Heat Pump Hvac Condensate Drain Line Design

Condensate switches imc 307 2 3 states that all hvac equipment that produces condensate must have either a secondary drain line or a condensate overflow switch a secondary drain pan with a secondary drain line or condensate switch or some combination of these installations should be used to prevent overflow if the primary drain line blocks.

Heat pump hvac condensate drain line design.

This is commonly seen in residential and commercial sites where no floor drains were provisioned to drain condensate. If the condensate drain line is clogged you will need to use a wet dry vacuum or a special pump to unclog the line. Why would a condensate pump line into a drain be a problem when the pump has a check valve which allows no back leakage of gas or water and if the drain ever clogged it would back up either way anyhow. Enter the condensate line which essentially functions as a drain line.

Signs the ac drain line is clogged. No trap clean out no vent. Condensate pumps shall be used where gravity drains are impossible to install. This drain deserves an f.

Uniform mechanical code section 310 0 310 1 condensate disposal. Little giant condensate pump. As indoor air circulates through the evaporator coil dust dirt and other airborne particles can be trapped by moisture. The piping from the cooling coil to the condensate pump reservoir should be installed with minimum 1 8 inch slope to enable gravity flow.

With no overflow safety switch no clean out and no vent one is just asking for several thousand dollars of damage due to condensate water backing up and overflowing the cooling coil drain pan flooding out this interior furnace closet. It can air lock because there is no vent after the trap. The growth can clog the drip pan or even rinse into the condensate drain lines causing a clog in the piping. Questions why it s not advisable to pump condensate into a sewer drain mar 16 2014 anonymous said.

This will kill any algae mold or mildew that has formed in the pipe. Over time it can become trapped in your condensate drain line causing blockage. Clear condensate line clogs. Just pour a cup of bleach in the drain line s access opening near the indoor air conditioning unit.

It connects directly to the hvac unit and leads outdoors often through an exterior wall. Carson dunlop associates sketches left illustrate both acceptable and not recommended locations for the discharge of an air conditioner or heat pump condensate drain line discharge. Its job is to efficiently funnel condensation away from your hvac unit. Build up of this debris can be carried off as condensate drains from the coil.