Drain pan

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#1

Originally Posted By: mroach
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I inspected a house the other day that did not have a drain pan under the coil. I informed the buyer to have one installed. The seller had a HVAC company come out and they said that the drain pan for this unit was internal and another one was not needed. Has any one else heard of this?


![](upload://lJsYzHSnVgNq2BsyhI9Xf44iZoW.jpeg)

--
Mark Roach
A Professional Home Inspection
TREC# 6467
http://www.aprofessionalhomeinspection.com
"Your Best Protection is a Professional Home Inspection"
Klien Volunteer Fireman

#2

Originally Posted By: Blaine Wiley
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Your picture link didn’t work. Are you speaking of a secondary drain pan, or the primary below the coil? Many areas don’t require secondary drain pans depending on the installation.

#3

Originally Posted By: mroach
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I’m talking about the secondary drain pan. It was my understanding that all attic units require these. (I forgot to say attic in the original post)

–
Mark Roach


A Professional Home Inspection


TREC# 6467


http://www.aprofessionalhomeinspection.com


“Your Best Protection is a Professional Home Inspection”


Klien Volunteer Fireman

#4

Originally Posted By: jwortham
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To paraphrase Russel Kirk, have the HVAC contractor put it in writing that the pan isn’t needed.


That way when it leaks and dumps water all over the first floor, he'll be the one they go after.

#5

Originally Posted By: Blaine Wiley
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Now that I can see your picture and know that it is in the attic, I would absolutely write up the need for a condensate overflow pan.


Get the HVAC guy to put it in writing, you did.

#6

Originally Posted By: rcloyd
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Mark:


It doesn't matter if the HVAC contractor puts what he said in writing or not.
The code requires a secondary drain pan even if there is an internal one.
Write it up as missing and needs to be installed.

Regards,

--
Russell G. Cloyd
Intra-Spec Home Inspections
& Code Consulting, LLC
859-586-4591
www.intra-spechomeinspections.com

#7

Originally Posted By: rrushing
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Mark,


Yep. I have heard of this... It's called, "I made a mistake the first time around and I'm not going to tell on myself". That's whats happening here, with the sellers HVAC contractor.

The TREC SOP requires us to write up the absence of a secondary drain pan as "In Need of Repair". You educate. They decide. Not optional.

From the IRC:
M1411.3.1 Auxiliary and secondary drain systems.
In addition to the requirements of Section M1411.3, a secondary drain or auxiliary drain pan shall be required for each cooling or evaporator coil where damage to any building components will occur as a result of overflow from the equipment drain pan or stoppage in the condensate drain piping. Drain piping shall be a minimum of 3/4"-inch (19.1mm) nominal size.

#8

Originally Posted By: ekartal
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Also the condensate should drain to the exterior or a sink, but that isn’t always the case.


Erol Kartal
ProInspect Inc.

#9

Originally Posted By: Ron Peters
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The HVAC company is right.


The internal condensate pan, with the primary and secondary drain lines, is all that is required.

The IRC (M1411.3.1) requires a ?secondary drain or auxiliary drain pan?. The key word is ?or?. Since the installation depicted has the secondary drain at the internal pan, the auxiliary pan is not required.

Note that TREC has no requirement to identify as IR the lack of an auxiliary drain pan at HVACs (535.229 - q). However, it is required for water heaters (535.229 - k - 9) ?when applicable? (i.e. leakage will cause damage, IRC P2801.5).

The use of a secondary drain pan could add another layer of safety for when the internal drain pan corrodes or in some other form leaks. However, most of the time I have found the aux. pan littered with insulation and other dust, debris, etc. which would clog its drain right away. This ?extra layer of safety? potentially makes leakage more likely in those installations where a secondary drain line is not installed to the internal pan, and the condensate overflow would go to the aux. pan before trying to reach the aux. pan?s drain line.

I hope this helps.

--
Ron

#10

Originally Posted By: rsummers
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If there is not a pan under coils that are in the attic in this area it would never pass rough inspection.

#11

Originally Posted By: dbowers
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here as in most other areas I’ve lived or worked in would require the auxillary pan.