Pipe Support System

A pipe support system which receives and supports at least one exposed condensate drain pipe from an air conditioning unit located on a roof, the pipe support system comprising:

• a first strut support having a base with a flat bottom for resting on the roof, the base having an upwardly extending receptacle portion;
• an upright member formed of a synthetic plastic material of a first selected length, the upright member having a first extent which is insertable within the upwardly extending receptacle portion of the base of the first strut support to engage the base receptacle portion, and an opposite, second extent;
• a strut receiving portion molded from a synthetic plastic material for receiving and supporting a length of strut material in a generally horizontal plane with respect to the roof, the strut receiving portion having a downwardly facing receptacle for receiving and engaging the opposite, second extent of the upright member of the first strut support and having a U-shaped channel region integrally molded as a part of the downwardly facing receptacle, the U-shaped channel region having a bottom wall and a pair of spaced-apart, opposing sidewalls which extend vertically upward from the bottom wall to form a U-shaped channel, the opposing sidewalls being spaced-apart a predetermined distance which is sized for receiving and securing the length of strut material;
• wherein the spaced-apart, opposing vertical sidewalls of the strut receiving portion of the first strut support each have at least one outwardly extending ear located thereon, each ear having an ear opening which is sized to receive a locking strap for securely retaining the length of strut material within the U-shaped channel;
• and
• wherein a second strut support is arranged in a side-by-side location with respect to the first strut support with a length of strut material running therebetween to form a stable horizontal support surface for supporting a condensate drain pipe thereon.

A method of supporting an exposed condensate drain pipe running from an air conditioning unit located on a roof, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pipe supporting strut beneath the pipe at spaced intervals along the pipe, the pipe supporting strut being itself supported by a pair of strut supports, each of which is formed of synthetic plastic components having a base having a flat bottom for resting on the roof and an upright member connected to an upwardly extending strut receiving receptacle portion;
• wherein the strut receiving receptacle portion is formed with a downwardly facing receptacle for receiving and engaging the upright member and having a U-shaped channel region integrally molded as a part of the downwardly facing receptacle, the U-shaped channel region having a bottom wall and a pair of spaced-apart, opposing sidewalls which extend vertically upward from the bottom wall to form a U-shaped channel, the opposing sidewalls being spaced-apart a predetermined distance which is sized for receiving and securing a length of strut material;
• installing a given length of strut material between the strut receiving receptacles of a pair of the strut supports with the strut supports arranged in side-by-side locations so that the strut material so supported forms a horizontal support surface with respect to the roof;
• supporting a length of the condensate drain pipe on the horizontal support surface so formed.