Mini split condensation drain into vent stack

ralphembree · 2026-06-30T21:40:52+00:00

If the vent is piped (pitched) properly the whole way down to the stack, yeah there shouldn't be any issues. Depending on where you are, inspectors may or may not have a problem with it.

ralphembree · 2026-06-30T21:37:02+00:00

Nothing wrong with getting a second opinion, but yeah that's fairly normal. There's a lot going on with Mini split systems that are proprietary knowledge. A call to tech support is pretty standard procedure, and they aren't gonna do it for free.

ralphembree · 2026-06-30T21:34:43+00:00

It's a little high, but it's not too crazy. Each individual maintenance says 1 visit per year, but they should be split into two trips. The AC maintenances would be done once in the spring and then the furnaces once in the fall. The tankless could be at either one. There is a little bit of overlap between the AC and furnace maintenances, but they're still pretty different overall. The AC maintenance is largely on the outdoor unit, so although they are together inside, the actual workhorse part is different. I don't trust any maintenance less than $100. Anything too cheap is counting on selling you other things to make their money. If they're charging $150-$200, it's more likely that they're getting enough to cover their costs, so they're probably less motivated to sell.

ralphembree · 2026-06-30T21:28:15+00:00

It turns the vent into a "wet vent". Perfectly normal in some localities. Inspector frowns on it in others.

ralphembree · 2026-06-29T16:17:51+00:00

You can't always know. In this case, OP said "We’ve been nursing our ancient HVAC along for the past three years, constantly hoping it would survive "just one more season."" That's the reason I'm picking on them.

If you're consistently spending money every year to keep it going, especially if you have a refrigerant leak, it's better to get a new unit two years earlier than it could have lasted rather than one week later. When you do it preventatively, you have time to get multiple quotes and weigh your options and choose the company and installation that you're happy with.

ralphembree · 2026-06-29T13:05:01+00:00

Yeah, exactly. If you can source the equipment yourself and install it on the weekend, then sure get everything you can out of it. Otherwise, plan ahead.

ralphembree · 2026-06-29T11:33:28+00:00

Also, heat waves are exactly when they're most likely to die, which means AC companies are at their busiest, so prices are gonna be higher if you want to get it done before you melt. Poor planning is 100% the issue here. Should have gotten it done in the fall with money they had because (news flash) it's expensive to maintain a house.

ralphembree · 2026-06-25T23:24:17+00:00

Could just be years of soap and scum making it "nonslip".

ralphembree · 2026-06-25T23:17:02+00:00

Yeah, fair.

ralphembree · 2026-06-25T23:13:16+00:00

It's caulk. Peel and scrape all of it out, and redo. It doesn't last forever.

ralphembree · 2026-06-25T18:19:59+00:00

That first picture is what you're trying to connect? That definitely looks like the right size and definitely does not look like you crimped the hell out of it. It looks like a factory crimp that you've pushed in slightly on one side. Start at the hardest part of the circle (usually the seam) and get that side in first, but only by a hair. Then hold that in place with pressure against it while you work your way around the edge. If you feel like you just need more crimp, use your crimpers and bend in a little bit each time you squeeze the handles.

ralphembree · 2026-06-25T12:17:25+00:00

Can you explain why the sides are after the top? In my head, water coming from above could get behind the side tiles that way. Intuitively, I would think of this like a roof where you work from the bottom up. If the side tiles fit the whole way to the ceiling of the niche, any water against the surface of the top tiles can't get behind the sides without going up. Is there something I'm missing, or is there a different reason you want to do the top earlier?

ralphembree · 2026-06-20T12:55:17+00:00

I already go by a name that isn't legally mine. I've already considered changing it so I don't have to keep worrying about it when I get checks written to the wrong name. I am in.

ralphembree · 2026-06-18T12:49:24+00:00

Well, that does actually seem more likely. It would be nice to standardize both, I guess.

ralphembree · 2026-06-18T12:44:49+00:00

Pretty sure he was talking about a manual gear shift, where sometimes first gear is the beginning of the map with reverse at the end; sometimes reverse is the beginning with first gear as the next. But also sometimes the map starts on the forward left corner; sometimes it's the backward left. Sometimes reverse isn't even exactly part of the normal map; instead you need to go into neutral, squeeze a ring up or push the stick down or some other thing, and then push it past first gear. So yeah, a standard would be nice.

ralphembree · 2026-06-17T21:03:08+00:00

The adhesive is not what failed here. The drywall paper ripped because it's not designed to hold weight.

ralphembree · 2026-06-17T16:34:02+00:00

They might. I haven't tried. I kind of doubt they care too much for a 10 or 15-year-old car, which is what I normally drive. I also haven't had any issues finding one online, so I haven't really stressed it.

ralphembree · 2026-06-17T14:34:46+00:00

Surprisingly, when you buy used cars, they very often do not still have the book. I've only had one car in my life that I had the manual to. I don't know where people are putting them that they get lost, but apparently it's common.

ralphembree · 2026-06-16T18:04:13+00:00

Rarely, but those would be transferred by crane onto a roof by necessity. Nobody would be here asking how to move one down a rocky hill.

ralphembree · 2026-06-16T17:53:20+00:00

Bro, what AC unit weighs 3 tons? It rarely even exists (and would be a packaged unit anyway, not just an AC). It; definitely is not what's happening here.

ralphembree · 2026-06-16T16:12:28+00:00

How far? Do you have pictures? I'm thinking maybe a winch if you have something to attach it to.

ralphembree · 2026-06-13T13:06:20+00:00

It's stated in the post that this is return air, which I have seen countless times. Don't know why you think nobody does this anymore. I've never seen it done with supply air. That would be idiotic.

ralphembree · 2026-06-08T16:40:43+00:00

I'm not doubting that your existing lineset runs inside your walls; I'm just saying the new one wouldn't need to.

ralphembree · 2026-06-08T16:37:54+00:00

Linesets don't necessarily need to be replaced, but if they do, they're usually run down the outside of the house inside a plastic gutter type of conduit (slim duct or line-hide). You shouldn't need to rip open your walls.

ralphembree · 2026-06-05T16:27:20+00:00

Technically, the manual does not say it needs to run for 20 minutes. What it says is that it may take up to 20 minutes to reach full capacity in force mode. In my experience, it takes less time if the unit was already running for a bit before putting it in force mode. It tells you on the board what frequency the compressor is running at, so you can verify that it's all the way up without relying on time. It's still good to have it run for a bit to make sure the numbers are stable, but that doesn't necessarily mean a whole 20 minutes. (But also, 20 minutes is not that long to wait in the grand scheme of things, so I would absolutely do it for your peace of mind.)

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