By Cheri Sicard
In the video at the bottom of my article, RV tech Jacob Rigor of Rigor RV Repair talks about a little-discussed topic, RV plumbing codes. Jacob says RVers have been complaining about leaks in their RVs, even in brand-new RVs!
Manufacturers answer by saying that what they are building meets “codes.” But in the video, Jacob talks about those codes, what they do and don’t mean, and the convoluted way the codes contradict each other.
Jacob does a lot of “undercover RV inspections” for his YouTube channel and he gives a lot of manufacturers an “F” grade when it comes to RV plumbing.
Be sure to watch the video as Jacob shows the differences and what to look for when it comes to “good” RV plumbing that is built to last, and “bad” RV plumbing that is going to result in leaks.
Hint: If your RV plumbing is made with flexible tubing, there may be trouble ahead if it does not have the proper seal. Jacob covers types of seals and tubing in the video. Watch to see what they all look like.
RV plumbing codes are different than residential codes
At about the 2-minute mark, Jacob discusses the RV plumbing codes the RV industry adheres to, which are far different than residential codes. He looks at NFPA 1192, which governs how RVs are to be built. This code states that flexible hose has proper fittings, but that’s often not what we see in RVs.
Jacob goes on to say there is, however, an entirely different code, the IAPMO TS-25 code, that deals specifically with flexible tubing and says that you can use PEX fittings, something Jacob says you should never do on a flexible hose.
According to Jacob, this is the loophole manufacturers are using to get around not using the proper fittings on the flexible hoses. If you want to get deep into the weeds of this issue, the video contains his reasoning and editorial.
The bottom line is that there seems to be a lot of finger-pointing and confusion. Meanwhile, RVers are left with lots of plumbing leaks, even in new RVs.
Jacob tells some horror stories clients have had with some RV brands—Grand Design being one—and he gives kudos to Brinkley for doing it right. He does give the caveat, however, that almost all manufacturers, including Brinkley, have some bad plumbing connections in their rigs. If you do, you will want to closely monitor them so that you can catch potential leaks early. Or, better yet, upgrade the connections.
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RVT1230
So, you say they are wrong. You don’t tell me (very well) how to FIX what THEY did wrong. I hear you say, Hire (pay) me to inspect, or “Take my course” (again, pay me).
Very good video. I’ve been steadily (and slowly because of my age), going thru my RV plumbing system and fixing the plumbing done by Forest River on my Salem Hemisphere. It’s a lot of work, but I feel more confident that I won’t have the leak problems most RV manufactures pass to the consumer.
The other thing I’ve never seen in an RV is shutoff valves for the individual fixtures, which means the whole RV has to be disconnected from water to work on anything. Not a problem unless you are trying to live/camp in it during the repair, but a real pain if you are.