Drip Leg

Drip legs versus sediment traps, what’s the difference? Many often refer to these interchangeably and while their design can be exactly the same, it is their purpose that varies. In short, a drip leg catches liquids, while a sediment trap catches debris. The easiest way to remember this is to associate drip with wet and sediment with debris.

Drip Leg

NFPA 54 3.3.31 calls a drip leg just a drip and it is defined as “the container placed at a low point in a system of piping to collect condensate and from which it may be removed.”  Further in the code book, 7.6.2, it is outlined that they shall be installed only in such locations that they are readily accessible to permit cleaning or emptying. They should not be located where the condensate is likely to freeze. There are no design parameters/requirements listed in the code book.

Sediment Trap