# Venting of Floor Drains



## jar546

Nothing has caused us more problems than trying to enforce venting of floor drains, whether onsite inspections or during plan review.  It is like this is a new concept.  How do you folks do in this area?


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## gbhammer

Same problems here. It is posible to vent floor drains, you just never see what you need to see on the iso's for you to pass plan review. Then when you comment, the DP wants to ask you how you want it designed.


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## atomahutna

Great articles on 2009 IPC venting

Are you using the IPC or the UPC?  We're still stuck with the UPC here in WA, but I hear there are some new methods for circuit venting floor drains that might help.  Lee Clifton with ICC did a series of 4 articles just on venting in the IPC.  I saved a couple in case WA sobers up and joins the rest of the country.  Here's one that might help.  If it's not the right one you can probably find it at ICC safe online.

Oops, too big of a file to post - you can find it at   http://bsj.iccsafe.org/august/august_PDFs/augbsj_methods_venting_plumbfixtures4.pdf


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## gbhammer

We use the IPC.


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## jar546

Nice link.  Floor drain venting just seems to be a constant issue and we don't know how to educate the plumbers or spread the word.  Had a 40 minute phone conversation with an engineer over this issue and had to tell him to read the book already.


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## ICE

Another problem that I run into with floor drains is that the floor doesn't slope towards the drain.  The plans never mention this.  I point it out at the underfloor inspection and it still gets missed.  Invariably I hear "We have never heard of this before."


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## gbhammer

Instead of an easy button wouldn't you love to have a common sense button?


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## jar546

To get specific, how do you gain compliance with IPC 905?


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## Papio Bldg Dept

jar546 said:
			
		

> Nothing has caused us more problems than trying to enforce venting of floor drains, whether onsite inspections or during plan review.  It is like this is a new concept.  How do you folks do in this area?


Hit them at plan review (riser diagram is a requirement for all commercial projects with new plumbing fixtures) and hit them at ground work inspection...top-out inspection is usually too late.


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## gbhammer

jar546 said:
			
		

> To get specific, how do you gain compliance with IPC 905?


905 confuses the issue of floor drains in most cases it is imposible to get a 45% rise to 6 inches above the flood rim, you need to look further to 912. Combination drain venting


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## Keystone

Before the I-Codes (UCC as known in Pa.), it was common to oversize the floor drains. Oversizing in addition with the fresh air vent was sufficient. Now we are talking general floor drain not specific purpose floor drain.


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## Paul Sweet

If the drain is within 5 feet of a wall the pipe can be run towards the wall and a vent run up the wall.  The drain can also be tied into a drain line that is wet vented.  I believe you're still allowed to use a combination drain & vent, which means oversizing the drain 2 pipe sizes.  It can be done, but takes some creativity.


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## skipharper

Use the combination drain and vent, section 912


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## Yankee

ICE said:
			
		

> Another problem that I run into with floor drains is that the floor doesn't slope towards the drain. The plans never mention this. I point it out at the underfloor inspection and it still gets missed. Invariably I hear "We have never heard of this before."


Would you please direct me to the section requiring slope to floor drain?


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## skipharper

I do not think there is any language in the plumbing code to specify this as it could vary depending on the application. One of the architectural pages in a set of plans should address this however.


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## mtlogcabin

Yankee said:
			
		

> Would you please direct me to the section requiring slope to floor drain?


I believe ICE is under the Uniform Plumbing Code

Section 411.4 Floors shall be sloped to floor drains


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## gbhammer

IPC makes you use  Floor Squeegees.


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## Yankee

gbhammer said:
			
		

> IPC makes you use  Floor Squeegees.


nothin' wrong with that IMHO


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