HVAC person needed

[xc62701]

Does anybody do HVAC work or know someone that does? I need someone to certify that a trap I have in my AC unit is proper and I need paperwork to back it to keep the lawyers happy for my house sale. Can anyone help?

I can place a service call but know it'll be at least a few hundred bucks if I have to do that. I've been told by a few people the trap is fine but I need paperwork to back that up.

I'm in Bloomfield in Essex county.

 

[J-Dro]

Sounds like RyderX's area of expertise.

 

[xc62701]

Yea I already explored that option and he need to have a service call placed with his company to provide the documentation I need. That's a few hundred bucks I'm trying not to spend. I'm thinking more like a couple cases of beer favor

 

[Patrick]

inspection should be at the buyers expense, cause the thing passed inspection on install.
if there is a correction to be made, it is at your expense - add it to the closing costs that they buyer pays for certification as legal when installed..
what is your lawyer doing? geez. they could earn their money at some point. (hopefully i didn't offend a family member.)

if it doesn't meet code now, but did then, then negotiate if they think it is the most important thing in the world - which is what happens.

btw - is this a trap in the condensate drain system? or somewhere else?

 

[xc62701]

The trap is in the drain system. It appears to be upside down but it is not. Their inspector noted that this needed to be fixed in the inspection and I have heard from a few sources that it is in fact a legal trap. Now I just need documentation by a licensed HVAC person to back it up unfortunately.

This is all on me to rectify unfortunately since they had an incompetent inspector.

 

[Patrick]

post a picture - a plumber type, rather than hvac type may be more accessible.

also, try calling the town inspector - they may be able to help, or at least clarify, to give you some leverage.

does it drain into the waste-water system (septic/sewer) or into sump/grey water?
is there a pump?

i have had alot of luck on the terrylove.com plumbing site with questions....they have quite a few inspectors lurking.

 

[UnionRider475]

Usually something like this- I work for an HVAC contractor as well but can't help you out - wish I could - good luck

 

[xc62701]

Check it out. This is what I have.

 

[UnionRider475]

That' should be fine - it's basically the same thing - the only thing missing is the tee that is needed ( or preferred ) to break a vacuum

 

[Norm]

also, try calling the town inspector

This. But with a caveat.

Did the town pass it? If so, then it passed and there should be a permit that was filed and the town should have sent an inspector and given you a pass and closed out the permit. I have to imagine if the trap is an issue the buyers want the AC unit to have passed a town inspection. Though I guess it may have been installed with the house. In theory this should still need to go through a town inspection?

If not, the downside in calling the town is that your town may require 3/4" PVC. I can't tell from the pic but if that's 1/2" they may come out and make you replace the whole damn thing to pass it. Slippery slope there. They may also find something else they don't like. In my experience inspectors are nice people but they absolutely do not let you slide on anything ever at all.

 

[Patrick]

that is an S-trap - which is probably wrong, (i see the trap with the wide bottom - not sure it the is also a no-no)

make them happy, plumb in a condensate trap kit, it has the correct weir and clean-out ports.
also, use a tee to make the turn down, with a clean-out on the top.

http://www.amazon.com/Rectorseal-83...432818234&sr=8-1&keywords=condensate+trap+kit

does this drop into a sump pit?

Usually something like this- I work for an HVAC contractor as well but can't help you out - wish I could - good luck

this must be commercial code? emergency pans don't even need to be plumbed....???

 

[UnionRider475]

When you say emergency pan , I think of a pan underneath the whole unit . Maybe I'm confused - I thought this was the actual condensate drain pan of the unit itself.

 

[xc62701]

that is an S-trap - which is probably wrong, (i see the trap with the wide bottom - not sure it the is also a no-no)

make them happy, plumb in a condensate trap kit, it has the correct weir and clean-out ports.
also, use a tee to make the turn down, with a clean-out on the top.

http://www.amazon.com/Rectorseal-83...432818234&sr=8-1&keywords=condensate+trap+kit

does this drop into a sump pit?



this must be commercial code? emergency pans don't even need to be plumbed....???

See that's part of the problem too. I can't do this on my own. It's in the house contract that I need to have a licensed HVAC specialist do this and I don't have time to take the classes So I'm at the will of someone to come in and fix it and provide the proper documentation with it.

This was permitted upon install with the previous owner and have never been touched since. I agree with contacting the town for inspection as they have been a major PITA with some other projects we have done. I might just have to suck it up to get someone in here to correct it and move on - literally.

 

[Norm]

Man, if this was permitted with the town I'd tell the buyer to SaD.

 

[Wobbegong]

Man, if this was permitted with the town I'd tell the buyer to SaD.

Agreed.

 

[xc62701]

Man, if this was permitted with the town I'd tell the buyer to SaD.

Yea I wish. We tried that. Denied...

 

[Patrick]

Yea I wish. We tried that. Denied...

do they like the house? my lawyer is a bulldog, so much, i don't like my lawyer. more than paid for herself on my real estate transactions.
But i have told her to back off also. Can you get to the buyer, rather than going through the lawyer?

that is a tough spot - yeah, if they are going to buy the house, and you want to assure it goes through, then a couple hundred
gets lost in the rounding. a licensed plumber rather than a/c guy may more "available" - see if they will accept that?

go with the gut. then ride your bike!

When you say emergency pan , I think of a pan underneath the whole unit . Maybe I'm confused - I thought this was the actual condensate drain pan of the unit itself.

there is an integral pan in the unit which goes down a drain, and an overflow hole for when the primary drain clogs -
the pan should have an alarm/shutoff valve, otherwise you might never know the primary is clogged until the
pan drain clogs and overflows....this is especially fun in an attic air handler.....

refrigeration may be different too.

===================

should add that i rebuilt my condensate drain system also. the town inspector pointed out that it was code compliant, but not functional for recovery from a clog (no pan drain)

 

[ryderX]

Man, if this was permitted with the town I'd tell the buyer to SaD.

On HVAC installs most towns only require a permit for the electrical and the mechanical, they don't usually inspect the design of the install. Since A/C condensate can't drain into sanitary lines there is no plumbing permit or inspection needed. In Ryan's situation the drain lines don't have a great amount of pitch as they run across the attic floor so the installer flipped the trap upside to get the clearance needed. It works correctly though it's a bit unothordox.

 

[Patrick]

On HVAC installs most towns only require a permit for the electrical and the mechanical, they don't usually inspect the design of the install. Since A/C condensate can't drain into sanitary lines there is no plumbing permit or inspection needed. In Ryan's situation the drain lines don't have a great amount of pitch as they run across the attic floor so the installer flipped the trap upside to get the clearance needed. It works correctly though it's a bit unothordox.

why does it need a trap at all - prevent bugs from crawling in? or is it a way of creating an air seal ?

 

[gtluke]

I'm not seeing this as an upside down trap, I see it as just a really long one. Who cares that the trap is 8" long? does it matter? there is going to be a trap of water between the unit and what you guys are seeing as an "upside down" trap. So, it works.