Water Heater Pan Plumbing help

[lightsareout]

I hope I have created this in the right section, it is water heater related....

I need to connect our water heater drain pan either to another drain pipe or to the exterior of the house. As a DIYer just getting it outside the house is the easiest for me.

I'll try and explain where the WH is located. We are in the south so the WH is in the garage. The garage is at grade level and there is about 16" from the garage floor to the top of the first floor - the WH is raised up under the interior stairs so at the same level as the first floor.

I think I have 3 options, maybe there is a better approved way

1) plumb down into the crawl space with 1" PVC, attach to the bottom of the joists but then angle up to drill a hole through the rim joist and siding and exist. This will be lower than the height of the pan.

2) plumb down into the crawl space with 1" PVC and around the joists back into the garage 6-10" above the garage floor, running slightly or parallel to the garage flooring and exit the house through the wall/siding next to the garage door (to grassy area not cement). This may sound like more work but less time in the nasty crawl space!

3) just plumb with 1"pvc to the step up to where the water heater is and run along the garage wall and exit the garage wall (no time in the crawl space).

 

[WorthFlorida]

Number three is much easier. My last home in Palm Beach County required the HW T&P discharged outdoors and the home was built before pans were required. 3/4" pipe would be adequate unless local codes require 1".

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

The entire path will be sloped downhill, right?

The word "up" appeared 3 times in your post, so just making sure.

 

[lightsareout]

yes, the inspector report is clear it needs to be 1". Also NO note that the T&P valve must have its own line rather than discharge into the pan.

yes, it will run down hill, if going into the crawl space and going out the rim joist rather than the foundation and brick it will need to be higher than hanging under the joists but will be lower than the pan itself. Its must easier to ensure the entire path is down hill on option 3 and the discharge will be higher than 6" from the ground which looks to be expected from the research I have done on this.

 

[Bannerman]

Consider how the 1" pipe is to be terminated externally to prevent insects and small critters from entering the pipe and entering your home.