What Is The Purpose Of The Condensate Drain Line?

The primary purpose of the condensate drain pan is to collect excess water that comes from the air conditioning process .

Why is a condensate line necessary?

Why is your condensate line important? Your condensate line keeps moisture from building up inside your home and, specifically, inside your HVAC unit. Moisture is the enemy of any functioning appliance as it can lead to mildew, mold spores and corrosion.

Should there be water in my condensate line?

The condensate line should drain to the outdoors and during humid weather you should see plenty of water dripping from it. If it’s not dripping, it’s not draining! If there is standing water in the drain pan, your condensate drain is clogged!

Where does my condensate drain go?

In newer homes, HVAC condensate drains are tied most often to bathroom drains . Common drain lines inside your home include in your bathrooms (sinks, shower or tub, toilet), kitchen (sink, water line to your freezer), laundry room, and water heater.

What is condensate drain line?

A condensate draining system is the exit route for moisture as air passes through the evaporator coil . Mainly, the coil removes humidity from the air, converting it to water. It is deposited into the pan, passes through the draining line, all the way down to the exit pipe.

Does furnace need condensate drain?

In order for the furnace to work properly, that condensation needs to be drained out or else it would accumulate inside the heat exchanger, inducer and venting, impeding proper gas/combustion product flow. ... The condensate trap is absolutely mandatory for a high-efficiency gas furnace.

What is a condensate tube?

The condensate drain tube in your HVAC system can play an essential role in both your heating and cooling systems. Depending on the type of furnace and/or air conditioner installed in your house, a condensate drain line carries away liquid that is a byproduct of the heating or cooling process .

How often should you clean your condensate line?

Kill any harmful bacteria or buildup and make sure your system continues to operate at peak performance by cleaning your drain line every 30 days .

How often should you put vinegar in your AC drain line?

There is no exact amount you need to add, but around 1⁄4 a cup should be fine. – Repeat every month for a clean and bacteria free drain line! Be aware, that if at any time while doing this you see water pooled, or the vinegar will not go down the drain, you may have a blockage.

Does a condensate drain need a vent?

In an AC drain, the condensate pan is the vent. No additional vent pipe is required . The line should continually slope down to the outside. The steeper the better.

Can you snake an AC drain line?

If you have a very stubborn clog that doesn’t come out with a shop vac and water, then you can try using a drain snake. Push the drain snake down into the drain line access near the air handler . Make sure the that the drain snake does not go towards your air handler or you could potentially damage the evaporator coil.

What is drain line?

Drain lines are a part of a drain waste vent (DWV) system and are used to expel sewage, grey water and industrial waste fluids . Drain lines are sometimes vented to maintain sufficient air pressure inside the drain lines to aid the free flow of waste matter.

Can condensate drain to ground?

Both air conditioning condensate and refrigeration condensate are on the list of allowable discharges, provided that such water is distilled pure water taken from the atmosphere. However, any cleaning water or washwater can not be discharged to the ground , but must be captured for disposal in the sanitary sewer system.

Why does my furnace have a drain pipe?

The metal exhaust pipe connected to your furnace is designed to collect and vent away the gases produced during the combustion process . Those gases are supposed to exit the exhaust pipe and enter the atmosphere before they have time to cool down and condense into water.

Why does water drain from furnace?

Again, the most common reason for a leaking furnace is a condensation leak . High-efficiency furnaces extract heat from the combustion gases for a longer period of time than a standard-efficiency furnace does, causing the gases to cool, then condense. The condensation is routed to a floor drain.

Why do boilers condensate?

Condensing boilers use as much of the heat possible that’s created from the burning of fuels such as gas and oil. They do this by transferring as much of the heat possible, that would usually be lost to the atmosphere and produce condensation as a result.

How often do drain lines clog?

A good general rule is to have your home’s sewer lines cleaned out every 18 to 22 months . That may be difficult to remember, but think of it as a year and a half to slightly less than two years.

How do I keep my AC drain line clear?

1. Find and inspect the condensate line in your home or garage. ...
2. Check the outside unit to make sure the drain pipe is not obstructed. ...
3. If possible, use a wet-dry shop vac to remove any excess water from the drain pan and condensate/drain line. ...
4. Add a 1⁄2 cup of vinegar to the condensate/drain line.

How do you tell if your AC drain is clogged?

1. Musty, moldy smell near your indoor unit or in air from the registers/vents.
2. Standing water near the indoor unit.
3. Water damage in areas near the indoor unit.
4. AC system is not cooling your home.
5. AC system shuts down or doesn’t turn on.

Can you pour bleach down AC drain line?

Just pour a cup of bleach in the drain line’s access opening near the indoor air conditioning unit. This will kill any algae, mold or mildew that has formed in the pipe. If the condensate drain line is clogged, you will need to use a wet-dry vacuum or a special pump to unclog the line.

Why does my AC drain keeps clogging?

Why Is My AC Pipe Clogged? An AC pipe usually develops a clog due to algae . Because of warm air that blows over the cold evaporator coil of the HVAC, the drain pipe can get pretty humid; and along with the condensate traveling through the pipe, these conditions are perfect for algae to thrive.

How much does it cost to clean an AC drain line?

If this condensate drain pipe is clogged, then the water flow is restricted, which causes water leaks in your home. To repair this line may cost you between $75 to $250 .

Does a condensate drain need AP trap?

A P-trap is needed to block air and allow condensate to drain properly .

What size PVC is used for AC drain line?

The termination of the condensate drain pipe shall connect indirectly to the drywell drain pipe. The drywell drain pipe to be a minimum of 1-1/2” PVC or other approved material.

Can you drain AC condensate into sewer?

Should you be worried about an AC condensate drain into the sewer? A simple answer would be yes . An AC condensate line should never connect to sewage directly. This lets the sewage air enter your AC system.

What is the proper termination for the primary condensate drain line?

The most popular areas we terminate condensate drain lines to is the side of the house and usually about six inches from the ground . And this can be in a planted area that is large enough to accept the amount of drainage, and soak down into the earth.

Where do you pour vinegar in your air conditioner?

1. Find your drain line. It should be near your drain pan, located near the air handler. ...
2. Remove the cap.
3. Pour in 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar. ...
4. Place the cap back on the drain line.

Does vinegar help unclog drains?

Vinegar is made up of water and acetic acid, which is (you guessed it) an acid. ... Baking soda, vinegar and boiling water can help clean drains naturally , but you may need something stronger, like Liquid-Plumr, to fully unclog those really tough drain clogs.

What is the difference between a drain line and a sewer line?

Behind the walls and under the floors of your home is a system of pipes that carries all your home’s wastewater away and out into the city sewer system . The main sewer line is outside the home, while drain lines are inside your house. ...

Can condensate drain to sanitary sewer?

Condensate from all cooling coils or evaporators shall be conveyed from the drain pan outlet to an approved place of disposal. ... Different municipalities may require condensate be disposed of to the sanitary sewer, while others may require disposal to building exterior or storm drainage piping.

What do you do with condensate water?

Condensate reuse may include subsurface irrigation or process makeup (such as a cooling tower), where water is treated for biological contamination. If it is to be used for potable water or for washing, proper disinfection of the water is required.

Where is the main line drain in a house?

It can typically be found in the basement, crawl space or garage . You will want to search for a pipe that is approximately four inches in diameter with a screw cap on the top that has a notch or square knob at the top. Note that some homes have an indoor sewer cleanout point, while others may be located outdoors.

How do sink drains work?

Drains work by using simple gravity . When you push down the sink plunger, the drain sucks water through the opening into the appliance drain line. As the water falls straight down the vertical appliance line, it gathers speed and velocity. That speed allows it to move past the p-trap and into your home’s drainpipes.