Code - Backup condensate drain line being plumbed to exterior

[ralexander1]

Does anyone know when IRC REQUIRED the backup condensate drain line being plumbed to the exterior? Inspected a 1999 home and called out that the drain lines should (a) be plumbed to the exterior and (b) should drain over conspicuous location (door or window). Seller said builder came out and said it wasn't required. Thanks!

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by ralexander1

Does anyone know when IRC REQUIRED the backup condensate drain line being plumbed to the exterior? Inspected a 1999 home and called out that the drain lines should (a) be plumbed to the exterior and (b) should drain over conspicuous location (door or window). Seller said builder came out and said it wasn't required. Thanks!

Does not have to be on the exterior can be in the garage and to top that it is not required a secondary drain if a low voltage safety switch is installed in the safety pan you never stated where they were draining to. I don't recall when the IRC started that requirement but its been a good long time ago before 1999

[Robert J. OConnor]

The IRC was first published in 2000, but that was pretty much a development of the CABO One And Two Family Dwelling Code. CABO was established in 1972, and the code dates back at least to 1987 (earliest copy I know of). Those model codes need to be locally adopted for the provisions to be a requirement.

But for a home inspector it really doesn't matter what the local requirements were at the time the system was installed.

An AC unit above a finished space should have an secondary/emergency overflow pan with either a pipe to a visible location or a float switch in the pan ... so that when (not if) the primary line gets clogged the owner is hopefully alerted to a problem before any significant damage is done.

JMO & 2-Nickels ...