Help me help them

October 5, 2007 8:10 AM

Construction / Contractor Filter: So a month or so back some asshat ran into my house and took out a section of wall. Help me, my insurance adjuster, and the contractor figure out what the hell this orange 1/4" tube is running through the wall.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Seems to be going around the perimeter of the house. No water coming out of the line. No air flowing through it. House built in 2005.

Any ideas? If you need more information, just ask. Don't know what other clues I can give you guys.

BONUS picture set for your viewing pleasure.

posted by B(oYo)BIES to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

Huh. Well, I've seen orange PVC and PEX piping intended for use as part of a domestic fire-suppression system, but that wouldn't be so narrow and down at floor level.

I've also seen similar material used in a staple-up radiant heating system, but that wouldn't normally be in a wall.

Have you snaked a line into it to see how far you can get? If you used a suitably metallic snake you could maybe track it with a stud finder.

Also, what type of plastic is it? Super-slippery? Kinda stiff, or flexible?
posted by aramaic at 8:26 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: So the contractor spoke with somebody who tells him it is an insecticide line. Can anybody back this up? Anything out there I can read about this. I think they are just going to make some clean cuts and splice it, but I would like to know for sure what it is.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:26 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: Also, what type of plastic is it? Super-slippery? Kinda stiff, or flexible?

Wouldn't say slippery but definitely stiff. While the house is probably 1/4" thick, the actual hole is probably 1/8" or less.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:29 AM on October 5, 2007

Any chance you can contact the home builder to get a definitive answer?
posted by pmbuko at 8:29 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: While the house is probably 1/4" thick

*hose
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:30 AM on October 5, 2007

Best answer: Googlng came up with this insecticide tubing.
posted by jaimev at 8:30 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: Good question pmbuko. Waiting on a call back from them.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:31 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: Nice jaimev, let me go look for that service box.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:31 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: So I am unable to locate the service box, but I am 99% sure that this is a pest control system. Thanks for your help mefi.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:50 AM on October 5, 2007

I've never heard of this stuff before... thanks! Also, you might want to update your tags to include "insecticide tubing" or the like.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:45 AM on October 5, 2007