Problem

George DeJesus is a licensed plumber, a seasoned craftsman who has worked with the tools for nearly three decades. In 2018, he started his own company, George’s Drains, doing service work for residents in Morris (New Jersey) County and the surrounding areas. When DeJesus isn’t on service calls, he also runs his Instagram account @georgetheplumber, which has amassed over 30,000 followers. He educates his followers on projects and recommends quality products for specific jobs.

When a homeowner looks to upgrade the water heater, George’s Drains opts for Saniflo’s two-in-one low profile Sanicondens Best Flat with a built-in neutralizer for handling acidic condensate before it can enter — and damage — the household drainline. 

DeJesus talked through the options, and the homeowner decided on purchasing a new high-efficiency, condensing tankless water heater. DeJesus immediately recommended condensate neutralization to protect the home’s plumbing drainage infrastructure from the acidic byproducts of the water heater’s condensation process. For a recent job, the homeowner was doing various upgrades and looking to improve the hot-water circulation throughout the home. According to DeJesus, the homeowner had a 30-gallon gas water heater in the corner of the basement, which was not in a great location for proper ventilation.

Solution

DeJesus installed a tankless water heater with a 95% efficiency rating and provided internal, hot-water recirculation in the home. The higher the water heater efficiency rating, the higher the acid level in the water runoff. This makes finding an effective, affordable way to neutralize the condensate before drainage absolutely critical. As DeJesus points out, neutralization of condensate discharge is required by New Jersey plumbing codes. Most states throughout the U.S. are adopting this requirement for neutralization as well. As a matter of fact, International Plumbing Codes (IPC) and National Standard Plumbing Codes (NSPC) require neutralization for corrosive waste. (Read more here.)

Since he had confidence in the quality and reliability of Saniflo products, DeJesus opted for the two-in-one Sanicondens Best Flat condensate pump for this application. The product is not simply a pump to drain the condensate. Its durable polypropylene encasement also contains a built-in acid neutralizer that raises the condensate’s pH level before it can be discharged — thus preventing the corrosive runoff from damaging household plumbing and sewer lines. Protecting the plumbing minimizes service calls, delivering long-term cost savings to the customer.

Condensate entering the Sanicondens Best Flat system automatically activates a float mechanism that, in turn, starts the motor whose spindle/shaft drives the impeller. The acidic condensate is neutralized as it comes into contact with the neutralizer pellets in the unit’s tray before being pumped safely away.

The Sanicondens Best Flat removes condensate through a flexible vinyl hose, measuring 3/8 inch in diameter, to a PVC discharge pipe. The discharge run may extend up to 15 feet vertically and/or 150 feet horizontally into the sanitary sewer or a septic tank.

The product is capable of neutralizing runoff from multiple condensing appliances with combined inputs up to 500,000 BTU per hour — say, a boiler as well as a water heater. Floor- or wall-mounted, the Sanicondens Best Flat comes ready-to-install with connections to an external overflow, shut-off switch or alarm system.

Results

DeJesus had to install the tankless water heater in a different location, on the other side of the house, since the old tank unit was so poorly vented. He then ran a new condensing line from the new water heater to the Sanicondens Best Flat and then to a drainline to provide proper discharging.

The entire installation took about four hours, largely because of the water heater relocation. But the Sanicondens Best Flat itself required only 45 minutes: from hanging the unit on the wall to running the condensate line through the ceiling.

“There is definite time savings when you install this product, because it’s all right there,” DeJesus says. “You don’t have to buy and install two separate systems” — the pump and the neutralizer. “It’s a one-step system.”

DeJesus also likes the three-year warranty on the Sanicondens Best Flat — “compared with other systems on the market which offer only one year.”

He is confident that Sanicondens Best Flat was the right choice for his customer. “Honestly, when it comes to using a neutralizer, I don’t offer any other brand.” He adds that the unit has been working fine since its installation in August 2021, and the homeowner is very happy with having enough hot water to supply the four-person household.

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