Frozen condensate line

[dmiller6]

I came across a high efficiency carrier FAU in a basement which has a condensate line which runs into a pump and pumps the condensate about 16' vertically (basement has 16' ceiling) and then to the exterior. this 3/8" flexible plastic line freezes where it exits the home in the winter and causes the furnace to shut down. the condensate line only protrudes about 1-1/2" beyond the concrete foundation walls to the exterior. How can this line be kept from freezing?

[Brian E. Kelly]

Insulation perhaps, heat tape, light bulb, etc.

[Larry D. Kage]

No laundry sink, floor drain, washing machine drain nearby?

[cduphily]

Install a loop in the condensate line prior to it going through the foundation wall. The remaining condensate should be far enough back in the line (or non existent if it has proper pitch and support) to prevent freezing.

[dmiller6]

Chris- nice idea, i'll give it a try. thanks. what concerns me with heat tape is that the a/c refrigeration lines both come through the same 2" pvc pipe through the foundation wall, i didn't want to heat the cold line.
dan

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by dmiller6

Chris- nice idea, i'll give it a try. thanks. what concerns me with heat tape is that the a/c refrigeration lines both come through the same 2" pvc pipe through the foundation wall, i didn't want to heat the cold line.
dan

Wouldn't the heat tape be off when the a/c line was operationally cold in the summer? Just a thought...

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by dmiller6

I came across a high efficiency carrier FAU in a basement which has a condensate line which runs into a pump and pumps the condensate about 16' vertically (basement has 16' ceiling) and then to the exterior. this 3/8" flexible plastic line freezes where it exits the home in the winter and causes the furnace to shut down. the condensate line only protrudes about 1-1/2" beyond the concrete foundation walls to the exterior. How can this line be kept from freezing?

I can understand the pump discharge line freezing on the exterior being a problem but what I don't understand is how this causes the furnace to shut down does it have a interlock safety switch on the drain. If it was mine I would just discharge to a indirect interior drain line with P-trap as the trap will stay a wet trap due to the furnace being high efficiency

[Charles Jones]

the condinsate pump must have a saftey shut off switch that shuts down the furnace due to pump filling up with water and not able to dump it. I would insulate the 3/8 tubing and only in rare cases would it freeze. now a days I do not drain to the exterier at all on any high eff furnace.