An L-ball union drain valve member utilizes a union member with an L-ball valve that is coupled to a tee-shaped valve body with a drain port. The drain port includes an additional valve member that permits the draining/purging/filling of the drain port. The orientation of the drain port can permit the draining/purging/filling of different sections of the valve assembly, depending upon orientation of the components. The union connection permits easy disassembly and installation of the components and differing position of the handle of the valve member with respect to the tee-shaped valve body.

A flue collector box for a furnace having a cooling coil, a heat exchanger, and an inducer blower includes a housing having an interior chamber in fluid communication with the heat exchanger such that condensation generated in the heat exchanger flows to the interior chamber of the housing. A valve is connected to the housing and includes a pair of lips defining a fluid passage through the valve in fluid communication with the interior chamber. The lips have an open condition allowing condensation to exit the valve when the inducer blower is deactivated. The lips have a closed condition forcefully engaging one another when the inducer blower is activated to prevent condensation from exiting the valve.

A flue collector box for a furnace having a cooling coil, a heat exchanger, and an inducer blower includes a housing having an interior chamber in fluid communication with the heat exchanger such that condensation generated in the heat exchanger flows to the interior chamber of the housing. A valve is connected to the housing and includes a pair of lips defining a fluid passage through the valve in fluid communication with the interior chamber. The lips have an open condition allowing condensation to exit the valve when the inducer blower is deactivated. The lips have a closed condition forcefully engaging one another when the inducer blower is activated to prevent condensation from exiting the valve.

The apparatus for supplying hot water comprises: at least one processor; a heat exchanger connected to the at least one processor, and configured to receive tap water through a tap water inflow pipe, heat the supplied tap water by means of heat exchange to thereby generate hot water, and discharge the generated hot water through a hot water supply pipe; a burner configured to directly or indirectly provide heat required to generate the hot water; a mixing valve connected to the at least one processor and installed on a mixing pipe connecting the tap water inflow pipe and the hot water supply pipe, and configured to mix the tap water with the hot water discharged from the heat exchanger and flowing through the hot water supply pipe; and a memory connected to the at least one processor and configured to store instructions.

A combustion device may include a casing including a bottom plate, a combustion unit housed in the casing, and a fan housed in the casing and configured to take in air inside the casing and supply the air to the combustion unit. The bottom plate may be provided with a flat portion and a recess recessed downward from the flat portion. The recess may be provided with a drainage hole and an eave arranged above the drainage hole. The drainage hole may be located below an upper surface of the flat portion. The eave may be at least partially located below the upper surface of the flat portion.

A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.

A hydronic system and method of use that will maintain normal system operating pressure while also reliably detecting even very small fluid losses in any closed loop fluid heat transfer system is described. The system includes a controller having clock or timing functionality in communication with one or more pressure sensors and a fluid supply valve that provides one or more notifications when the pressure drops below predetermined levels during predetermined periods of time. Depending on the nature of the pressure loss, the system has the capability of opening a fluid supply valve to provide make up fluid and increase system pressure.

A structure for detecting a leak, wherein the structure is supported upon a supporting surface, the structure including a leak detector; and a bottom-facing surface comprising an inverted depression in which the leak detector is disposed, the inverted depression is configured to be suitable for inducing capillary actions in a liquid collected on the supporting surface, wherein when the inverted depression comes in contact with the liquid at its periphery, the liquid is drawn to the leak detector to be detected.

A water heater includes a tank assembly that defines an insulation cavity between an inner storage tank and an outer jacket. The water heater includes a bottom pad that supports the tank assembly thereon. The bottom pad is disposed in a bottom pan. Gaskets are disposed between the bottom pad and the bottom pan of the water heater. The bottom pad and at least one of the gaskets include apertures that are configured to internally route a leak sensor assembly of the water heater from the bottom pan to a controller of the water heater through the insulation cavity while preventing a leak of insulation material from the insulation cavity to the bottom pan. The water heater also includes a mounting bracket that is coupled to the inner storage tank to securely hold and route a portion of the leak sensor assembly disposed in the insulation cavity to the controller.

A water heater fitting for draining water from a water heater that has a threaded heating element opening configured to threadably receive and support a heating element. The water heater fitting includes a body having opposite first and second ends. The body defines a fluid passage extending between and opening out of the first and second ends. The body includes a water heater connector defining the first end. The water heater connector includes a male threaded portion configured to be threadably received in the threaded heating element opening to form a threaded connection with the threaded heating element opening when the heating element is removed from the threaded heating element opening for draining water out of the water heater.