Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine May 2023

HVACR NewsMagazine May 2023

Tech News

that could cause ponding, erosion, or leakage.

Condensate Drain Codes & Best Practices

• Don't dump condensate on a roof.

• When discharging into a shared drain or sewer system, ensure that it isn't piped so that waste fumes can enter the system or occupied space. Drain Sizing IMC 307.2.2 tells us that an A/C condensate drain inside diameter should not be smaller than 3/4 ″ and should not be smaller than the drain pan outlet diameter. According to the IMC, 3/4 ″ is sufficient for up to 20 tons unless the drain outlet size is larger than 3/4 ″ . Drain Pitch The IMC dictates a 1% minimum pitch of the drain, equal to 1/8 ″ fall for every 12 ″ (foot) of horizontal run. In practice, it is safer to use 1/4 ″ of fall per foot to ensure proper drainage and provide some wiggle room for error. Support Drains can be made out of many materials, but PVC is by far the most common. When a drain line is PVC, the IMC dictates that it should be supported every 4 ′ horizontally (while maintaining proper pitch) and every 10 ′ vertically. Cleanout IMC 307.2.5 states that the condensate assembly must be installed so that the drain line can be “cleared of blockages and maintained” without cutting the drain. (Continu ed on next page…) Bryan Orr, founder of “HVAC School For Techs by Techs”, generously allows the Association to reprint their articles. We encourage you to subscribe to Bryan’s Website and get all the great articles and podcast directly. You’ll be glad you did.

It should be stated and restated that codes and code enforcement vary from location to location within the US. The IMC (International Mechanical Code) is one of the most widely utilized and referenced. The 2015 version of the IMC section 307 is what I will be referring to in this article. Condensate Disposal The code as it relates to condensate disposal in the IMC is pretty vague. It says that it must be disposed of in an “approved location” and that it shouldn't be dumped on walkways, streets, or alleys as to “cause a nuisance.” That leaves us a lot of wiggle room for interpretation and a lot of authority to the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) and design professionals to establish what is and what isn't an “approved location.” Here are a few good guidelines: • Don't dump condensate in places that could cause people to slip. around foundations, basements, or other areas • Don't dump condensate