We have some exciting news! Two things have occurred over the past few months. UMC code changes when it comes to condensate waste and drains, which includes traps. The ICC completed an evaluation of the HVAC Air-Trap against the IAPMO Standard 2018 IGC -196 – Condensate Traps and Overflow Switches for Air Conditioning Systems and certified the product to meet IMC, IRC, and UMC codes back to 2009 to currently published codes.

Two organizations create the codes followed around the world. 

     1. The ICC (International Code Council) maintains International codes, for example, IMC (International Mechanical Code) and IPC ( International Plumbing Code), along with quite a few others. 

     2. The other organization is IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials) maintains the Universal codes, for example, UMC (Universal Mechanical Code) and UPC (Universal Plumbing Code) and other universal codes. In 2018 the HVAC Air-Trap was integrated into the IAPMO standard IGC-196. This is the only detailed standard that is published specifically for condensate traps to include how to determine if they meet the standard. Since the mechanical codes are very generic concerning condensate traps and are only reviewed every couple of years, being part of a standard allows contractors, engineers, etc., to provide the standard to inspectors.

As a result of the pandemic, IAPMO put together a technical group to look at condensate and cross-contamination. If a standard P-trap is dry and multiple lines are connected, the air from one space to another will mix. This can be an issue in hospitals, nursing homes, public buildings, etc. During their annual conference in September 2022, IAPMO approved changes to UMC codes 310.4 and 310.5, effective in the 2024 UMC Code. There are three approved for that code:

     1. the HVAC Air-Trap

     2. a sanitary waste valve

     3. a standard P-Trap with a primer, so the trap is never dry.

ICC-ES Evaluated

With that change, the HVAC Air-Trap becomes the easiest solution to install.    

The ICC has an entity that will evaluate products against current standards to certify they meet the code. The process is as follows. Products are pulled from the shelf and sent to an independent lab to be tested against the standard, and the second part is an audit of an organization’s quality system. In September, Des Champs Technologies sent the HVAC Air-Trap to the independent lab, the Air-Trap passed with zero issues, and our quality system was audited January 2023. Since we passed both with flying colors, ICC-ES certified the Air-Trap that it meets IMC, IRC, and UMC codes back in 2009 to currently published codes.