Line set challenge for Condo approval

[caslon]

I brought this up last summer, and settled on what I think is a good solution.
Unfortuneatley, the Condo Association turned down my plans on account of
I didn't go into enough detail on how the deck access would be waterproofed.

Most AC companies in my area will drill the hole and feed lines but will NOT
assume any legal liability for waterproofing. They don't even sound like I would WANT them to handle that part. They wont mess with waterproofing
this deck. They'll get me where everything needs to go, except that part.

I am a CA state licensed painting contractor.
If this were my own home, I would know how to do it, but I have to submit plans as if a professional would be handleing the whole show.

Problem might be if the hole access will be close enough to the wall for a line set cover top to cover it. There might be a joist right there near the wall.

Then on top of that, it'll have to be super water proofed against rain only, and not that much here in San Diego.

Should I look into a roofing contractor or something for that part of the plans to submit?




Here's another option? Treat that access hole thru the deck as a completely seperate project done by a decking contractor or something. It would be a totally waterproofed hole, almost like a hole in the deck for a drain to below. Then, have that approved and looked at to their satisfaction.

This will now be the access for the AC lines and power into the stucco wall. The Association are more worried about the deck then sealing lines into the stucco wall, I would imagine.

[beenthere]

A roofing contractor may be your best option.

[skippedover]

beenthere is right again. Darn been, why don't you sleep a little later in the morning?

It looks like the deck has a rubber roof. If that's the case, you need a roofer to install a flange. Let the condo association know this is done daily on flat roofed buildings. Everything on the roof, electrical, AC, plumbing, gas all has to go through the roof and be water tight to several inches of standing water.

[beenthere]

LOL.

Whats sleep.

[skippedover]

Uh-oh. Too many on-duty nights and weekends, eh? The adrenalin is a permanent part of your bloodflow??

[neophytes serendipity]

You need one of these: http://www.rpscurbs.com/alumiflash.htm

Cut the deck and install one of those flashings. Use round or flat head fasteners, not something with a protruding hex head. Call a roofer (or trade the condo association approves) to make the flashing water tight to the deck.

Do yourself a favor and cut one big hole under the flashing- not a few little ones.

If the deck is concrete, call a coring company with a coring machine that has a vacuum anchor base.

Keep the flashing far enough from the wall to make connections. Make the hole in the wall high enough to work with the flashing. If the lineset is small enough, you might be able to feed it through without a joint... but keep future service in mind.

The rubber top of the flashing will enable a water tight connection to the things passing through it.

[beenthere]

As you know, you get use to working late at night, and getting up early.
I don't seperate weekends from works days. I maintain the same routine.
Go to bed late, and get up early.

[caslon]

beenthere is right again. Darn been, why don't you sleep a little later in the morning?

It looks like the deck has a rubber roof. If that's the case, you need a roofer to install a flange. Let the condo association know this is done daily on flat roofed buildings. Everything on the roof, electrical, AC, plumbing, gas all has to go through the roof and be water tight to several inches of standing water.

That seems like good advice. Now all I have to do is track down a roofer that isn't a rover...lol.

I mean, do roofers actually cut thru a deck?

I don't believe the deck is a solid slab, probably framed. Sounds hollow when tapped on.

The deck appears to be textued and thin paint applied. The maintainence company came by last summer and just rolled on an modified paint of some kind, maybe elastomeric, not thick rubberized.
They were done in 10 minutes.

I may stay with you guys on this project/problem and hope you stay with me.
I've done a hell of a lot of research/submitting/ on this dealing with Condo Association, heh.
Sell my condo? The good ones aren't exactly like apples on a tree these days, despite the dismal housing market. Also...moving is a drag!

In other words, I may have some other questions...like how well reliable are the AC lines when they take a 90 degree turn (and have to be soldered?). I have a good reliable AC company to deal with. Better than the rest. And..I visited that office and their best installer had integrity and said I could request him to oversee/participate in this project.

That's at least something from what 90% of you guys tell everyone (the quality of the installers, not the product supplied by makers.)

[Wheelbaron]

Any chance of setting unit on the roof? Or on the side of the building like thy do in Japan with the mini splits? I take it that the rest of the condo owners like it hot?

[beenthere]

Roofers will cut a deck.
Atleast roof decks.

Brazed joints last as long as the rest of the copper.

[gasoilair]

In the second pic, what's that door with the vents top and bottom? Is that the mechanical room the lineset is going to? If it is, why not go straight into the wall down below, and then turn up into the above room? If anything, it would be one less set of elbows on the lineset, and would simplify any water proofing problems.

[caslon]

Yes, on the bottom pic, it's a store room.

On the top pic, it's my hot water closet.

I thought about going thru there, but asking to go thru the bottom utility closet up thru my hot water heater closet is asking to much.

Besides, I'd have to remove the hot water heater as it it located to the left of my deck just inside that door. Too much hassle to request, but that would eliminate any weather factor.

Even if approved, the hot water heater would have to be taken out and re-installed to install the lines.

[smokin68]

Your best bet from the photos is straight into the mech room then straight up like suggested, regardless of temp water heater removal. Your lineset path will look like crap anyways....I'd go straight down and across the ground, and cover it with a chase. As far as the deck goes, a GC should be able to build you a watertight square cover for that hole (embedded into the stucco) if you go that route. A roofer will grab his caulking gun.....