I called out a furnace that did not have a sediment trap after the shut off valve.The HVAC guy said it did not needed one because the gas piping rose so high off the ground that it was useless. Any one ever heard that before?
Most manufacturers require them regardless . State that one is needed let him say one is not in his letterhead and if anything happens he is the one who will pay
Of all the possible reasons why it may not be necessary to have a sediment trap, this would not be one.
Let us know if he will do this or not.
Code doesn’t provide that exception.
It is best to be at the appliance however it can be on the final drop to the appliance according to the CSA installation code.
Should be after the appliance shut-off by the common sense rule. Otherwise, it couldn’t be cleaned out without shutting off gas at the main.
Yes I agree with that reasoning.
Thanks guys. I asked if he would put that writing and he said yes. He thinks I am an idiot for writing it up. Oh well I did my job.
Tell him he’s incompetent.
2009 IRC G2419.4 (408.4) Sediment trap. Where a sediment trap is not
incorporated as part of the appliance,** a sediment trap shall be
installed downstream of the appliance shutoff valve** as close to
the inlet of the appliance as practical. The sediment trap shall
be either a tee fitting having a capped nipple of any length
installed vertically in the bottom-most opening of the tee or
other device approved as an effective sediment trap. Illuminating
appliances, ranges, clothes dryers and outdoor grills need
not be so equipped.
Commentary: In addition to the code requirement, most appliance
manufacturers require the installation of a sediment
trap (dirt leg) to protect the appliance from debris in the
gas. Note that a drip leg is not the same as a sediment
trap (see Section G2419.2). Sediment traps are necessary
to protect appliance gas controls from the dirt, soil,
pipe chips, pipe joint tapes and compounds and construction
site debris that enter the piping during installation
and repairs. Hazardous appliance operation could
result from debris entering gas controls and burners.
Despite the fact that utilities supply clean gas, debris
can enter the piping prior to and during installation on
the utility side of the system and on the customer side.
Sediment traps are designed to cause the gas flow to
change direction 90 degrees (1.57 rad) at the sediment
collection point, thus causing the solid or liquid contaminants
to drop out of the gas flow [see Commentary Figure
G2419.4(1)]. The nipple and cap should not be
placed in the branch opening of a tee fitting because
this would not create a change in direction of flow and
would allow debris to simply pass/jump over the capped
nipple collection point. Commentary Figure G2419.4(2)
illustrates a relatively ineffective sediment trap, however,
such configurations are not expressly prohibited
by this section. The code does not specify a minimum
length for the capped nipple, therefore, it could be from
a close nipple on up. Three to 6 inches (76 to 152 mm)
is the customary length. The capped nipple must be in a
vertical plane to allow the sediments to fall in by gravity.
The sediment trap must be as close to the appliance inlet
as practical to be able to capture sediment from all of
the piping upstream of the appliance connection. The
sediment trap must be downstream of the appliance
shutoff valve to allow the trap to be serviced after closing
the upstream shutoff valve. Manufactured sediment
traps are available that have the configuration of a
straight section of pipe and are equipped with cleanout
openings. Although it would be wise to install sediment
traps at all appliance connections, they are not mandated
by code for gas lights, ranges, clothes dryers and
outdoor grills. These appliances are also susceptible to
harm from debris in gas, especially ranges and clothes
dryers, and the appliance manufacturer may require
sediment traps where the code does not. The code’s
logic is that these exempt appliances are manually operated
rather than automatically operated; therefore,
the user would be in attendance and aware of a
problem.
Too bad we can’t use this like you can Joe.
Thanks Joe that really helps
Just ask him to point that exception out for you in the manufacturer’s installation specifications.
http://www.questargas.com/brochures/59060_401.pdf](http://www.questargas.com/brochures/59060_401.pdf)
136 pages of good info … Roy
Questar Gas Company
[FONT=Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman]Good Practices for
Gas Piping
and
Appliance Installations
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