This post is not so much about all of the various doodads and whatchamajiggers in the picture, as it is about the fact that the doodads and whatchamajiggers are not properly supported or protected from damage.
On the far right, the Blue PEX pipe coming out of the floor is the main water supply to the house.
Next, in line, is the Main Water Shut-off.
Next comes the Pressure Reducing Valve.
Next is the Musical Instrument Back Flow Prevention Valve.
Again I am not here today to talk about all these items, but how this set-up is vulnerable to mechanical damage,
including damage from leaning things against it, and collateral damage from a hard night of partying----being in the garage and all.
Approximately 2 feet from the left edge of the picture the pipe takes a 90 degree bend through the wall. There is about a 2-3 inch gap all along the set up to the wall surface, making the 90 degree elbow vulnerable to breaking if force is applied against the assembly.
The assembly should be properly bracketed to the wall as well as have a protective “bollard” (thingamajigger---post) installed to prevent being whacked by large moving objects----party wagons----even a well kicked soccer ball.
Charles Buell
Click on the Rose 
to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group
PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)
all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
DeCroe, is my "etherial" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Click on the Rose to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group
PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
Musical Instrument Back Flow Prevention Valve.?
Oh, c'mon... this one requires some futher elucidation, don'tcha think? Please. Pretty please?
Alan----good catch:) "musical instrument" was supposed to have a strike-through over it.
This sounds like home inspector "geek" talk.....I'll forward it to mine :). And as an agent....I'm so glad you guys know about this stuff! Looked OK to me....yikes!
But honey I thought I did hit the brakes. Yikes I don't understand all of the whatchamacallits but even I could figure out that there should be a bracket or two to hold all of that up.
Karen, I have talked about these "devices" in the past and didn't want to get into the specifics of them in this post----just wanted to deal with the problem related to all of them.
Pat, you are right---most of what we do is not rocket science:)
Hey, Charles. That is great to know. Thanks for sharing and I hope that you have a great weekend, Jim
Thanks Jim----I will be having a great weekend----even if I am going to be inspecting all weekend:)
This is a really good, informative post but I have to confess that I use the terms "doodads" and "whatchamajiggers" and other twists of the English language way to often!
I recently had a plumber secure my under the house doo dads and whatchamagigger where my filter is, after enough times of twist off, change filter twist on we sprung a leak at a joint in the pvc for just this reason and it made a big mess in my crawl space. So I certainly see this as GREAT advice. Just wish I'd seen it sooner.
After they hit that line of doodads the cold shower will sober em up. :o
One of my favorites is the unsecured lolly column in the garage. Same scenario, different result.
Russell, sometimes they are a good way to communicate----sometimes not:)
Tammy it is always a good idea to keep ones doodads and thingamajigs well secured:)
James---I have a related post ready for tomorrow---stay tuned.
Charles, I'm surprise the the line was not doing "hammer time" on you during the inspection.
~ Life is Good
Ineresting point Roy, with all the expansion devices and tanks on these systems nowadays---as well as all the plastic pipe, I sure don't hear much hammering of plumbing systems anymore.
I confess to never before seeing blue Pex as a main supply line!
Are you surprised that Washington has not mandated that the color be changed to green?
Jay---they just like keeping it simple---blue for cold----red for hot. Seriously I see a lot more of the translucent stuff than the color stuff. Green would be great for WA and Croakster:)
That's what I really love about your blog...everything is always sotechnical...with sophisticated terms such as doodads and thingamajigger. Truly a learning experience. Thank you :-)
Jim at least there weren't any "Whatzits" in this picture:)
Also, they forgot to put a whatchamacallit next to the steps to prevent falling into the thingamajig and the doodad.