Use These Suggestions to Clean Out the A/C Condensate Drain

Knowing how to clean the A/C condensate drain system yourself and when to call for professional service can help prevent expensive water damage to your home. The evaporator coil in a central air conditioner can produce over 25 gallons of condensate on a hot summer day. When the system’s clean and functional, all that water is collected by the condensate drain pan and diverted down the drain line into your household sewer connection or to an outdoor discharge point. If clogs occur, however, the drain pan may rapidly overflow.

Cleaning Your Condensate Drain

A primary cause of obstructions is algae growth in the drain pan. Sticky residue accumulates in the drain line and promotes clogging. Here are some steps to take that will help you clean the A/C condensate drain system:

• Turn off power to the A/C at the circuit breaker.
• Locate the condensate drain pan beneath the air handler. If it is wet but not holding standing water, the system is still draining properly. Pour a cup of distilled vinegar into the pan to inhibit incipient algae growth and keep the drain flowing.
• If you do spot standing water in the drain, bail out the water or suck it out with a wet/dry shop vacuum.
• Find the access port located in the PVC drain line immediately adjacent to the drain pan. Usually it’s covered by a screw-on PVC cap.
• Remove the access cap, insert a funnel and pour distilled vinegar into the pipe. Allow the vinegar to sit for a half-hour, then pour a sufficient amount of hot water into the funnel to fully flush the pipe.
• Replace the access cap and restore power to the A/C. Observe the drain pan as condensate flows in to verify that the drain is not obstructed.
• Contact qualified HVAC service if the drain does not flow freely after flushing. A technician can clear the blockage in the line, sterilize the system and install time-release algaecide tablets to inhibit algae growth over the long-term.

For more information and professional service to clean the A/C condensate drain, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about condensate drains and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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