hvac condensate to sewer via drum trap

[CheckItOut]

Inspected a 1963 house and the air handler was in a closet on the bottom floor of a split level house. The condensate drain dumps into a vertical pipe that then goes to a drum trap which has a pipe that goes into the concrete slab floor. I have no way to know where it goes from there but if it goes to the sewer does the trap need some kind of water supply to keep it from drying out? If it dries out I would think sewer gas would enter the condensate line. Old house, old practices but ok for what it is?

[resqman]

Well, drum traps are no longer allowed because they are mechanical and can fail. Running a condensate drain to the exterior should be relatively cheap and easy. Less than $50 of PVC pipe and fittings and an hour or two to route the PVC. That clears up the need for an outdated drum trap and the unknown of a pipe going under the slab to ???

[hausdok]

Originally posted by resqman

Well, drum traps are no longer allowed because they are mechanical and can fail.

Mechanical?

Got a code cite for that?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Bill Kibbel]

Well, drum traps are no longer allowed because they are mechanical and can fail.

Not true. Drum traps are no longer used in residential plumbing systems because they don't possess the same scouring ability as P-traps. They're still used, and approved, in specific industrial waste systems where scouring ability isn't an issue (because they're almost non-siphonable).

[resqman]

From the IRC.

P3201.5 Prohibited trap designs.

The following types of traps are prohibited:

- 1. Bell traps.

- 2. Separate fixture traps with interior partitions, except those lavatory traps made of plastic, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant material.

- 3. “Sâ€

[hausdok]

I'm still trying to figure out the "mechanical" comment.

Next time you're sitting in a public restroom, just look around at the drum trap lids on the floor.

OT - OF!!!

M.