ac install question

[dkhedmo]

We're having ac installed in a couple of days. I mentioned this to the plumber while he was hear checking the pump which pumps our kitchen/utility room drain water up through the attic then down to where it exits the house because of the pipe under the slab having rotted out just before we bought the house.

Anyway, all the ac guys who came to give me estimates talked about draining something from the ac unit into either the laundry tub in the utility room, which then drains into aforementioned pump, or tapping directly into the pump. (Furnace/pump/laundy tub all within arm's reach of each other in utility room.)The plumber would prefer they drain it into the laundry tub, but said that they're not supposed to drain it into the sewer at all, and that they should drill a hole into the slab and put the hose into that.

What should I be expecting the ac installer to do in this situation? Thoughts and advice appreciated. Rochester NY area, if that matters. Thanks in advance.

Karen

[Jeff Wisnia]

I'm always willing to learn something new, and I can't think of a reason why your plumber says they're not supposed to drain it into a sewer.

If you drain it into the laundry tub, where's it going to end up, on Mars?

Whoops, maybe I just thought of a reason. Perhaps they worry that if it has its own trap that trap could dry out over the winter season and let sewer gas come out into the house?

Could you ask your plumber for an explanation for his remarks?

Jeff

[Pete C.]

It likely falls under the same rules as for sump pumps and gutters and is based on the fact that the output from them is generally plain relatively clean water that does not require treatment. They don't want this clean water adding unnecessary volume to the waste stream headed for the treatment plant. The discharge should just be directed outside somewhere, like where it will water some plants.

[ds549]

you could use a condensate pump and run the little hose outside. running it into the sink would work fine also.

[mm]

condensate, water that condenses from the air when the air is cooled. It's pretty pure water, like rain, with no dirty atmosphere to fall through.

I know nothing, but is the drain in the slab supposed to fit tightly into the hole? If they drill a hole, water can go in both directions, but if it is in tightly, I guess that is not a problem.

I guess if he ran it fat a slight slope from the evaporator tray to the wall, it would be below ground level at that point -- or would it be? -- so that won't work.

Mine goes into my sump pump sump and the sumnp pump pumps it up to the ceiling, higher than the ground outside, and then into a big plactic pipe outside and under the lawn to the edge of a hill.

If it drains into the tub, there is only one trap.

Of course, but will he answer? :)

[Stormin Mormon]

I'd suggest you tell the AC guys what the plumber said, and ask them to do it that way. The laundry tub is usually higher than the sump crock, and it's usually easier to run the drain to a sump crock, down hill all the way.

I'm also in the Rochester NY area. Please let us know who put in the AC, and if you were pleased with them.

[dkhedmo]

I decided to go with Lang, who are very local to me here in Webster. Of the four quotes I got, they were the lowest, but what really swayed my decision was that I live in a 50's ranch-on-a-slab that is very common in this part of town and they are very familiar with working on these particular houses. The guy gave me a few days extension on the quote deadline even though carrier prices went up, and scheduling was very easy. I dropped off the signed contract just to check out their storefront, and they appeared very legit and well-established. I'll let you know how it goes.

My second choice would have been Hawn, which was second highest of the four estimates. I rejected a company I won't name because of a personal reason and rejected Isaac, which came in with the highest estimate, but I didn't go with them because the guy was really unnerved by the parameters of the tight space where the furnace is located, and made me feel like the job was outrageous to even consider and that fabricating a cover for the outside of the house where the tubing will go up the wall from the unit to enter the attic was going to be an expensive, customized job. My husband thought that his constant concern aboutt he difficulty of the job was perhaps his salesman tactic to make it sound like it was actually worth his price, but whatever the deal was, he did not give me confidence that they could handle the job.

Thanks for advice. My plumber is a little high maintenance.

Karen