Simply Protecting Property From Air Conditioning Water Leaks
Air Conditioner Drainage – Atlanta
Ever notice water around your furnace or air handling unit? Atlanta Area air conditioning drainage is often a problem since HVAC units dispose of humidity from household air, some units also generate condensate from furnace or humidifier operations as well. What can you do to protect your property from air conditioning water leaks?
In a nutshell, in the air conditioning mode household air passes through your central air conditioning/furnace unit, into an evaporator coil, cools down, and condenses into water. Most air conditioner water leakage results from blockages in the hoses, pipes, or tubing that this excess water flows through to reach outside (the humid air often contains dust, dirt, and pollen), problems with loose fittings, connections or vapor locks forming in these water disposal lines are also issues.
Some units are equipped with an overflow pan underneath the unit. Code only requires this for units located over conditioned spaces and these are notorious for clogging with insulation or leaking at the drain fitting. The photo to the right shows an overflow pan and safety switch.
Solutions for Air Conditioning water leaks in metro Atlanta
Protecting your property from air conditioning water leaks does not have to be difficult. Treating drain lines with an algaecide (many of our customers us Clorox) or suctioning from the outside both help to keep the lines open but eventually these gravity drain lines will clog with debris or warp and create vapor locks in long horizontal runs.
The best protection is to install safety switches in the drain lines to shut the system down in the event of water backing up to prevent property damage. There are many available and most are very inexpensive. Downright cheap when you consider the cost and aggravation of the damage they cause. Empire Heating & Air Conditioning typically installs safety switches in the primary drain line to protect from the common clog, in the overflow tap of the evaporator coil to protect from drain pan leaks and underneath the unit for overall protection in the event your unit ices up or has a critical failure of the primary drain pan. It’s a Triple Play of condensate safety.
If there is water inside or around your unit, cut it off and call Empire Heating & Air Conditioning immediately at 404-294-0900. You may well need professional help for these potentially more serious troubles.
Need any other repair advice? Read Empire’s other blog posts below.