The condensate drain is one component of your cooling system that you may not be familiar with, but it can be a source of unpleasant odors, a decline in air quality or significant water damage if it malfunctions. You can avoid all this by learning about the issues that frequently cause problems with a drainage system and dealing with them promptly.
No Water in the Drain Trap
If your condensate drain setup is like most, it feeds into your home’s sewer line to expel water. The line is equipped with a trap that retains just enough water to create a seal that keeps sewer gas from backing up through the HVAC system. It’s not unusual to notice a sewer odor briefly when you start up the A/C for the season, but if you smell it with every cycle of the blower fan, your HVAC pro may need to adjust the drain line so the trap doesn’t dry out.
Dirt on the Evaporator Coil
It’s easy for debris particles to get carried down into your A/Cs drain system if the evaporator coil is dirty. Eventually, all that debris can form a blockage in the line, and when the condensate can’t drain, it will overflow the collector pan and flood your home. To avoid any water damage, have your technician clean the coil during your yearly A/C maintenance visit, and change the air filter once a month during the cooling season.
Algae and Mold Growth
The warmth, moisture and ready supply of particles makes your condensate drainage system the perfect home for algae and mold. With these conditions, either one can quickly form a clog in the line and cause a condensate backup. A thriving mold colony can also spread to the ducting and enter your air supply. If mold infiltrates the evaporator coil, it can restrict airflow enough to damage your HVAC equipment. To keep algae and mold growth under control, clean the pan and flush out the drain line regularly.
If you’re having condensate drain issues in your Indianapolis home, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing for help.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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