Travis Grubbs
08-17-2008, 05:21 AM
For those of you that have taken a lot of heat for writing up HVAC condensation drains vented into the soffit, feel free to down load these photos. On 8/14/08 I was doing a Certificate of Occupancy inspection on a town house when I observed that a hole had been cut in the rear soffit, over the rear door, for the HVAC auxiliary condensation drain. The drain line had not been pulled through the hole and out of the soffit. I verified the pipe's presence by putting my finger in the hole and locating the pipe.
As I stepped in the house I heard water dripping. I then noticed some water on the floor. As I turned around and faced the rear door from inside the house I was suprised to see the water stains above the door, as well as water dripping out of the wood trim above the rear door.
It was at this time that the builder arrived. I showed him the condensation leak. He then commented that the system had only been running a few hours because the compressor had been installed that morning, just before the closing, due to the increased thefts at construction sites. I can only imagine how much damage would have occurred if the system had ran for 24 hours.
As I stepped in the house I heard water dripping. I then noticed some water on the floor. As I turned around and faced the rear door from inside the house I was suprised to see the water stains above the door, as well as water dripping out of the wood trim above the rear door.
It was at this time that the builder arrived. I showed him the condensation leak. He then commented that the system had only been running a few hours because the compressor had been installed that morning, just before the closing, due to the increased thefts at construction sites. I can only imagine how much damage would have occurred if the system had ran for 24 hours.