Anybody think this is wrong?

[randynavarro]

. . . .and why? Other than maybe not being an "approved" location, I can't see where there would be a problem.

It's a drain from a water heater pan in the adjacent closet. The place was originally constructed with no provision to catch the T&P valve or a water heater pan.

This was a good upgrade. . . I think.

Click to Enlarge

28.94 KB

[Richard Moore]

As long as it's to the pan and not hard plumbed to the TPR itself, I would be OK with it. Hell, how often do we see a water heater pan actually plumbed anywhere?

[Bain]

The counter position is that someone standing in the shower could get happy feet should the valve trip.

I say your set-up trumps flooding a house, though. The PVC will get bumped and nudged, however, so your buyer will have to make certain the thing remains well caulked.

[Jim Katen]

I think it needs more caulk.

[randynavarro]

Drain only connects and drains the pan, not the T&P. The T & P discharges directly in to the pan.

Good solution, I thought.

[kurt]

Good is being kind. It's expedient, and better than flooding the house. The only thing that came to mind was what Bain said; if it blows with bad timing, someone gets happy feet. Then again, running it through the pan would temper it down to something "not scalding".

[John Kogel]

Somebody went to a lot of trouble to drill a hole in a perfectly good shower enclosure. It makes a nice bathroom look flaky. I would be wondering what kind of similar improvised handiwork was hidden behind the drywall.

Couldn't that pipe go out to the exterior wall instead?

I guess I'm saying it is wrong.

[Nolan Kienitz]

The TPR drain line should be going to outside of home ... not into a drain pan.

But then I'm a purist in my views on that!!

I'm reasonably OK with the line from the drain pan going where it is, but not with the line from the TPR first going to the drain pan.

As Bain noted ... "happy feet"

[Brandon Whitmore]

Yes.

[Jim Baird]

The pan likely lacks the capacity or the depth to handle a PT blowoff, despite the drain to the shower.

I would cite it as goofy at best, unsafe at worst.

[hausdok]

I dunno,

I think a shower drain could handle that kind of pop-off easily. It will be equal to that flowing into the tank from the other end and about what you'd see arriving at the shower anyway. The idea of it popping off while someone is in the shower? Really? Most folks use hot water when they shower, which means while you are showering you're going to be removing pressure from the tank and cold water will be entering the tank and reducing the temperature. I think it's unlikely to blow off when someone is standing in the shower.

It's a creative solution. One that I probably wouldn't have thought of. To me, it must makes more sense to find a way to run that pipe outside; but I think it will work fine as long as the seal around that pipe is maintained and as long as the section of pipe from that shower pan through the wall to the side of the drain pan on the other side of the wall isn't clogged with dirt, dead rodents, etc. and flows clear. It certainly is better than having the thing blow off inside the home.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

mIKE

[ericwlewis]

The TPR drain line should be going to outside of home ... not into a drain pan.

But then I'm a purist in my views on that!!

I'm reasonably OK with the line from the drain pan going where it is, but not with the line from the TPR first going to the drain pan.

As Bain noted ... "happy feet"

I have seen the TPR line "hovering" over a drain but I've never heard of needing to run the TPR line any where but within 12" of the floor irregardless of where or what room it's in. Am I mistaken?

[John Kogel]

The TPR drain line should be going to outside of home ... not into a drain pan.

But then I'm a purist in my views on that!!

I'm reasonably OK with the line from the drain pan going where it is, but not with the line from the TPR first going to the drain pan.

As Bain noted ... "happy feet"

I have seen the TPR line "hovering" over a drain but I've never heard of needing to run the TPR line any where but within 12" of the floor irregardless of where or what room it's in. Am I mistaken?

Yes, you are mistaken. It should be 6" from the floor.

On the other hand, the drain pan should drain somewhere, because that is where the water will come from when the tank rots out. And it will be warm, rusty water.

Click to Enlarge

26.96 KB

[Brandon Whitmore]

Yes, you are mistaken. It should be 6" from the floor.

That depends on what standard you are using. Oregon's code says between 6&12" inside, and within 6" of the ground outside. My gas co. standard is that we don't write them up unless they are over 18" off the floor.

[Rob Amaral]

I'd put the kibosh on it for 'foot injury reasons' (by a visitor..)

No one expects such a 'fitting' in a shower-basin.. The manufacturers of shower stalls/basins probably have agreements about stuff like this.. which is why you never see such a thing..

I'm of the mind to say: "It's a cool idea.. I thing you should find another way to route the discharge and repair the hole.. but to be honest.. That's up to you.. "

[Erby]

Kentucky is within TWO inches of the ground / floor for an inside location with a floor drain and FOUR inches for an outside location.