Condensate drainage from outdoor heat pump units on new build

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Paul1977

5047 posts

Uber Geek

#2502894 11-Jun-2020 13:26

DarthKermit:

To the thread author: could you either make it yourself or ask the builders to put a small piece of square boxing next to where the heat pump outdoor unit will go, so that leaves a hole in the concrete to act as an area for the condensate to drip into?

Yeah, I think end up doing something along those lines.

Paul1977

5047 posts

Uber Geek

#2502908 11-Jun-2020 13:40

nickb800:

My best guess is that the council didn't want the condensate getting into streams (via stormwater network) as it often carries metals like copper which are bad for ecosystems

Possibly, but it would be such tiny quantities. I'm sure far worse gets into the stormwater system in much larger quantities than a small amount of heat pump condensate. But in @billgates case he was told it couldn't go to a gully trap, which is specifically for waste water.

nickb800

2719 posts

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Trusted

#2502926 11-Jun-2020 13:51

Paul1977:

nickb800:

My best guess is that the council didn't want the condensate getting into streams (via stormwater network) as it often carries metals like copper which are bad for ecosystems

Possibly, but it would be such tiny quantities. I'm sure far worse gets into the stormwater system in much larger quantities than a small amount of heat pump condensate. But in @billgates case he was told it couldn't go to a gully trap, which is specifically for waste water.

I agree the effect of a domestic heat pump system would be insignificant. But I think it's the most realistic explanation of the situation, coupled with some misunderstanding/miscommunication somewhere along the long chain between the council policy maker and the homeowner. I refuse to believe that a council would care that much about water quality in the wastewater network.

I do appreciate that when these sorts of rules come up in a build, it's often easier to go with the flow rather than challenge it up the food chain.

Paul1977

5047 posts

Uber Geek

#2502929 11-Jun-2020 13:56

billgates:

I am in Hamilton and I will check with council about terminating condensate liquid into the gully trap like you have described via an elbow connection and use the leftover external white paint from bricks on it to blend in.

I'd just leave it as exposed white PVC if it were me, paint won't adhere well. And if you query the council, do it anonymously. They may have a nonsensical saying that you're not meant to do it. It would make no sense, but we've come across several ridiculous council rules in the process of our build.

As an example, our house was slightly over the maximum allowed site coverage for our section. This was resolved by leaving the roof line exactly as it was and making four rooms in the house BIGGER. 10 points to anyone who knows how making our house bigger made our site coverage smaller.

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