True or False: A temperature and pressure relief valve shall discharge to the outside atmosphere if a floor drain is accessible.

True or False: A temperature and pressure relief valve shall discharge to the outside atmosphere if a floor drain is accessible.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Not applicable

Answer: (B)

A temperature and pressure relief valve vents hot water and steam when limits are exceeded, so its discharge path must be a safe, clearly visible route that prevents scalding and backflow. Relying on a floor drain as the discharge point is not acceptable. Floor drains are part of the building’s wastewater system and can be clogged, blocked, or subject to backpressure, and they may not provide a reliable, safe outlet for the relief discharge. The discharge should terminate to the outside atmosphere or to an approved drainage path that leads outside, with the appropriate sizing and protections in place. Hence, the statement is false.

A temperature and pressure relief valve vents hot water and steam when limits are exceeded, so its discharge path must be a safe, clearly visible route that prevents scalding and backflow. Relying on a floor drain as the discharge point is not acceptable. Floor drains are part of the building’s wastewater system and can be clogged, blocked, or subject to backpressure, and they may not provide a reliable, safe outlet for the relief discharge. The discharge should terminate to the outside atmosphere or to an approved drainage path that leads outside, with the appropriate sizing and protections in place. Hence, the statement is false.