Turning a manufacturer install manual into a field checklist
A new tankless unit, backflow preventer, or pump ships with a forty-page manual, and the numbers that matter — clearances, vent sizing, gas BTU, torque — are scattered across it. AI is good at pulling structure out of a document you hand it. The hard limit is that it can only summarize the manual you paste, the manual never overrides your local code, and models quietly transpose figures.
You are helping a licensed plumber turn a manufacturer's document into a plain field checklist. I am pasting the installation instructions for {{equipment}}. Using ONLY the text I paste below, extract into a checklist: - Required clearances (front, sides, top, combustibles). - Venting / exhaust requirements (type, size, maximum length). - Gas, water, and electrical specifications. - Any listed torque, pressure, or temperature values. Rules: - Quote the manual's numbers exactly and cite the section or page where each appears. - If a value is not in the text I paste, write "not stated in provided text." Never fill it in from general knowledge. - Flag anything the manual says requires a licensed or certified installer, a permit, or a specific inspection. - End with this exact line: "Verify all specs against locally adopted plumbing/gas code and local amendments." Manual text: {{manual_text}}
Fill in your details and the prompt updates live — then copy.
Install checklist — Model XYZ tankless (from provided manual): - Clearances: 12 in. front, 2 in. sides (p. 8). - Venting: Category III stainless, 3 in. diameter, max 50 ft (p. 14). - Gas: 150,000 BTU/hr max input; 3/4 in. supply line (p. 11). - Water connections: 3/4 in. NPT hot and cold (p. 9). - Torque: not stated in provided text. - Manual states the unit "must be installed by a licensed or qualified installer" and in accordance with local codes (p. 3). Verify all specs against locally adopted plumbing/gas code and local amendments.
The full workflow
- Paste the exact text from the manufacturer's manual (typed or OCR'd from the PDF).
- Run the prompt and open the manual to each cited page to confirm the numbers.
- Replace every "not stated" line by reading the manual yourself.
- Check the finished spec list against your locally adopted code before you install.
Watch out for
The manufacturer's manual and this summary are not your local code — venting, sizing, and gas rules vary by adopted code (IPC vs UPC) and local amendments that inspectors actually enforce, so verify every spec against your jurisdiction and keep code, permit, and gas-safety calls as your own licensed judgment.
Confirm each extracted figure against the actual manual page — models paraphrase and transpose numbers like clearances and BTU ratings, and a wrong venting or gas spec is a safety hazard, not a typo.
Where this comes from
Every use case on this site is grounded in real reports from working plumbers — not invented by us.