A clogged air conditioner condensate drain line is a major cause of serious water damage in homes every summer.
Your central A/C not only cools the air inside your house, it also removes humidity. On a humid day, water vapor extracted from the air by the evaporator coil turns to gallons of liquid condensate that collects in the wide, shallow drip pan underneath the indoor air handler. As long as the condensate drain line flows freely, water is conveyed safely into the household drain system.
When clogs develop, however, the pan quickly overflows and continues to spill gallons of water each time the air conditioner turns on. The result can be expensive indoor water damage—often before you’re even aware of the problem.
Preventing Condensate Drain Clogs
The usual suspect in drain line clogs is algae. The condensate drip pan is a wet, dark environment that provides perfect conditions for spawning algae and mold. This gooey growth eventually invades the drain line and obstructs flow.
Because prevention is always the best remedy, here’s one do-it-yourself maintenance measure that may help:
Once a month, mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of warm water. Pour the mixture into the condensate drip pan beneath the air handler. Also, make a regular habit of checking out the condition of the drip pan. It will usually be wet when the air conditioner’s running. However, if you notice standing water inside the pan, a blockage is already occurring. Shut down the air conditioner and call a qualified local HVAC contractor.
Professional Condensate Drain Line Cleaning
An HVAC service technician will use air pressure to blow out the drain line and clear the blockage, then clean and decontaminate the drip pan. Time-release biocide tablets can also be added to the drip pan to prevent recurrence of algae and mold growth for the rest of the cooling season.
For qualified service to clear a clogged condensate drain line and prevent household water damage, contact the professionals at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 260-376-2961.