TPR valve discharge piping; code vs reality?

[Temp945]

Hi all,

I thought I installed my TPR discharge piping properly a few years back, but in reviewing the latest code I'm not sure.

My water heater is located next to an exterior wall in a main floor utility room with no floor drain. I am currently discharging via galvanized steel pipe to the exterior wall, then terminating about 6 inches above the exterior ground (illustration attached). Although my common sense tells me this is a good installation, I think it violates the 2023 Florida building code:

P2804.6.1Requirements for discharge pipe.​

The discharge piping serving a pressure-relief valve, temperature-relief valve or combination valve shall:

1. Not be directly connected to the drainage system.
2. Discharge through an air gap located in the same room as the water heater.
3. Not be smaller than the diameter of the outlet of the valve served and shall discharge full size to the air gap.
4. Serve a single relief device and shall not connect to piping serving any other relief device or equipment.
5. Discharge to the floor, to the pan serving the water heater or storage tank, to a waste receptor or to the outdoors.
6. Discharge in a manner that does not cause personal injury or structural damage.
7. Discharge to a termination point that is readily observable by the building occupants.
8. Not be trapped.
9. Be installed to flow by gravity.
10. Terminate not more than 6 inches (152 mm) and not less than two times the discharge pipe diameter above the floor or waste receptor flood level rim.
11. Not have a threaded connection at the end of the piping.
12. Not have valves or tee fittings.
13. Be constructed of those materials indicated in Section P2906.5 or materials tested, rated and approved for such use in accordance with ASME A112.4.1.
14. Be one nominal size larger than the size of the relief-valve outlet, where the relief-valve discharge piping is installed with insert fittings. The outlet end of such tubing shall be fastened in place.

I've bolded the requirements that are in question. Requirements #2 and #7 seem to prohibit discharging directly outdoors. It seems like the only way to discharge to the outdoors is indirectly as laid out in requirement #5, via an air gap into a pan or some other waste receptor with a drain, and then to the outdoors.

Any opinions on if you would be comfortable with my current installation that discharges directly to the outdoors?

 

[Storm rider]

I would be comfortable with your current installation, as many that I've seen were done that way (including mine).

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Breplum]

100 % fine. Outdoors, readily observable. UPC gold standard

 

[Sylvan]

I had a case where the a safety (HW boiler) and a T&P valve discharge was outside and some "tech" tested the T&P and some child was playing outside and was scalded.

It maybe permissible by code but it is a judgement call as someone should have been outside just in case when testing a T&P, relief or safety valve

Personally I like to install a sump pit and have the discharge 4" above it and then pump it to the drainage system

 

[Jeff H Young]

California homes complying with upc code over 90 percent are that way youve drawn. Florida not uncommon either. Ive never seen a pit and pump added in my area . The biggest differances between are code is number 10 Our code{ UPC } is a maximum of 2 ft off the floor and minimum 6 inches. yours is 6 inch max and 2x diametor minimum. just dont terminate too high theyll bust you on it in IPC country

 

[Sylvan]

California homes complying with upc code over 90 percent are that way youve drawn. Florida not uncommon either. Ive never seen a pit and pump added in my area . The biggest differances between are code is number 10 Our code{ UPC } is a maximum of 2 ft off the floor and minimum 6 inches. yours is 6 inch max and 2x diametor minimum. just dont terminate too high theyll bust you on it in IPC country

Below street level I had the boilers and water heaters discharge lines empty into a floor drain that was tied into a sump pump that pumped to the combination sewer line before the trap .

Now Jeff you see a sump pit from a floor drain

 

[Jeff H Young]

Below street level I had the boilers and water heaters discharge lines empty into a floor drain that was tied into a sump pump that pumped to the combination sewer line before the trap .

Now Jeff you see a sump pit from a floor drain

Nice ! yea Ive been in some of those basements just not on houses around here. I think even less basements on florida homes than here

 

[Cheezhead]

California homes complying with upc code over 90 percent are that way youve drawn. Florida not uncommon either. Ive never seen a pit and pump added in my area . The biggest differances between are code is number 10 Our code{ UPC } is a maximum of 2 ft off the floor and minimum 6 inches. yours is 6 inch max and 2x diametor minimum. just dont terminate too high theyll bust you on it in IPC country

Actually - California it's prohibited to pipe to the floor. It must be piped 1 of 2 places - indirectly via an air gap to a waste receptor OR outside...then it's between 6 inches and 2 feet of the GROUND (not floor...not permitted to be plumbed to the floor unless there is a waste receptor in the room).

 

[Sylvan]

Interesting

 

[Fitter30]

5 to the outdoors negates 2 & 7
14 one nominal size larger than the size of the relief-valve outlet
Never seen a water heater up size relief piping. Boiler piping yes either on a blue print or install manual.