failed inspection: drain pan

[central nj]

Hi,
I finally got around to having the inspection on the york modulating furnace i had replaced upstairs. It failed inspection. Obviously i alerted the installer, who has a good reputation and i'm pretty sure will take care of it. Can someone explain the failure: "install overflow protection on safety pan since primary and secondary drains are tied together". The system drains by pvc pipe to a large pvc pipe that i think is the sewer pipe? Is there a "easy fix" and a "perfect" fix?
Thanks
Steve

[second opinion]

Hi,
I finally got around to having the inspection on the york modulating furnace i had replaced upstairs. It failed inspection. Obviously i alerted the installer, who has a good reputation and i'm pretty sure will take care of it. Can someone explain the failure: "install overflow protection on safety pan since primary and secondary drains are tied together". The system drains by pvc pipe to a large pvc pipe that i think is the sewer pipe? Is there a "easy fix" and a "perfect" fix?
Thanks
Steve

Primary and secondary can not be tied together. There are four options for auxiliary drain pan. IRC 1411.3.1

[FL.HVAC]

Easy fix don't worry yourself

[central nj]

Thanks both of you for the response. Obviously it lower my opinion of the installer. I was also dinged by not having "locking caps" on the outside air conditioner. Hard perhaps for you to say, but are these two things sort of common to forget and not a big deal, or are they something that most installers would always to right the first time?

[hurtinhvac]

Impossible to say, but the locking cap issue is a relatively newly enforced code, though it's been on the books in many places for some time. I spent a day last year doing nothing but going back to recent installs and installing them.

If everything else is fine I wouldn't necessarily disparage the contractor for what might have been a simple oversight on the part of the actual installer. It's a very easy safety switch to install and will shut down your system should the drains become clogged.

[second opinion]

Thanks both of you for the response. Obviously it lower my opinion of the installer. I was also dinged by not having "locking caps" on the outside air conditioner. Hard perhaps for you to say, but are these two things sort of common to forget and not a big deal, or are they something that most installers would always to right the first time?

The caps are no big deal and IMHO are a waste of time and money for the consumer and proposals are made to rescend the requirement.

The drains being tied together is clearly a FUBAR. The purpose of the secondary drain is to prevent damage to the structure due to water leaking from the unit. Tying them together serves no purpose and if stoppage occurs would defeat the main purpose. There are options provided in the building codes depending on the situation. The best choice is a secondary line run to a conspicuous location to alert you that there is a problem. A switch can be installed in the pan if secondary line is not feasible, but caution should be used in application in reference to the type and support of the pan.

[vstech]

I never use secondary drains now, I install a water sense switch in the secondary location, and my primary drain has a float switch in front of the trap, the pan would also have a float switch on it in case of equipment failure. any moisture issues, my systems shut down.

[beenthere]

Different areas enforce the codes to their liking/standard. Your area may enforce more codes then other areas they work in. Easy to forget which area your in.

Locking caps not enforced in many areas.

[brian.cornell]

Those are two minor code violations which are easy fixed. If you are happy with everything else they have done then it shouldn't change your opinion of that company. Those minor issues sometimes come up no matter who does your work.