A/C condensate drain clogged advice

[airehead]

Nitrogen and a drain dawg


NO BLEACH NO BLEACH
use vinegar to keep it clear

[Monark]

I cut the drain line where it comes out of the pan and installed a ball valve there, then I installed a T downstream from that with a short piece of pipe sticking up and a cap. When mine clogs up I close that ball valve so air doesn’t go back into the unit, and use compressed air where the cap is.


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I reckon we're all on the same page but using different terms. Pan is below the evaporator to catch overflow. If everything is working as designed, there will never be any water in this pan and you will never see water dripping out from the pipe under you soffit. Evaporator has a hard piped drain usually with standpipes to pour cleaner in. Don't pour bleach in the standpipes unless you have a block valve to keep the bleach fumes from the aluminum evaporator coils. Aluminum does not like bleach. Or Ammonia.

[Dale Moser]

A/C condensate drain clogged advice

I reckon we're all on the same page but using different terms. Pan is below the evaporator to catch overflow. If everything is working as designed, there will never be any water in this pan and you will never see water dripping out from the pipe under you soffit. Evaporator has a hard piped drain usually with standpipes to pour cleaner in. Don't pour bleach in the standpipes unless you have a block valve to keep the bleach fumes from the aluminum evaporator coils. Aluminum does not like bleach. Or Ammonia.

Yes, I was going by my poor memory. I cut the primary drain where it comes out of the unit, and did the above. It drains into my wife's bathroom sink drain.

[stuntriderant]

Duct tape shop vac hose to the drain outside. If you have an opening before the P trap where it comes out of the indoor coil just plug it to create a stronger vacuume.

[kmitchl]

Yes, I was going by my poor memory. I cut the primary drain where it comes out of the unit, and did the above. It drains into my wife's bathroom sink drain.

This works. Without the ball valve when you try to blow the line down the air all goes back into the air handler rather than into the drain.

[Krivoman]

take shop vac to outside drip lines coming out of house. You should be able to slide it over pvc and push it flush against house so make good suction. I have done mine several times.

[Dale Moser]

His drain line, at least the one he’s looking at now, is 20’ off the ground.

I suspect that is the secondary. Need to clear the primary 1st, which is likely under a sink. Then clear that one.


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[Terran28]

HVAC graduate here, with 30 years "experience" with my dad (took the course just for fun to get the EPA cert and to be able to fall back on a trade just in case). The OP originally stated EMERGENCY Drain Pan. There should be ZERO water in the emergency drain pan. If there is, you have a bigger problem. If it is the main drain line, then yes you should be able to blow it out. If not, you do not pour anything down the drain to get it unclogged, you REPIPE the drain if you cant blow it or suck it out easily. The ONLY reason that bleach is to be used is to take care of the slime in the main drain pan below the coil. But as @texasforever stated, they make drain tabs now you can put in them. And @Dale Moser pic, I have never seen the main drain pan piped double before. It should only be the lowest drain port and the emergency drain pan also piped only. There should also be a float switch cut off inline with either breaking red or yellow to the thermostat to stop any flooding that might occur.

[jds247]

Nitrogen and a drain dawg


NO BLEACH NO BLEACH
use vinegar to keep it clear

Why no bleach ? I've used bleech for years ..

[texasforever]

Why no bleach ? I've used bleech for years ..

Bleach erodes PVC over time, most pour it before the trap causing it to sit there and can make the pvc brittle. Not a issue in high volume lines like a sink but your AC might put out a gallon or two of water a day which usually isn’t enough to wash away the residue. Not one of those things that will always cause an issue but there is much better products out there that are pvc safe


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[jds247]

Bleach erodes PVC over time, most pour it before the trap causing it to sit there and can make the pvc brittle. Not a issue in high volume lines like a sink but your AC might put out a gallon or two of water a day which usually isn’t enough to wash away the residue. Not one of those things that will always cause an issue but there is much better products out there that are pvc safe


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Thanks I didn't know that.. I'll stop using it..

[texasforever]

Thanks I didn't know that.. I'll stop using it..

Not sure if I’d order off Amazon, but these are the best out there that I’ve found. Bottle will last you 2-3 years and are $20 ish a bottle when I go buy them. Just chunk one or two in your units main drain every couple months and you’re good to go


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[Hardware]

I just found where the primary drained (master bathroom sink) and cut so I could add a clear PVC flex hose with screw clamps and every spring I use shop vac and suck line from that point to clear any build up. Haven't had an issue since with AC overflow due to clogged line.