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AC condensation drain routing

16 years ago

My daughters condo in Eastern NC..The condensation drain for the AC is routed through the wall and into the bathroom sink drain pipe between the stopper and the P trap. I am not concerned about sewer gas as this connection is above the trap, but I wonder about the codes concerning where you are allowed to drain AC condensate. Is this allowed to be dumped into public waste systems? Private septic? Does it vary locally? What about it Pros?

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Comments (6)

randy427
16 years ago
Condensate for central A/C is normally routed to a floor drain which is connected to whatever waste system that house has, so, I'd say 'Why not for a window shaker, too'.
This sounds like a clever method.
bus_driver
16 years ago
The volume of condensate is so small as to be of no consequence if added to sanitary sewer lines. I know of no prohibition to doing so. Keeps from having a wet spot on the property. The described installation might be more difficult to unclog if algae growth clogged it. But I would not change it unless it causes real problems.
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Reducing threads in the coil pan drain holes only raises the water level in the higher before draining which makes it worse. If you coil were to be downstream of the blower. Such as an A-coil onto of an up flow furnace you wouldn't be having this problem. The P-trap creates a barrier that breaks the suction and as condensate is created it fills the p-trap displacing existing water at a lower level, thus it goes down the drain. While it is good to have a proper installed overflow drain to backup the main drain, it must also be trapped properly, or it will suck in air and impurities from wherever it is draining to. Many times I have seen these drain into a catch pan or be changed to vinyl tube and looped low to create a trap. Worried about freezing, I'm guessing that you may have your AC unit in an attic/unheated space? Rarely does a P-trap freeze under those conditions and tend to have dried out before being exposed to freezing conditions. However, if your duct static pressure is not too high and properly installed, a "running trap" could be used with better results. Here is a link that might be useful: Types of traps
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Get a wet dry shop vac and suck it out
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I would almost count on the primary being clogged. Need to track down where it is and maybe you can get away with doing a shop vac on the outlet side.
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That condensate pipe is for your AC, not your furnace. I doubt you are running your AC right now, it's cold most places right now. Because you have a gas furnace it's unlikely your AC is a heat pump. So the noise you are hearing is probably more related to plumbing than HVAC system. The thumping and tapping may be coming from water heater. If it is cold where you are and you haven't been running the AC I would get a plumber to investigate your water heater and plumbing system. There looks to be a water shut off valve toward the top of the picture you posted. What does that go to? It could be water hammer noise from the condo being renovated. Maybe they subbed out plumbing to a general contractor and he made a mistake?
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lazypup
16 years ago
Close but no cigar....

The olumbing code does permit discharging an AC condensate line into the sanitary sewer but it MAY NOT be connected directly to the DWV piping. It MUST BE connected by means of an indirect waste receptor.

The line may drip into a sink or it may terminate into a floor drain but the lowest point of the condensate drain line must remain 2" above the highest flood level rim of the waste receptor.

The concern is that if the condensate line is connected directly to the DWV system bacteria in the DWV system will get into the condensate line and could ultimately get back to the condensate tray and the evaporator coil. Once its there the normal airflow through the evaporator would cause the bacteria to become airborne through the structure.
busboy
Original Author
16 years ago
I am assuming the term DWV means er...DA WASTE VENT?
lazypup
16 years ago
DWV is a term used in the plumbing industry to indicate all Drain, Waste & Vent piping.
foudym_suddenlink_net
13 years ago
My situation is similar, in that it comes out of the A/C unit, then down about 6-8" into the "return air" space, across into a side wall, THEN UP about 6" and across to (I think) a bathroom sink plumbing. It's the UP about 6" that I'm concerned about. I didn't know water could travel directly up!?!

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