Air gap in water softener overflow

[tjkgolf]

I am selling my home and the city inspector put on his report that I need to install an air gap in my water softener overflow that goes into my wash tub sink. My overflow line is simply a rubber hose that runs from the WS above and into the next room, back down the wall and goes into the sink. Can anyone explain to me what I need to do? Thank

[master plumber mark]

i guess the rber drain line is just laying in the
sink in the othr room .. It must be touching the bottom
of the sink??

They dont want waste water to be able to siphon back into the drain
line for the softener...

You need to get it off the bottom of the sink and make it so
the drain pipe is dropping water into the sink from a level above
the flood rim on the top of that sink

usualy if you cut it off and hang it firmly somehow just so it spills
into the sink from above, it will make everyone happy

jsut ask them first what they want so you
dont have to play --- back and forth-- with the inspector

[jimbo]

mp has hit the nail on the head. They want the end of that hose to be above the flood rim of the sink. Should be easy to make a little bracket out of some strapping tape or similar to hold it in position.

[captwally]

Okay. Having installed many a water softener in many a community with many a different code ordinance pertaining to such water softener ordinance.... Here I go.

An Air Gap is a very inexpensive piece of plastic that allows your water softener to drain, but not let it siphon back into your dishwasher. (Contrary to what you may believe, "Air Gap" is NOT a very beautiful Golden Retriever who is a cheerleader for the basketball team. Oh, that was Air Bud...

I'd install it whether code required it or not. It's like seatbelts. Whether I go to the grocery store, or fly 200 miles VFR just for the fun and scenery, I wear them and require my passengers to wear them religiously.

air Gaps are good

[hj]

Are you "mixing metaphores"? What is the connection between an air gap over a laundry sink for the softener, and the dishwasher drain at the kitchen sink? And how would the softener back siphon into the DW?

[master plumber mark]

an air gap is exactly what it implies

a gap or space of air between the drain pipe from the fixture..

ie the water softener discharge tubeing to

the receiptor or trap that it is draining into...


thats literally all an air gap is 1inch to whatever # of inches you

feel like spaceing between the pipe and the drain...

an indirect connection not tied directly into the drain

to keep the clean water and dirty waste separate..

ie... an air gap