Why does My AC Drain Line Back Up?
Your air conditioner’s drain line is responsible for carrying water away from your unit and distributing it outdoors. This keeps your unit clear of unwanted condensation that can negatively impact your unit’s function, which could result in AC replacement.
Stagnant water accumulated around your AC unit could result in corrosion or rust of metal parts that make contact with the water or are located near it. Rust shortens the life of your system and could result in earlier AC replacement, which can be an extremely expensive issue.
A properly working drain line is essential to the overall health and proper function of your unit.
Why Your AC Drain Line Backs Up
Here are a few reasons why your drain line can back up.
The main reason is due to extreme use. Your system runs approximately 8-12 hours per day depending on the time of year. In our Southwest Florida climate, that excessive run time creates several gallons of water.
-Condensation (a.k.a. water) is an inhibitor for algae buildup. Algae can begin regenerating in size within 24 hours. Within 30 days the algae can double in size, causing a major blockage.
-Dirt, dust, or airborne particles. When air filters are not changed regularly (every month) dust or airborne particles will push through the filters and build up on the evaporator coil. In turn, the debris then gets washed off the coil when condensation is created from the system running.
The debris then settles resulting in a clogged drain line.
NOTE: When water and a food source are combined, a perfect storm is created, accelerating the growth of algae.
-Underground drain lines are more susceptible to backups due to the location of the installation. The line connected at your indoor unit runs under the home or condo, then back up, terminating in a location in the yard.
The length of this run could be as long as 50′ depending on the application.
This process allows water to consistently sit in the drain line throughout the year, giving algae a prime opportunity to grow.
-Insects and frogs can also be a major cause of a clogged drain line.
Additional Cleaning Prevents AC Drain Line Back Up
Regular maintenance to your HVAC system is extremely important for so many reasons, including to keep your drain line clear.
In fact, it is the one thing you can do to keep from experiencing major repairs or even an AC replacement.
Although maintenance is performed every six months as part of our Preventative Maintenance Agreement (PMA), factors such as the ones mentioned above can cause the drain line to back up between scheduled visits.
To ease this potential financial burden, we offer an extended drain line warranty to help prevent expensive service calls and early AC replacement. The service includes additional cleanings at a reduced price.
Here is an example of why this warranty is a good investment.
Our diagnostic fee for PMA customers is $125.00 per call. If you were to have a backed-up drain line before your next scheduled maintenance, the service call would cost $256.00.
$125.00 (diagnostic fee) + ($131.00 cleaning) = $256.00.
Instead, for a flat fee of $100 per year, your drain line is covered throughout the year regardless of how many service calls we make. The warranty could potentially save you hundreds of dollars per year and avoid an AC replacement.
Contact Us For AC Drain Line Back up
If you are unsure if your unit’s drain line has been compromised, contact us for a complete inspection and diagnosis.
Sunset Air and Home Services has been serving SW Florida for nearly 30 years. We appreciate this community and look forward to serving homeowners, just like you. The foundation of our culture is finding the right solution for our clients so they are happy and comfortable in their home.
Contact us, 239-693-9005
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