Description

During regular operation, condensing furnaces produce acidic condensate that can damage equipment if not drained properly from the furnace system. Furnace retrofits that are not leveled as per the manufacturer's recommendations and / or that have inadequate plumbing connections may have difficulty removing condensate effectively from the system. This can corrode furnace components and reduce equipment service life.

Challenges

INSTALLATION DETAILS: High-efficiency furnaces must have provisions to drain condensate and Code
requires that the condensate be removed via a warm (interior) drain upstream of a wet trap.

• Not all furnace locations have an accessible floor drain - this will necessitate a condensate pump.
• The condensate line can become crimped.
• Some AHJs require an acid neutralizer for the condensate.

Solutions

• The preference is to find a drain that does not require a pump. However, when a pump is required, there are minimal limitations on the condensate drain route. The drain piping material will often need to bend; therefore, it is important to avoid kinks.
• Always check with the AHJs to determine if an acid neutralizer is required for the condensate. If an acid neutralizer is installed, the limestone chips or other acid neutralizing substance must be replenished as part of regular maintenance.