Salina Building Advisory Board Summary
Week of July 15, 2026
Building board recommends smoke testing amendment
Winter freezes prompt need for water test alternative
Smoke testing provides safer option for home remodels
Local contractors already utilizing smoke tests
Code changes head to Salina City Commission
City increases enforcement on sewer service lines
Building board recommends smoke testing amendment
SALINA, Kan. — The Salina Building Advisory Board unanimously approved a recommendation at its July 14 meeting to amend the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code to allow smoke testing for plastic drainage, waste and venting systems. The code currently requires water testing for plastic pipes, but city staff noted that smoke testing has been used as an effective, unwritten alternative by Salina contractors for years. By amending sections 712.1 and 723.1 of the local plumbing code, the city aims to officially give contractors the legal option to choose between water and smoke testing.
Winter freezes prompt need for water test alternative
SALINA, Kan. — The push to legalize smoke testing for plumbing systems is largely driven by Salina's harsh winter weather and job-site logistics. City staff explained that contractors frequently lack access to running water when initial underground drainage piping is installed. Furthermore, filling pipes with water during the winter poses a significant risk, as the water can freeze overnight and damage the pipes before inspectors even arrive to check for leaks.
Smoke testing provides safer option for home remodels
SALINA, Kan. — Smoke testing was highlighted as a much safer and cleaner alternative to water testing for residential remodel projects. Board members noted that if a contractor is only adding a few feet of pipe to an existing system, requiring a water test could force them to install temporary cleanouts and risk flooding a home's carpet or flooring if a leak occurs. Smoke tests allow inspectors to visually locate leaks without the threat of water damage.
Local contractors already utilizing smoke tests
SALINA, Kan. — Despite the code amendment just now moving through the approval process, city staff confirmed that local homebuilders are already successfully utilizing smoke testing. Contractors have reportedly been starting the tests outside the foundation wall, taping off vent lines and running smoke through the system until it emerges from the roof, providing an effective and verifiable test for inspectors.
Code changes head to Salina City Commission
SALINA, Kan. — Following the Building Advisory Board's unanimous vote, the proposed amendment to the local plumbing code will now go before the Salina City Commission. The commission will have the final say on formally adopting the changes to the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, which would enshrine smoke testing as a legal alternative for local plumbers and builders.
City increases enforcement on sewer service lines
SALINA, Kan. — Building inspectors are now strictly enforcing tests on the service lines running from homes to city street taps, a practice that was previously overlooked in residential construction. City staff noted that contractors used to receive only a visual inspection for these lines, but recent issues prompted the city to mandate proper pressure testing. Inspectors are also checking the bedding of the pipes to ensure they do not snap when backfilled and verifying they maintain at least an eighth-of-an-inch fall toward the sewer.
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