secondary condensate drain

[John Dirks Jr]

The system is in the lower level laundry room. It has secondary drain piping that is feeding into the piping for the primary drain.

If their backup is to be made by secondary piping, shouldn't that secondary piping be routed all the way to the discharge point and not share part of the primary system?

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[Marc]

If you're talking about air conditioner condensate drains, in this part of the country, all secondary drains terminate outdoors near the condenser unt. This practice alerts the homeowner to a problem with the primary drain pan/lines if he sees water coming from the secondary drain line.

Marc

EDIT: Spelling corrections.

[Steven Hockstein]

The system is in the lower level laundry room. It has secondary drain piping that is feeding into the piping for the primary drain.

If their backup is to be made by secondary piping, shouldn't that secondary piping be routed all the way to the discharge point and not share part of the primary system?

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24.7 KB

yes or it is not completely redundant.

[AHI in AR]

If you're talking about air conditioner condensate drains, in this part of the country, all secondary drains terminate outdoors near the condenser unt. This practice alerts the homeowner to a problem with the primary drain pan/lines if he sees water coming from the secondary drain line.

Marc

EDIT: Spelling corrections.

Around here, the secondary drain line discharge points are more typically found in really easily noticed locations. For instance, through the soffitt above the kitchen window, over the front porch, or even in the garage -- assuming the garage has a lower floor than the rest of the home.

But more importantly, to answer your original question, unless the combined drain systems discharge into an open drain nearby (such as a floor drain) very shortly after the point at which they are joined, then any obstruction would cause a problem for both drains. If so, you don't have true redundancy (a back-up system) as you should. If this is a below-grade room as I suspect, a condensate pump must be in use. If both lines terminate into the reservoir for that, and it is all visible, I wouldn't think it is a big deal.

[John Dirks Jr]

The lower level slab is at grade on the rear side. The combined drain line extends through the rear wall where it dumps right next to the exterior wall. I dont like that part either. No sump so who knows where all that water is going to rest or puddle under the house.

With a combined drain pipe on the exterior, how is one to know which system, primary or backup, is delivering it? The other line is the TPR pipe for the WH.

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[Marc]

With a combined drain pipe on the exterior, how is one to know which system, primary or backup, is delivering it?

Right. The primary drain and only the primary drain should empty into the septic. I'd write that condition up if it were here in Louisiana.

Marc

[Bain]

The actual language is that the overflow pan must have a dedicated (meaning separate) drain line that discharges in a conspicuous location--lke what Kevin described.