You are probably familiar with the industry term: HVAC condensate. But did you know there are two types of HVAC condensate? (We’ll give you a break if you didn’t.)
Most industry professionals who install and/or service HVAC systems are familiar with one definition of the term HVAC condensate, which refers to the excess water that forms on the evaporator coil inside of an HVAC appliance as it removes humidity from the air during the cooling process. Think of how water forms on the outside of a cold drink on a hot day. It’s important to drain this excess water through a condensate drain line to prevent damage and properly maintain HVAC system performance.
Defining acidic condensate: what you need to know
Another type of HVAC condensate that is just as common, but less well-known is something called acidic condensate. Acidic condensate is a byproduct of the condensing phase in high-efficiency, gas-fired heating appliances (think 95% furnaces) whereby the secondary heat exchanger extracts additional heat from the combustion gases, which then cools into a liquid. Unlike HVAC condensate that you’d see rolling off the coils in an air conditioning unit, the acidic condensate is corrosive (with low pH of 2.9-4.0) because it includes various acids from burning natural gas (or propane). If discharged untreated, this residue can corrode plumbing, concrete foundations, floor drains, septic systems and other wastewater infrastructure.
Condensate neutralizers are an effective solution to treat acidic condensate
Industry pioneers, like JJM Alkaline Technologies®, have developed a purpose-built solution to address this issue: a condensate neutralizer. A condensate neutralizer works like a filtration device to treat the acidic condensate created from these high-efficiency, gas-fired heating appliances.
Condensate neutralizers contain media (JJM® products use pH Power Pellets®) that interacts with the condensate to lower its acidity. During effective neutralization:
- Acidic condensate drains from the high-efficiency heating appliance and slowly enters the condensate neutralizer
- The media neutralizes the acidic condensate by raising the pH level to between 5.0 and 9.5
- Acidic condensate begins to interact with the media inside the device and “soak time” starts
- The neutralized condensate is then safe to be discharged from the condensate neutralizer into the plumbing or wastewater system
Even with the growing prevalence of condensing appliances on the market (i.e. gas boilers, furnaces and hot water heaters), many contractors are unaware of the acidic condensate issue and how to treat it efficiently and effectively.
Local, national and industry code authorities have started to take notice with plumbing codes now requiring the treatment of acidic condensate. For example, the 2018 and 2021 editions of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) prohibit the release of corrosive wastes, like untreated acidic condensate, into the plumbing system to prevent the damage that untreated acidic condensate can cause to local wastewater systems. As a result, condensate neutralizers should be installed with every high-efficiency, gas-fired heating appliance to protect facilities and the environment.
Next steps
So, now you know that not all HVAC condensate is the same. Acidic condensate is a byproduct of the condensing technology used in today’s high-efficiency gas boilers, furnaces and hot water heaters. Unlike other HVAC condensate, acidic condensate is corrosive and needs to be treated with a purpose-built condensate neutralizer. To learn more about why JJM® condensate neutralizers are a must-have accessory to prevent property damage or ensure code compliance, visit our resource page.
JJM® is the industry pioneer and leading manufacturer of condensate neutralizer solutions. We built the pHIRST one. Now, we build the best ones. To purchase from a JJM® authorized distributor, click on our “Where to Buy” page. If your preferred distributor doesn’t stock JJM® yet, ask them to contact us so you can quickly and reliably buy JJM® condensate neutralizers for all your high-efficiency, gas-fired installations (ask for the Blue Label).