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Condensate drain lines

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Home Inspector with DRH Home Inspection Akron, Ohio Summit County Home Inspector

Condensate drain lines must be properly terminated in a floor drain or to the outside of the house.  Excess water and moisture can become a very serious problem in your home if these drain lines flow into your home improperly.

Here is a photo of a condensate drain from an HVAC unit.  A very common and neseccary component.

Condensate line from HVAC system

 

Now here is the problem.  This line MUST drain to something other than the floor of the crawlspace.

Condenesate line to floor

 

There are several options to properly draining this line.  No not a bucket.  This particular crawlspace was in dire need of a sump pump, that would be one possibility.  Another possible solution would be a condensate pump to take the water out of the house.

 

 

This information is provided by David Holden, DRH Home Inspection in the Akron Ohio, Summit County Ohio Area.

Comments(5)

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TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Good point David. I see all types of haphazard ways that "tradesmen" do things in a "willie-nillie" just-get-it-done fashion. Gives me a head ache to look at some of the stuff.

May 21, 2008 09:20 PM
Kevin Corsa
H.I.S. Home Inspections (Summit, Stark Counties) - Canton, OH
H.I.S. Home Inspections, Stark & Summit County, OH Home Inspector

Condensate lines are installed improperly all the time. Mostly what I see, is they will run the line across a floor walkway, causing a trip hazard.

May 21, 2008 11:17 PM
Rob Kleinschmidt
Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspections - Lake Geneva, WI

I agree, David.  Most people underestimate the effects of moisture in crawl spaces. 

Jun 09, 2008 01:20 PM
Jon Wnoroski
America's 1st Choice RH Realty Co., Inc. - Green, OH
Summit County Realtor

David, thank you again for the information you post on AR.  I find your articles informative and look forward to reading more.

 

Aug 07, 2008 03:21 AM
Phillip R. Smith Sr.
Home Sweet Home Inspections - Northport, AL

Hi David,

  Is that a down flow with a gas furnace or a heat pump system?

Aug 07, 2008 02:39 PM