Do you allow the TPR to discharge into the WH pan?

[relliott]

Originally Posted by cevans

That is also a defect as it is not piped separately - write it up

Is that a condensate line at top?
Not to mention plastic pipe.

[Ben J. Gromicko]

Wow, that's so wrong - in so many awesome many ways.
It seems to be a condensate drainage pipe going downward through the insulation - yes? HA!

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by relliott

Is that a condensate line at top?
Not to mention plastic pipe.

The plastic tubing is from a thermal control relief valve. CPVC is approved for TPR discharge pipes.

They had the thermal control valve, TPR valve, and pan all going to one indirect waste receptor. It was in the attic of a 3 story town home. There is not an easy solution. They'll probably have to live with it.

Here's an interesting find on the same water heater. I pulled back the insulation on the water pipe at the WH to see what type of piping was present...lookie what I found:

[Ben J. Gromicko]

I thought I'd throw in the following:

Relief Valve Importance*

Water is essentially an incompressible solid. It has no latent heat energy within itself to expand when released, unless the water is superheated. Water above 212˚ F is superheated water, and superheated water would really like to turn into steam at atmospheric pressure. It possesses latent heat energy, which can flash into steam and create a force that is not unlike an explosion.

Water would normally boil at 212 ˚F, but inside a tank it can’t expand anywhere so it can’t boil off into steam. Water in a “closed” system and under pressure, such as inside a hot water tank, has a much higher boiling point. For example, where water supplied to a tank is at 50 psi, the boiling point is 297.7˚ F.

Let’s assume a water heater tank has 30 gallons of superheated water inside it. Assume 50 psi and the water temperature is superheated at 300 ˚F. Remember that superheated water really wants to turn into steam. If the tank ruptures, then 30 gallons of superheated water will instantaneously turn into steam in an outwards direction through the rupture.

There is a tremendous amount of energy released as the superheated water is exposed to atmospheric pressure and immediately turns into steam. Every cubic inch of water becomes a foot of steam!

Note that at 50 psi, water flashes into steam at 297.7˚ F, and the energy released equals more than 2 million foot-pounds of energy, similar to the explosive energy released by one pound of Nitroglycerin. A 16-inch gun on a USS Iowa class battleship produced a 7,500,000 foot-pounds of energy.

This is why it is essential to avoid excessively high water temperatures and pressures at a water heater tank.

* Excerpt from the course book included with the training course: Hot Water Tank Online Video Course (4 CE).

[Shawn Rowe]

2007 Florida Code allows TPR discharge to pan

P2803.6.1.1 Discharge.

The relief valve shall discharge
full size to a safe place of disposal such as the floor, water
heater pan, outside the building or an indirect waste
receptor. The discharge pipe shall not have any trapped
sections and shall have a visible air gap or air gap fitting
located in the same room as the water heater. The discharge
shall be installed in a manner that does not cause
personal injury to occupants in the immediate area or

structural damage to the building.

[Robert Sole]

Just for information, all the water heater drain pans I have seen have a 1" drain connection.

[David P. OKeefe]

In my area it is discharges right onto the basement floor.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by dokeefe

In my area it is discharges right onto the basement floor.

That looks like a normal installation to me too!

After all, does anyone believe that when a TPR lets go, that a pan and outlet will take care of it? Think again.

[John Cahill]

In 25 years I have seen 2 TPR valves discharging. Neither discharged at full volume. It was like a puny spewing. The water heaters were in deplorable condition and I would have recommended replacement regardless of what the valve did.

The risk of water damage is insignificant compared to the problem at hand. Water damage is covered by home owners insurance.

The water heater itself poses the same unrestricted water flow potential as a TPR valve.

[David P. OKeefe]

Originally Posted by mcyr

That looks like a normal installation to me too!

After all, does anyone believe that when a TPR lets go, that a pan and outlet will take care of it? Think again.

This will take care of any water.

[Mark S. Tyson]

international residental code chapter 28 code article 2803.6.1 paragraph 5
Requirements For Discharge Pipe
Discharge to the floor, to an indirect waste receptor or to the outdoors. Where discharging to the outdoors in areas subject to freezing, discharege piping shall first be piped to an indirect waste receptor thru an air gap located in a conditioned space.
Florida Building Code Plumbing chapter 5 code article 504.6 paragraph 5
Requirements For Discharge Pipe
Discharge to the floor,To the water heater pan,to an indirect waste receptor or to the outdoors. etc. etc.

I guess to answere the question it depends on your local jurisdiction

[Mark S. Tyson]

Originally Posted by bgromicko

Question: Can a sump pump be an indirect waste receptor with a TPR valve discharge directed towards it?

provided that the discharge point is readily observable by the building occupants. i would say yes

[Sean Fogarty]

Why can you allow it to discharge onto the cement floor in a garage? It will still splatter all over the floor, an 18 inches higher will make a bigger mess. I would think it is a safety issue period, unless it discharges into a plumbing drain.

[Jeffrey Moore]

Discharging onto the garage floor is a very common finding
here in AZ. Some will take the time to pipe it to the outside
but not in most of the neighborhoods that are selling now.

[Mark S. Tyson]

Originally Posted by sfogarty

Why can you allow it to discharge onto the cement floor in a garage? It will still splatter all over the floor, an 18 inches higher will make a bigger mess. I would think it is a safety issue period, unless it discharges into a plumbing drain.

ICC residental
p2803.6.1
paragraph1
Shall not be directly connected to a drainage system