Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing
This podcast is dedicated to making the Wisconsin Plumbing Code (SPS 381–387) more accessible for plumbers, apprentices, inspectors, and designers.
Episodes
Promoting the best tradesperson doesn’t automatically create a strong foreman. In this episode, I break down a practical, field-tested approach to foreman development, focused on leadership, planning, safety, and accountability. I also explain how foreman training can be evaluated in ways that actually matter on the jobsite, not just on paper.
In the late 1800s, Ashland, Wisconsin drew its drinking water from Lake Superior, the same bay that received the city’s untreated sewage. With no filtration, no wastewater treatment, and no plumbing standards, typhoid fever repeatedly swept through the community.
After the death of Lars Green in 1897, his widow sued the water company and won — only to have the verdict overturned in 1898 by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in G...
In this episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, host Ryan Boggs, Master Plumber and prefab foreman, shares how his team’s innovation in kitting DWV systems has drastically improved efficiency on the company’s largest plumbing project to date. By collaborating across trades, they’ve shortened shower rough-in times and improved workflow — all while emphasizing the importance of continual learning and adaptation in the plu...
This episode breaks down Wisconsin’s new requirement for UL 1738-listed plastic venting systems on gas-fired appliances in commercial buildings. We cover how we got here, what UL 1738 actually is, how DSPS is interpreting “repairs” vs “new systems,” and what this change means in the field.
This episode is based on:
- My continuing-education class on fuel-gas venting
- Direct correspondence with DSPS and inspectors
- Review of ...
This episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing opens with an important reminder about mental health, especially during the seasonal shift when the time change, darker days, and winter workload can amplify stress. Ryan emphasizes that plumbing is ultimately about people, encouraging listeners to reach out if they are struggling and offering himself as a non-judgmental contact. Listeners can connect with him on his YouTube c...
In this bonus episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, Ryan explains how to properly size sanitary piping using the Wisconsin Plumbing Code (SPS 382.30). We break down fixture unit assignments, pipe definitions, and the correct application of Tables 2 and 3 for stacks, branch intervals, building drains, and sewers.
You’ll learn:
- How to assign Drainage Fixture Units (DFUs) for each fixture
- Key definitions: building drain...
In this episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, we walk step-by-step through how to interpolate Water Supply Fixture Units (WSFUs) into Gallons Per Minute (GPM) using Table 3 of SPS 382.40 from the Wisconsin Plumbing Code. You’ll learn how to read the columns for flushometer vs. flush tank fixtures, how to handle fractional WSFU values, and how to apply the interpolation formula to get accurate GPM results.
This guide is...
In this episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, I sit down with Tony to talk about his experiences and insights in the plumbing trade. Tony shares his perspective on training, critical thinking, and the importance of always asking why when it comes to code and installation practices. We discuss how understanding the reasoning behind tasks not only sharpens technical skills but also helps apprentices and journeymen adapt...
This episode explains how the Wisconsin Plumbing Code (SPS 384.20) ensures fixtures are safe, sanitary, and functional, while the ADA Standards for Accessible Design (U.S. Access Board) add the human-use requirements (clearances, reach ranges, placement) so people with disabilities can use those fixtures independently.
Key Takeaways
Wisconsin Plumbing Code (SPS 384.20)
- Fixtures must be durable, sanitary, easy to clean, ...
In this episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, host Ryan Boggs shares insights from the recent MCAA Prefab Conference, including a tour of a 100,000-square-foot shop with a dedicated R&D department and reflections on how 3D printing is reshaping the plumbing trade and education. Ryan also reflects on a powerful visit to Constitution Square in Philadelphia and the parallels between innovation in history and the futu...
In this episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, Ryan returns after a short break to talk about water sizing in a typical Wisconsin home. He shares updates on balancing college, the prefab shop, an upcoming trip to the MCAA Prefab Conference, and even a siding project at home. With day school starting back up, Ryan reflects on the value of applied learning and offers tips for apprentices connecting classroom code to fiel...
In this episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, we take a journey with water — from the municipal main beneath the street to the last fixture in your home. Along the way, we unpack the Wisconsin Plumbing Code requirements for water sizing, velocity limits, and fixture supply piping.
We cover:
- Water sizing fundamentals – using Water Supply Fixture Units (WSFUs) and velocity limits to design a system that performs.
- Where...
In this episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, Ryan dives deep into two of the most versatile—but often misunderstood—venting systems in the Wisconsin Plumbing Code: circuit venting and vertical wet venting.
You’ll learn:
- Why circuit venting only works with all wall outlet or all floor outlet fixtures
- When a relief vent is required (hint: 4 or more fixtures)
- How to size vent piping without violating code
- What OTWV stand...
In Episode 4 of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, we tackle one of the most complex sections of the Wisconsin Plumbing Code: SPS 382.31 – Vent Systems.
Host Ryan Boggs shares his practical strategy for understanding venting by first classifying fixtures as floor outlet or wall outlet, making it easier to determine which venting systems apply. From individual and common vents to wet vents, circuit vents, and combination drain ...
In Episode 3, Ryan Boggs dives into the often-overlooked but incredibly useful DSPS Plumbing FAQ documents. These FAQs offer insight into how Wisconsin’s plumbing code is interpreted by the state—but also reveal areas of inconsistency, outdated language, and urgent need for clarification.
Ryan covers:
- Indirect waste air gap sizing and proper receptor piping
- T&P relief valve discharge and drain pan sizing strategies
- W...
Understanding the Wisconsin Plumbing Code starts with speaking the same language—and that means knowing the definitions found in Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter SPS 381. In this episode, Ryan breaks down essential terms like building drain, plumbing appliance, storm sewer, trap seal, backwater valve, and more. With over 365 code-defined terms—including more than 100 related to POWTS—precise terminology is key to cl...
In this debut episode of Mastering Wisconsin Plumbing, host Ryan Boggs walks you through the rich history of the Wisconsin Plumbing Code—how it began in 1914 under the State Board of Health, and how it evolved through DILHR, the Department of Commerce, and today’s DSPS.
Discover how plumbers have always played a vital role in public health, and why understanding the “why” behind the code matters just as much as knowing th...
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