Housing for drain outlet

An apparatus for protecting from freezing fluid flowing from a condensing gas furnace providing a continuous flow of condensate fluid through a trap, the freeze protection apparatus comprising:

• (a) a heater box having a longitudinal dimension, the heater box including a top wall, a front wall, and a plurality of side walls interconnecting the top wall and the front wall, wherein the heater box partially defines an enclosed area and having a rear aperture and a bottom aperture for receiving the trap into the enclosed area;
• (b) a housing adapted for receiving the heater box, the housing including a top wall having an interior surface and an inner edge, a front wall having an interior surface, a bottom edge and a lateral dimension, and a plurality of side walls, each side wall having an interior surface, an inner edge, a bottom edge and a depth dimension, the side walls interconnecting the top wall and the front wall, wherein the housing partially defines an enclosed area having openings at a rear aperture and a bottom aperture, and wherein the area of the bottom aperture defined by the lateral dimension of the front wall and the depth dimension of the side walls is configured for receiving the heater box;
• (c) thermal insulating material lining the interior surface of the walls of the housing;
• (d) a thermostatically controlled electric heater mounted to the heater box for maintaining the temperature of the enclosed area of the heater box above freezing temperature to prevent the condensate fluid from freezing;
• and (e) means for mounting the housing to the furnace adjacent the trap, wherein the inner edges of the side walls and the top wall of the housing contact the furnace for enclosing the trap within an enclosed space defined by the heater box, and wherein heat is retained within the heater box to prevent the condensate fluid from freezing.