OK..I need a little help. My heater was not working and heres what the A/C technician told me.
The unit is 20 years old.

And I quote. "The failure was caused by the unit not having a sediment trap and needs to have one installed. The gas valve has worn out due to not having a sediment trap installed. Needs to be done before the a/c can be checked."


I guess I understand that a gas valve can wear out, but does it wear out due to not having a sediment trap as the technician claims.?

Another reason he gave me for the sediment trap was"It's my companies policy to bring your unit up to code so I have to install a sediment trap."

Do I need a sediment trap.? Have not had one on the unit for 20 years.



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Well, I have NOT installed any for the past 45 years. In any case sediment does NOT "wear out" a gas valve either. I might consider a different service person.



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Shanon, has this company serviced your unit for a number of years?

A sediment trap can help prolong the life of your gas water heater. What a sediment trap consists of is simply a tee in the gas pipe before the inlet of the control valve. This tee provides a place where the gas can make a sharp turn into the water heater and any particles of water or trash can collect. Preventing debris from getting into the pilot or main burner assembly will prolong the life of the water heater. Sediment traps are required by the Uniform Plumbing Code and are therefore incorporated into most, if not all, city building and safety codes. Call your local building department if you have any questions about whether or not a sediment trap is required.

No, this is the first time this company has serviced the A/C unit.

I was told by a plumber on this site or elsewhere that drip legs, while still required by code in many places, are a relic of the coal gas era when gas would have had more particulates than in modern times.

Given the state of natural gas as a commodity today, I can imagine that quality is fairly consistent nationwide, so if your gas comes from a pipeline rather than a coal gasification plant, it seems unlikely that contaminants would be significant.

Have you checked your local & state codes to see what is required?

Correlation is not equivalent to causation. Many people forget this, despite a lack of evidence.

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Links to the State of Wisconsin Plumbing Code:
[docs.legis.wisconsin.gov]
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I am not a plumber.
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