TPR Discharge Going Up and Amendments to the Georgia IPC Code

[TheOverThinker]

I'm looking for any other similar jurisdictions that allow water heater TPR vents to follow a path other than gravity. Have there been any problems reported with Georgia's TPR regulations? Has anyone else followed Georgia?

Georgia State Amendments to the International Plumbing Code

*Delete Section 504.6 ‘Requirements for discharge piping’ and substitute the following:
504.6 Requirements for discharge piping. The relief valve shall discharge full size, separately to a safe place of disposal such as a concrete floor, outside the building, an indirect waste receptor, pan, or other approved location. The discharge shall terminate in a manner that does not cause injury to occupants in the immediate area or structural damage to the building. When the relief valve discharge piping goes upward, a thermal expansion control device shall be installed on the cold water distribution or service pipe in accordance with Section 607.3.2. If the discharge pipe is trapped, provisions shall be made to drain the low point of the trapped portion of the discharge pipe. (Effective January 1, 2014)

*Delete Section 504.7 ‘Required pan’ and substitute the following: 504.7 Required pan. Pans shall be installed under storage-type water heaters or water storage tanks installed in attics or above ceilings. The pan shall be galvanized steel having a minimum thickness of 24 gauge, or other pans approved for such use. Pans are not required under tankless water heaters. (Effective January 1, 2014)​

I am in California and facing two basement level tank replacements where it's going to be ugly to run the TPR to the outside via gravity. I also worry that those could drip or discharge for many years with nobody noticing or caring. If the TPR drained onto the floor, someone would notice.

The IAMPO based California Plumbing Code clearly reads:

CPC 2019 608.5 Discharge Piping

Discharge pipe shall discharge independently by gravity through an air gap into the drainage system or outside of the building with the end of the pipe not exceeding 2 feet (610 mm) and not less than 6 inches (152 mm) above the ground and pointing downwards.

Discharge from a relief valve into a water heater pan shall be prohibited.

​

Has anyone else followed Georgia?

 

[Breplum]

Georgia is, to my knowledge, the only place on earth where they decided to not follow safe and proven practices.
In my forty five years plumbing we have always been able to come up with a code conforming, safe solution.
Sometimes it might mean tankless on an exterior wall, or just find a WH with top of tank T/P hole option, or even a tee on the hot tank nipple, with the T/P in the top of the tee and the side tap using the main hot pipe.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Georgia is, to my knowledge, the only place on earth where they decided to not follow safe and proven practices.

I thought they were following safe and enlightened practices. A 2 psi backpressure is not going to cause a WH to explode. We are not even allowed to have the water go outside without an air gap. I understand why that is, but maybe they should require that everywhere for uniformity.

 

[TheOverThinker]

I've just been told there's a new local option on the horizon, involving a 1/4" tube bent like a pig's tail:

 

[Cheezhead]

I'm looking for any other similar jurisdictions that allow water heater TPR vents to follow a path other than gravity. Have there been any problems reported with Georgia's TPR regulations? Has anyone else followed Georgia?

Georgia State Amendments to the International Plumbing Code​

​

*Delete Section 504.6 ‘Requirements for discharge piping’ and substitute the following:​

504.6 Requirements for discharge piping. The relief valve shall discharge full size, separately to a safe place of disposal such as a concrete floor, outside the building, an indirect waste receptor, pan, or other approved location. The discharge shall terminate in a manner that does not cause injury to occupants in the immediate area or structural damage to the building. When the relief valve discharge piping goes upward, a thermal expansion control device shall be installed on the cold water distribution or service pipe in accordance with Section 607.3.2. If the discharge pipe is trapped, provisions shall be made to drain the low point of the trapped portion of the discharge pipe. (Effective January 1, 2014)​

​

*Delete Section 504.7 ‘Required pan’ and substitute the following: 504.7 Required pan. Pans shall be installed under storage-type water heaters or water storage tanks installed in attics or above ceilings. The pan shall be galvanized steel having a minimum thickness of 24 gauge, or other pans approved for such use. Pans are not required under tankless water heaters. (Effective January 1, 2014)​

I am in California and facing two basement level tank replacements where it's going to be ugly to run the TPR to the outside via gravity. I also worry that those could drip or discharge for many years with nobody noticing or caring. If the TPR drained onto the floor, someone would notice.

The IAMPO based California Plumbing Code clearly reads:

CPC 2019 608.5 Discharge Piping​

​

Discharge pipe shall discharge independently by gravity through an air gap into the drainage system or outside of the building with the end of the pipe not exceeding 2 feet (610 mm) and not less than 6 inches (152 mm) above the ground and pointing downwards.​

​

Discharge from a relief valve into a water heater pan shall be prohibited.​

​

​

Has anyone else followed Georgia?

Did you see the recent amendment for states that follow IAPMO's UPC that provides a solution for the situation you were in?

Additionally, you can install a WATTS 210 - but don't forget to install the pressure relief