About 2-3 years ago the line clogged and I didn’t catch it for a while and we had some serious water damage. It just clogged again and I caught it pretty quick but it could have been bad.
Shop vac solves the immediate problem but I’d like a more permanent solution. Any ideas?
What’s causing the clog?
I’m assuming this is a split unit? I don’t have one, but I thought there was a float protection to prevent the AC from running if there was too mich water in it. Of course, this would probably only work if the clog was near the unit itself.
What’s causing the clog?
The clog is “gunk” but I’m not sure what is actually causing it.
When I hit it with the shop vac I can hear it clearing a blockage of MISC gunk.
“Gunk” is probably a combination of algae sludge plus any captured lint from the ventilation. Not much to do about the algae other than blast it with a disinfectant like bleach once in a while.
How’s the incoming air filtration into the unit? Is it sealed reasonably well at the filter?
Pour bleach down the tube once a month. There’s usually an opening for it.
There is an opening… I might start this. Change the filters and feed it some bleach
My drain has a float switch. If the line clogs and water backs up, it turns off the unit. I also have a leak sensor in the pan that integrates with my security system.
A permanent fix would be a larger drain or a backup drain.
My shit is pretty old and there isn’t a float switch. We’re planning on a full replacement next year so maybe this is the answer.
A float switch is cheap and easy to install, but I would hire a pro to do it.
Not exactly a “fix”, but a water alarm can ensure an overflow doesn’t go unnoticed… but then you’ve got a battery to remember.
That said, the ones I have under my sink and near my water heater have been running on the original 9v battery for over 8 years now
I live in Florida, I keep two things on hand for my HVAC drain line. First is condensate cleaner (less harmful to the plastic than bleach) which I use monthly and my backup is a Gallo Drain Gun. Even on my worst blockages, 2 shots of the drain gun cleared it out.
Do maintenance on the air filters. The water is being condensed straight from the air so it’s not hard water or anything. The only explanation is that enough dust is settling in the water that it clogs the drain. There must be some kind of air filter upstream of where dust can collect in the water line, and that air filter probably needs replacing.
