7.3.6.

(1) Except in the case of an external leader, after a section of drainage system or a venting system has been roughed in, and before any fixture is installed or piping is covered, a water or an air test shall be conducted.

(2) Where a chief building official requires a final test, it shall be carried out after every fixture is installed and before any part of the drainage system or venting system is placed in operation.

(3) Where a prefabricated system is assembled off the building site in such a manner that it cannot be inspected and tested on site, off-site inspections and tests shall be conducted.

(4) Where a prefabricated system is installed as part of a drainage system and venting system, all other plumbing work shall be tested and inspected and a final test shall be carried out on the complete system.

(5) A ball test shall be carried out on a sanitary building drain, sanitary building sewer, storm building drain and a storm building sewer buried underground.

(1) Every pipe in a drainage system, except an external leader or fixture outlet pipe, shall be capable of withstanding without leakage a water test, air test and final test.

(1) Every venting system shall be capable of withstanding without leakage a water test, air test and final test.

(1) Where a water test is made, all joints shall be tested with a water column of not less than 3 m.

(2) In making a water test,

(a) every opening except the highest shall be tightly closed with a testing plug or a test cap, and

(b) the system or the section shall be kept filled with water for 15 min.

(1) Where an air test is made, it shall be conducted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions for the piping materials, and,

(a) air shall be forced into the system until a gauge pressure of 35 kPa is created, and

(b) this pressure shall be maintained for at least 15 min without a drop in pressure.

(1) Where a final test is made,

(a) every trap shall be filled with water,

(b) the bottom of the system being tested shall terminate at the building trap, test plug or cap,

(c) except as provided in Sentence (2), smoke from smoke-generating machines shall be forced into the system,

(d) when the smoke appears from all roof terminals they shall be closed, and

(e) a pressure equivalent to a 25 mm water column shall be maintained for 15 min without the addition of more smoke.

(2) The smoke referred to in Clauses (1)(c) and (d) may be omitted provided the roof terminals are closed and the system is subjected to an air pressure equivalent to a 25 mm water column maintained for 15 min without the addition of more air.

(1) Where a ball test is made, a hard ball dense enough not to float shall be rolled through the pipe.

(2) The diameter of the ball shall be not less than 50 mm where the size of the pipe is 4 in. or more.