Neutralizers

If your building has a high efficiency condensing boiler, hot water heater or furnace, then you have a drain line with acidic condensate that can damage piping and break code!

Condensate Neutralizers raise the pH of acidic liquid produced by condensing boilers, furnaces, hot water heaters, direct fired unit heaters and infrared unit heaters. Condensing boilers produce condensate < 3.2 pH. Plumbing code typically requires anything going down the drain to have a pH of 5.5 – 8.5. Acidic condensate can also lead to costly damage to drainpipe and covers. To stay within code and prevent damage, the pH must be monitored, and the Neutralizer serviced at least annually, per the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Since we’re already in your boiler room, Metro can add Neutralizer service to your existing contract. Service includes periodic testing of pH and annual media change.

Most Neutralizers utilize Limestone Chips as the neutralizing agent. These chips have limited effectiveness over time as the condensate tends to channel thru the media, limiting surface area contact time. Metro uses Magnesium Oxide pellets in place of Limestone. These pellets are a more effective neutralizing media as they uniformly dissolve and have more consistent surface, allowing for greater contact time, thereby increasing their ability to raise pH.

All condensate neutralizers should have been installed with unions on each side of the unit, allowing for media change. If unions are not present, the unit has never been serviced. Metro can add the unions and re-pipe to allow for service to take place.

The size of the Neutralizer required is related to the BTU rating of the boiler. For multiple boilers with drain lines piped to a common neutralizer, add the BTU rating from each boiler.