Air Conditioning Maintenance Should Include Checking And Cleaning The Drain System
Maintenance is important for your air conditioner because without it, your AC could sustain costly damage. The sad part is that the damage can be avoided just by having an annual service call. The air conditioning maintenance technician performs a variety of jobs to ensure your AC is fit to operate throughout the summer. One task is to check the drainage system on your air conditioner. Here's why the drainage system needs maintenance and how it's done.
Why The AC Drainage System Needs Maintenance
When your air conditioner runs on muggy summer days, it lowers the humidity inside your house. It does this when condensation forms in the air handler and drips into a collection pan. The AC drainage system is in place to drain the water out of the pan on a continual basis. This is usually done by gravity alone, but sometimes a small pump is used. The water usually drains outdoors through a pipe that travels from the air handler to the outside.
This drainage system needs regular maintenance to prevent things like clogs and leaks that lead to water overflowing the pan and backing into the air handler or puddling on the floor. If a drainage problem goes on for a long time before it's detected, the floor around the air handler could have water damage or the AC might shut itself down.
How The Drainage System Is Maintained
The drain and pan are inspected for signs of damage. For instance, if the pan is metal, it might develop rust holes eventually. In that case, a new pan can be installed. The connections are also checked to ensure water can't drip through joints along the pipe. Then, the pipe is checked for signs of clogs.
Clogs can build up inside the drain for a number of reasons. Algae is a common culprit, but since the drain is open to the outdoors, bugs might also get inside the drain and cause a clog. If a clog is present, the maintenance technician will clear it from the line so the drain empties freely. If algae is a problem, the technician might pour a cleaning solution in the drain to get rid of algae and prevent it from returning.
Signs Of A Clogged Drain Line
An air conditioning maintenance technician can clear the drain and have the system in good shape at the start of the summer, but it's possible for the line to clog later on due to algae or bugs. When that happens and water leaks on the floor, you may notice a musty odor coming from the air handler or see water on the floor around the AC. You might be able to clear the clog yourself with a wet vac attached to the end of the drain line, but if you can't clear the clog or if you don't feel comfortable trying, then call the HVAC maintenance service to clear the line before the leaking water causes damage.
Contact a company like Nathan's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. to learn more about air conditioning maintenance.
