Believe it or not, your air conditioner has to deal with a fair share of moisture every year. As it cools your home, it also dehumidifies it and draws water out of the air as a byproduct. That’s why every air conditioning system has a condensate line that allows condensing water to travel out of the unit and outside where it enters the environment. Interesting, right?
That is until your drain line starts causing some serious problems for your home comfort, your air conditioner, and more. It can clog, it can be dirty and cause mold to grow, and it can even cause so much damage that it causes your ductless mini split or other air handlers to fall off the wall because of moisture.
Today, we’re going to focus in on common drain line problems and point you in the direction of our air conditioning repair in Sarasota, FL if you need professional help.
What Can Happen?
When your condensate line runs into problems, it can affect the whole cooling process. We like to think of our air conditioners as systems with a bunch of individual parts, but when one part has problems, you could see additional problems crop up. From lowered efficiency to mold growth, you’re not going to be getting the comfortable indoor air that you want when you have a condensate drain problem.
So, let’s talk about some of the most common issues we run into and what you can do about them:
A Clog
When your condensate drain clogs, it can become a huge problem. Clogs lead to stagnant water, which is the perfect place for mold to grow. Think about it, your condensate line is dark, damp, and secluded from any people or pets. What makes this worse is the fact that when mold does start to grow in the condensate line, it can be perpetuated throughout your home through your air conditioner since it’s blowing air from inside the system.
A Leak
When your condensate drain leaks, it could lead to the opposite types of problems that a clog would have. Leaks tend to mean you’re having water dripping out somewhere into your home, which could lead to mold growth in a different area (like in between your walls or in your floors). This should be addressed by a professional.
An Air Handler Issue
If you’ve got a ductless mini split, then there’s a unique problem that condensate drains can cause. Mini split air handlers are usually mounted on a wall or ceiling, which requires dry mounting equipment to stay stationary for years. When your condensate drain leaks or clogs up, it can cause moisture to permeate through your walls and the mounting equipment, causing the structure to weaken. Eventually, you could see the whole air handler plop off the wall and come crashing to the ground. Avoid this problem with regular maintenance and call us for repairs when you notice an issue with moisture.
Call Jim McDonald & Sons Heating & Cooling Inc. for proper AC care. Cooling Sarasota and Manatee Counties since 1970.