House plumbing Question: Can I drain my AWC water into the attic sewer vent without trouble?

[AZMSGT]

I'm trying to use the shortest route possible to drain the water for my AWC (auto water change). For me, it's up the wall into the attic and then a couple feet to a bathroom sewer vent. Since I know very little about home plumbing I'm wondering if this would be a good idea or bad idea. In theory the vent should be safe to tap into it to drain water.. But are sewer vent lines glued and sealed like the rest of the plumbing in a home?

My home is a newer build (2008) and the sewer lines are either ABS or PVC. My home drains go to a public sewer system.

Worse case, I need to drop the line to the laundry room washer drain but I'm looking for the shortest route possible.

 

[Silver14SS]

Try researching if draining HVAC condensate drains can go into sewer vents. I googled it and looks like it’s against code in most places but I don’t know if that makes it feasible or not.

 

[tdlawdo]

Well I don’t use the one in the attic but my HVAC condensate does drain into my septic system so I have been sending my AWC into that drain for months now. There has been no appreciable impact. I do 3g each night I’m one liter increments.

 

[tdlawdo]

And if it is against code .. my name is John Doe and I live on the South Pole and you never heard of me

 

[foxt]

Well I don’t use the one in the attic but my HVAC condensate does drain into my septic system so I have been sending my AWC into that drain for months now. There has been no appreciable impact. I do 3g each night I’m one liter increments.

I have a septic as well, and decided that I didn't want to dump appreciable volumes of salt water into the tank so I ran my AWC drain as a separate line out of the basement to the downspout drains which just run to daylight. 3g a day isn't that much, I guess.

To the OP, code says that all DWV (drain, waste, vent) lines must be glued. In most places, code also says that if you are going to hook up a HVAC condensate drain to a vent line, you need to put a wet trap in between the condensate source and the vent. This will keep the vent line from venting into your house instead of out your roof ...

 

[tdlawdo]

I have a septic as well, and decided that I didn't want to dump appreciable volumes of salt water into the tank so I ran my AWC drain as a separate line out of the basement to the downspout drains which just run to daylight. 3g a day isn't that much, I guess.

To the OP, code says that all DWV (drain, waste, vent) lines must be glued. In most places, code also says that if you are going to hook up a HVAC condensate drain to a vent line, you need to put a wet trap in between the condensate source and the vent. This will keep the vent line from venting into your house instead of out your roof ...

I was going to run mine to daylight also. I do have a trap but as far as running to daylight I have a stream on my property and was afraid to run it over the hill so this seemed like the lesser of two evils.

 

[Mr4000]

The big question is whether your draining it into a septic tank or public septic system. If its it a septic tank i would worry about the saltwater killing the bacteria in the tank. I solved that by digging a trench about 3 feet deep put pea stone down and a drain tile on top then more pea stone. I run 2 inch pvc out of the house straight down to the pipe. Have had it run this way for 7 years with no problem at all and i change about 44 gallons every 2 weeks. If its a public sewer you wont have any issues as its treated at a sewage plant. You will need a p trap for it to drain into so you don't get the sewer gases come back in the house as foxt stated.

 

[AZMSGT]

My home drains to a public sewer system.

I was looking at just drilling a hole to feed the RO tubing to and seal the tubing into the hole... I know.. kinda gerry rigging but my main concern is if anything would back flush into the house.

 

[Phyber]

One side effect of dumping your waste water in the yard; deer are going to dig you a new swimming pool hole. Ask me how I know :mad:

 

[AZMSGT]

One side effect of dumping your waste water in the yard; deer are going to dig you a new swimming pool hole. Ask me how I know :mad:

My worst issue could be neighborhood cats, coyotes or Javaliena.

 

[foxt]

One side effect of dumping your waste water in the yard; deer are going to dig you a new swimming pool hole. Ask me how I know :mad:

So it turns the whole yard into a giant salt lick?

 

[Crabs McJones]

One side effect of dumping your waste water in the yard; deer are going to dig you a new swimming pool hole. Ask me how I know :mad:

How........how do you know?

 

[theMeat]

Any drain into house plumbing has to have a trap, code or not, or you will get sewer gasses coming into house . Stinky and bad.
Do not see a trap on that pic you posted. Maybe it’s in the floor. Me no know

 

[Phyber]

How........how do you know?

So I used to be lazy (or as I call it effecient) and would drain my waste water out the front door, down the steps and into the yard. Easy and quick disposal. It took one season before the deer smelled it and started hoofing at the ground and my wooden front steps. Even had deer come up on the porch. I'm talking a BAD hole. I was worried I'd have to rebuild the steps.

I dump it down the toilet now. I figure as much laundry and showers go on here, I'm well dilluted for my 20g changes.

 

[Crabs McJones]

So I used to be lazy (or as I call it effecient) and would drain my waste water out the front door, down the steps and into the yard. Easy and quick disposal. It took one season before the deer smelled it and started hoofing at the ground and my wooden front steps. Even had deer come up on the porch. I'm talking a BAD hole. I was worried I'd have to rebuild the steps.

I dump it down the toilet now. I figure as much laundry and showers go on here, I'm well dilluted for my 20g changes.

Avid deer hunter here. Knew exactly what you meant did it kill your lawn at all? The saltwater not the deer destruction.

 

[theMeat]

Salt water will kill your lawn. Deprives most plants from potassium uptake.
In septic is fine, within reason. Grey water waste should be fine too. As long as it’s underground and away from bushes/trees

 

[bitplumb]

I'm trying to use the shortest route possible to drain the water for my AWC (auto water change). For me, it's up the wall into the attic and then a couple feet to a bathroom sewer vent. Since I know very little about home plumbing I'm wondering if this would be a good idea or bad idea. In theory the vent should be safe to tap into it to drain water.. But are sewer vent lines glued and sealed like the rest of the plumbing in a home?

My home is a newer build (2008) and the sewer lines are either ABS or PVC. My home drains go to a public sewer system.

Worse case, I need to drop the line to the laundry room washer drain but I'm looking for the shortest route possible.

plumber here...should be just fine, rain water goes down those vents every time. water from a water change wouldnt be much different

 

[Phyber]

Avid deer hunter here. Knew exactly what you meant did it kill your lawn at all? The saltwater not the deer destruction.

Not that I could tell..it's mostly crabgrass anyway, but came back thick and green. I didn't do it but for maybe a year though.

I completely overlooked the deer threat

 

[theMeat]

plumber here...should be just fine, rain water goes down those vents every time. water from a water change wouldnt be much different

Yup, fine as far as water safely going to drain. But what about trap for escaping sewer gas?

 

[BZos106]

If you just seal the tube going into vent you should be fine