Honestly, I get the frustration with the “depends who you get” thing, but I’m not sure a checklist would actually solve it. Even if there was a standard list, inspectors would still interpret stuff their own way. I’ve had two different guys look at the same setup—one was all about the numbers, the other wanted to see how I’d actually thought through the airflow.
Had one guy ask me to explain airflow in my own words, which caught me off guard. Guess they want to know you’re not just copying numbers.
That’s happened to me too. At first it felt like a pop quiz, but honestly, I kind of respect it. If you’re putting in high-end systems, you should be able to talk through your logic, not just hand over a spec sheet.
The timing thing is real though—late afternoon inspections always feel like everyone’s just trying to get home. But I don’t think asking for pointers is a waste. Sometimes you get a generic answer, but every now and then you’ll pick up something useful. Just gotta roll with it, I guess.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from. I’ve had inspectors who barely glance at the setup, and others who want a full walkthrough of every vent and damper. Here’s what I’ve started doing: I prep a quick summary of the design intent—why I routed things a certain way, how I balanced the returns, etc. Sometimes it helps, sometimes they just want to see numbers anyway.
One thing I’m still not clear on: when you get conflicting feedback from different inspectors, do you ever push back or just adjust for the next job? I always wonder if it’s worth challenging them or if that just makes things harder down the line...
Title: Struggling With Ventilation Inspection Requirements Lately
Man, I totally get the frustration. I’ve had two inspectors back-to-back give me opposite advice on the same setup—one wanted extra dampers, the next said I’d overcomplicated things. It’s honestly a bit of a guessing game. I try to stand my ground if I know the code backs me up, but sometimes it just feels easier to tweak things for the next round and keep moving. Have you ever gotten pushback when you tried explaining your reasoning? I always wonder if it’s worth the hassle or just part of the process...
I’ve had two inspectors back-to-back give me opposite advice on the same setup—one wanted extra dampers, the next said I’d overcomplicated things.
That’s been my experience too, and it drives me nuts. I’ve had projects where I literally pulled out the codebook and still got told “that’s not how we do it here.” Ever notice how much depends on which inspector you get? I’ve tried reasoning, but sometimes it just drags things out. Do you ever document those conversations, or just make the changes and move on? I always wonder if pushing back is worth the time lost.
Title: Struggling With Ventilation Inspection Requirements Lately
Had a similar run-in last year—one inspector flagged my setup for “not enough access,” then the next guy said I’d gone overboard with access panels. I started jotting down notes after each visit, just in case things got weird later. Honestly, sometimes I just pick my battles. If it’s a minor tweak, I’ll do it, but if it’s a big change, I’ll push back a bit. It’s wild how much comes down to who’s holding the clipboard that day...
