Relief Valve Discharge Pipe

Leonard Weiss

I am looking for the section in the New York City Building Code that requires the discharge of a steam boiler relief valve to be piped to the floor.

Thank you.

DanHolohan

Does anyone have the answer for this?

I sent him here. Thanks.

Tony Conner

Is It...

...a high pressure or low pressure boiler? If it's a low pressure residential boiler, I can't logically imagine it being piped to anything but the floor. (Bearing in mind, of course, that "logic" and "code requirement" don't always appear together in the same sentence.) It would be horrible trying to run the discharge from the basement out through a 2 story house where it could discharge safely. It would likely result in more of a hazard than just blowing on the basement floor. (You'd have to consider line sizing, slope, etc. - all kinds of things that would often make the safety valve discharge the most expensive part of the job.) I think all ASME says is that safety valves are required to have their vent lines run so that they discharge in a safe place. To me, the safest place to run the discharge a low pressure residential steam boiler safety valve, is a few inches from the basement floor, right beside the boiler.

Dale

NFPA 54

This is referenced in the national fuel gas code, if NY has adopted the code and the boiler is gas this is a valid reference. 9.3.6.1 is the reference in the 2002 edition of the code.

Mark Eatherton1

UMC states

Boiler relief valve shall be terminated within 18" of the floor.

The UPC states (for water heaters etc) relief valve shall be terminated within 4 to 6 inches fo the floor.

I tell my students to terminate at 5" above the floor and avoid making the inspector mad.

There is a bit of confusion between the two jurisdictions, but better safe than sorry.

Some class 1 cities reserve the right to add addendums to the Uniform codes, and NYC might have very well do that. Talk to the inspector. Most of them I know will gladly clarify their rules to avoid cornfusion.

ME