If the drain line gets blocked, you may experience reduced cooling efficiency, water leakage, frozen coils, Mold and mildew growth, and even a shutdown of your entire air conditioning system.
You should flush your AC drain line once every three months to keep it clear of debris and buildup. Keeping your AC drain line clean prevents clogs, backups, mold growth, and extra wear on your AC unit.
Symptoms of a clogged air conditioner drain line
Water damage near the indoor unit, including rust on the bottom of the unit. Musty smell when the AC is running. Heat pump/AC not cooling house. Heat pump/AC not turning on.
Flush Condensate Drain Line
The repair cost to have the drain line flushed runs between $75 to $250.
Please don't use bleach. It can eat away at the glue in the joints, causing leaks in your drain line. Hot water or 30% vinegar is best. Also, you can occasionally use a wet/dry vacuum to clear the line.
Water and Dish Soap
Use a mixture of both to clean your AC drain line. The dish soap will help to break down the dirt and debris, while the water will flush it away. To use this method, mix a quart of water and a teaspoon of dish soap. Next, pour the mixture into the drain line and allow it to sit for several hours.
Effects on Metal and PVC Pipes
While harmless for most metal and PVC pipes, prolonged exposure to the acidic nature of vinegar might corrode certain metals, like copper. PVC pipes, on the other hand, can withstand these substances without damage.
The dehumidification process happens within the air handler (your AC's indoor unit). Air blows across the evaporator coil, where moisture condenses and drips into a drain pan. From there, the moisture travels outside your home via a pipe called a drain line.
Vinegar or hydrogen peroxide
This can help break down the clog, making it easier to pass on its own. After the 30 minutes is up, flush the drain with water to ensure everything is flowing as it should.
It's completely normal for your AC to drain 5-20 gallons of water outside of your home (via the condensate drain). It's NOT normal for your AC to drain any amount of water inside your home (around your indoor AC unit).
If there is a clog in the drain unit of your air conditioner, it will create a mess for you. The operation of your AC will remain the same, but the drain pan will overflow, and float will switch the AC off. This condition can also cause some damage to your AC, but it will not affect its cooling capacity.
Common condensate issues
Common ways to identify if your condensate pipe is blocked are listening for an unusual gurgling sound when the boiler attempts to start, or the boiler may repeatedly 'lock out' or stop working and display an EA code.
Ensure that the solution reaches as far as possible down the line. Let it sit for about 30 minutes to allow the vinegar to break down any buildup. Flush the Drain Line.
Before you panic, rest assured that white slime isn't uncommon. It's a biofilm composed mainly of bacteria called Zooglea. Zooglea forms a protective layer around itself, thriving in the dark, damp environment of your AC's drain pan.
Add ¼ cup of distilled vinegar to the drain line through the opening where the cap was removed. It's recommended you use regular distilled white vinegar, as the increased acidity boosts its cleaning properties. If you find the smell of vinegar foul, you can also use peroxide or hot water and a dash of dish soap.
Cleaning AC Drain Line
We recommend using vinegar instead of a bleach solution because bleach can cause corrosion if you have copper tubing in your AC's drain line. In addition, spilling bleach can ruin your carpet or clothing, whereas vinegar does not harm; it just leaves an odor.
To unclog an AC drain line, turn off the power to the unit. Locate the drain line and use a wet/dry vacuum to suck out the clog. Flush the line with water using a garden hose or cup of water. Check and clean the drain pan under the indoor unit.
Average Unclog AC Drain Line Cost
Typical unclog ac drain line costs can range anywhere from $75-$250. In the case that the evaporator coil needs replacing, you are would pay between $400 to $950.
One of the most obvious signs is a puddle of water in your AC's drain pan, which proves the water isn't draining as it should. Other signs include: Standing water near your air conditioner's condenser unit. A moldy smell around the drain or from your system's vents and registers.
The fizzing reaction and gas created may help loosen some small blockages. However, it is not typically strong enough to break down larger clogs or remove hard-to-reach debris. As a result of the above facts, if you have a serious drain clog, using baking soda and vinegar is unlikely to be effective.
You can pour bleach down the drain without worrying about the safety of your PVC pipes, but it can be dangerous if it combines with certain things trapped in the pipe, such as ammonia or vinegar. This can create poisonous gases, which can come back up the drain and affect your health.
Drain Line Material
Chlorine bleach can quickly eat away at not only the line but the glue and cement joining the line to the fittings and the condensation pan. If your drain line is PVC, stick to white distilled vinegar for clearing clogs and debris, particularly during winter.