‌​​⁠‌​⁠⁠​⁠​‌‌​‌​‌‍⁠‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍​‌⁠​‌‌‍‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​