[Smahoney6]

Hi all,

I just bought this new home and had to expose laundry outlet box for a leaky stem that I was going to replace and found black MOLD..which sucked to say the least. But that isn't why I am here.

The laundry outlet box has two holes popped out for the drain, with one having a drip line from something in the attic, I assume AC coils (I live in AZ so that stuff is in the attic).

The laundry is below a bathroom which is the stack on the right. It branches over to the laundry outlet and splits into two. Is one of those required for a vent? or are they both drains one for the drip and one for the laundry? If it is vent I want to put in a new outlet box but only have one drain so I would extend the other up and install a studor vent. If it is just a drain for the drip I might extend it up and make sure the copper drip line is inside the drain and put it behind the drywall and only expose one drain.


Any help on what my configuration looks like it is doing would be helpful.

Thanks!


Sean

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

you are correct on the 2 drains, but you dont want to hide anything behind the wall, can you drill the new washer box to fit a second drain? or get a second drain box? the way that is plumbed out is not code for my area....
PS now i have a crook in my neck trying to look at a sideways picture..LOL...

 

[gregzoll]

Need a picture from the other side. HVAC drains are not supposed to be tied directly into DWV. If you ever get a backup, the waste will end up in the drip pan.

 

[Smahoney6]

I uploaded it the right way I don't know it is side ways!

 

[Smahoney6]

Thank you. I am not sure it is it the HVAC or not, but I don't know what else it would be. Above the laundry is 2nd floor bathroom and above that is HVAC. I also have a drain out the side of the house for the HVAC. It could be something that isn't even used anymore since I got a new HVAC system. Could be leftover from when they built it in 1997.

I will get you a pic from the other side.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

condensate drain is not tied in there is proper air gap...wow I can see it better now...lol

 

[Smahoney6]

So because it has space above the drain it is ok to have the condensation drain there because it is DWV over flows it won't go up the condensation drip line?

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

if that pipe coming into the washer box is not used anymore you can cut it out and tie one drain into the new box and cap the other with a glue cap or fernco cap..

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

So because it has space above the drain it is ok to have the condensation drain there because it is DWV over flows it won't go up the condensation drip line?

100% correct

 

[Smahoney6]

Correct. If I can prove it isn't used anymore. That is what I have to figure out...if i can't figure it out I will leave it because I don't want to cut and cap it is used, whether incorrectly or not, I don't want water in the walls.

This is all extremely helpful, thank you so much. I thought they were both drains cause the main stack has the vent and it is at the bottom of the line so I won't suck out a p trap.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

grab a short piece of rubber tubing and hold it up to that pipe and give a blow, see if you feel any resistance , if not have someone go into the attic and listen for sound to see if you can locate it..

 

[Smahoney6]

grab a short piece of rubber tubing and hold it up to that pipe and give a blow, see if you feel any resistance , if not have someone go into the attic and listen for sound to see if you can locate it..

Great idea. I will do that this weekend. :smile:

 

[Ghostmaker]

Just extend the condensate drain from the attic into the opening of the pipe. That is called and air break and is code compliant. The way they ran with an air gap is what caused water in your wall.

The plumbing to your right with the 2 inch pipe going up did some idiot tie a second floor drain into that? That would not be code compliant because a common vent is 2 fixtures on the same floor.

 

[Smahoney6]

I have no idea. This is what I found when I exposed it. Could one be a vent? There is only one bathroom above it unless both sinks come down independently. I would be it is for both sinks above...god I hope those are vented correctly.

 

[Smahoney6]

Ok so the drip drain isn't from the HVAC, it is the Water Softener drain.

 

[gregzoll]

Ok so the drip drain isn't from the HVAC, it is the Water Softener drain.

Even then, you still do not want that plumbed into a closed DWV system. You want the Water Softener drain going into a utility sink, not directly tied.

 

[TheEplumber]

Even then, you still do not want that plumbed into a closed DWV system. You want the Water Softener drain going into a utility sink, not directly tied.

Draining a water softener to an indirect receiver such as a washer box is code compliant.