My air handler overflowed today. New unit installed two months ago. I vacuumed out the condensate line (and there was some gunk in there). How often do I need to do this? Does it help to pour in some vinegar every month? I'm in Florida, where it's 1000 degrees, if that figures in. Thank you!
How often should you vacuum out condensate line?
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My air handler overflowed today. New unit installed two months ago. I vacuumed out the condensate line (and there was some gunk in there). How often do I need to do this? Does it help to pour in some vinegar every month? I'm in Florida, where it's 1000 degrees, if that figures in. Thank you!
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I did most of my work in the Chicago area where it is also humid. Yes gunk, algae, and even legionnaires disease can grow in stagnant water. Typically the A/C coil has a pan meant/designed to drain. Outside of the unit PVC piping is routed to a drain somewhere. If the coil is on the suction side of the blower; one must install a trap (otherwise the "suction" of the blower will not allow the condensate to drain out). If the coil is on the pressure side of the blower; no trap is required but you will be blowing treated air out of the drain pipe. Personally I always install an upright TEE after the trap for venting the drain line and "blowing" gunk out of the drain line without having to go to a lot of trouble. I've never heard of vacuum cleaner action on a drain line, i dont believe that i've ever left a drain line on site that could be accessed. Yes vinigar, a mild acid, will help to prevent things from growing.
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look for any papers that were left with the appliance. You should have the user's manual and possibly the installation guide. A drain pan overflowing is a bad sign, especially on a new unit. You should call the contractor and make them repipe the drain properly.
Thanks! I did not get any manuals except one for the thermostat. I will call tomorrow and ask for one. Good idea.
Would the overflowing be from the drain pan? I was trying to locate it to see if there's water in it, but I'm not sure where it is. The air handler is in a closet in my house. Maybe I have to unbolt the grill that's under it.
The drain pipe goes through the slab to outside. It's been there since the house was built in the eighties. I'm assuming that repiping would be a major undertaking.
When I vacuumed it from outside, a bunch of gunk came out, so it was probably clogged. When I call tomorrow, I'm going to ask if, when they installed the system two months ago, they vacuumed out the line.
I really appreciate your taking the time to respond. I know nothing about HVAC, which I'm sure is obvious, so it's frustrating.
Would the overflowing be from the drain pan? I was trying to locate it to see if there's water in it, but I'm not sure where it is. The air handler is in a closet in my house. Maybe I have to unbolt the grill that's under it.
The drain pipe goes through the slab to outside. It's been there since the house was built in the eighties. I'm assuming that repiping would be a major undertaking.
When I vacuumed it from outside, a bunch of gunk came out, so it was probably clogged. When I call tomorrow, I'm going to ask if, when they installed the system two months ago, they vacuumed out the line.
I really appreciate your taking the time to respond. I know nothing about HVAC, which I'm sure is obvious, so it's frustrating.
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and the EPA doesn't allow releasing refrigerant!
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Yep and we know both happen.
But since he just bought the unit now is the time to hold them accountable to get him the manual that they were required to leave him.
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2 months ago!
Yes, they need to be held accountable. Do they have any qualified personal free at this time?
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You need to chase and annoy the crap out of the installer. If they tied into an old condensate drain they should have made sure that the pipe was "as new". You paid for a properly working drain, the best and easiest time to replace that old pipe is right after they demo the old unit. ARE we talking 3/4" white PVC? or a worthless piece of galvanized pipe which obviously needed replacement.
Yes, it's PVC. That would have been great to have what's there replaced, but it didn't even occur to me. Probably because it's in or under the slab, so it didn't seem like a possibility.
I have a list of questions to ask when I call tomorrow, and that will be on it.
I'd think that having it overflow after two months would indicate a problem. However, maybe in Florida in the summer you have to vacuum it out monthly. Or maybe when they installed the new system they didn't do that, so it was last done in April.
I have a list of questions to ask when I call tomorrow, and that will be on it.
I'd think that having it overflow after two months would indicate a problem. However, maybe in Florida in the summer you have to vacuum it out monthly. Or maybe when they installed the new system they didn't do that, so it was last done in April.
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The infamous Florida megga trap. I hear they require constant treatment.
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If I understand correctly the pipe goes down from the air handler under the slab and then comes up out of the ground so the entire section under the slab is full of water and plugs up with biological growth.
Yes, that would be correct, as I understand it. I see what you mean -- you'd like to see how much water the pipe holds. I thought you meant the pan. I'd like to know that too.
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Somebody else wanted to know how much it holds. I already know that holds way too much. I think the key to keeping those flowing is constant treatment with drain pan tablets.
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I cant imagine a plumber roughing in a condensate line under the slab, but then again i'm a pipefitter. It would make a mega trap with no good results.
Unless i missed it , the question remains whether there is a trap installed just off of the air handler?
My dad used to ALWAYS forget to leave thw manuals with the equipment.
Nowadays, it's easy to just download the pdf from the manufacturer.
I second the recommendation to get the drain "trap" vacuumed thoroughly, heck, I'd flush it with a garden hose to be sure the gunk gets washed out.
Then have the enzyme pan treatment tablets installed, and treat the entire line...
That mess is just a problem waiting to happen.
You may want to abandon it and have a new above slab line installed.
Nowadays, it's easy to just download the pdf from the manufacturer.
I second the recommendation to get the drain "trap" vacuumed thoroughly, heck, I'd flush it with a garden hose to be sure the gunk gets washed out.
Then have the enzyme pan treatment tablets installed, and treat the entire line...
That mess is just a problem waiting to happen.
You may want to abandon it and have a new above slab line installed.
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