What To Know About Your AC's Condensate Drain
Your home's central air conditioning system has several components that all work together to create cold air for your home. While you may be very familiar with the compressor or air handler, you may have very little knowledge of some other parts. The air conditioner's condensate drain is one component you should understand due to the potential problems it can cause.
What The Condensate Drain Does
Your air conditioner works by pulling in warm air from your home into the main air handler. It takes that warm air and has it pass over the unit's evaporator coil, which extracts the heat and essentially cools down the air.
What you may not realize is that moisture extracted from the warm air is collected in the unit's condensate pan. The water is removed in one of several ways. It may naturally flow out into a nearby drain in the floor or use a pump to force the water through a tube and into a drain located farther away. Either way, the water needs to leave the drain and exit your home.
How The Condensate Drain Can Stop Working
Be aware that a condensate drain can potentially have a clog that will stop the water from leaving the system. This can lead to several problems that you may not be aware of. If the condensate drain has a float, it could potentially shut down your air conditioner to prevent water from going into the floor due to overflowing. This can cause the air conditioner to have a problem where it doesn't turn on and you do not understand why. While you may think that overflowing water is not a big deal for a unit installed in a basement, other homes may have the air handler installed on a first or second floor where water can cause some significant damage
Water trapped in the condensate drain could also lead to mold growth due to it being located in a cold and dark place, so you'll want to take care of any clogs as soon as you notice them.
If you do run into a problem with a clogged condensate drain that you do not know how to fix, reach out to a local HVAC contractor for assistance with making the repair.
For more information on AC parts, such as the condensate drain, or to schedule an appointment, contact an AC repair company like Circulating Solutions.
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