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Hi all, I recently had a split air system installed in my basement. The condestion line is running directly into the trap. Something didn't seem right to me about this and the company that did it is not returning my calls. Should the condensation line be plumbed into main line? FYI, I am in town of oyster bay. Thank you in advance
What trap? Did they install a new one dedicated to your condensate line? If any drain is connected to your main waste line, it needs a trap. (Except a toilet which has it's own trap built in) Sounds like they did it right.
Depends on where they installed it into the line. It needs to have the proper slope and be plumbed into the tail piece of a drain with a trap.
A trap has to be primed with water to keep the gases from running back up; a condensate drain only produces water while the AC is running. During the winter and shoulder months, there will not be enough water produced to keep the trap primed on its own. I've also seen them installed with check valves to keep the gases from running back up the drain.
Also, your air handler/furnace/coil should have its own trap at the unit that is sized for the static pressure within the unit.
Depends on where they installed it into the line. It needs to have the proper slope and be plumbed into the tail piece of a drain with a trap.
A trap has to be primed with water to keep the gases from running back up; a condensate drain only produces water while the AC is running. During the winter and shoulder months, there will not be enough water produced to keep the trap primed on its own. I've also seen them installed with check valves to keep the gases from running back up the drain.
Also, your air handler/furnace/coil should have its own trap at the unit that is sized for the static pressure within the unit.
Sorry, I am a complete novice. It is a split air unit and the piping for condensate line runs from the head into the house main trap (pit with sand in it). There is no actually plumbing into the main line.
It sound like they have it ran into the French drain (I'm assuming in the basement).
That drain is designed to take water that collects in the basement and either drains it to the soil or sends it out via a sump pump.
As long as the drain/pump doesn't fail it should be fine.
A picture would be a good idea... So many homes have the main trap below the slab level so they leave an open pit in a corner for access to it... Nothing but dirt and sand in there with the cast iron trap. If the condensate drain is just dumping water into the dirt/sand, it's time to call the company back to do it properly.
A picture would be a good idea... So many homes have the main trap below the slab level so they leave an open pit in a corner for access to it... Nothing but dirt and sand in there with the cast iron trap. If the condensate drain is just dumping water into the dirt/sand, it's time to call the company back to do it properly.
Alex, this is exactly what they did. The plumber wants to tap into the main sewer line which I believe runs into the sand/dirt trap and out to the street. So as long as the plumber, plumbs into main line with trap, I should be OK?
Alex, this is exactly what they did. The plumber wants to tap into the main sewer line which I believe runs into the sand/dirt trap and out to the street. So as long as the plumber, plumbs into main line with trap, I should be OK?
If he's going to attach it to the main line, it needs to be done before an existing trap, like for a shower.
Otherwise you risk having sewer gas coming up through the drain and unit the air conditioning unit.
The best solution would probably be installing a condesate pump, like KB said. It gets the water out and isn't attached to the sewer, so no issues with gases.
Alex, this is exactly what they did. The plumber wants to tap into the main sewer line which I believe runs into the sand/dirt trap and out to the street. So as long as the plumber, plumbs into main line with trap, I should be OK?
If sewer backs up, it will pour out of this connection if not done right. Use a condensation pump if that is feasible.
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