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Message
Easiest way to keep A/C drip pan from filling up?
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:36 pm
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:36 pm
My drip pan has been filling up. I've gone into the attic and scooped water out but is there a way to fix this without calling an A/C company?
I know it involves doing something with the PVC pipe that is connected to the unit. What does the OT recommend?
I know it involves doing something with the PVC pipe that is connected to the unit. What does the OT recommend?
19
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:37 pm to King of New Orleans
Clean your P trap
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:39 pm to King of New Orleans
Bleach down the drain. Check the inside coil to see if its dirty. If it is you made need to clean it.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:40 pm to Notro
Coils are clean. Do I need to mix water with the bleach? How much should your pour into the pipe?
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:42 pm to King of New Orleans
Pour straight, couple ounces, just need to dissolve the algae
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:44 pm to King of New Orleans
Do you have an air compressor? You can blow the trash out of the drain line.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:45 pm to King of New Orleans
Get your drain pipe clean.
Don't just pour bleach if it's clogged as it can damage the pvc if it just sits. You can use vinegar but if it's clogged it won't likely fix it. Use a shop vac to suck out the water from the pan and then use it to blow air through the drain pipe.
I had this problem last week. After doing all of this, I was still having water back up so I called my AC guy. He used a co2 cartridge to clean the line and was there for like 5 minutes. Cost me $20.
Don't just pour bleach if it's clogged as it can damage the pvc if it just sits. You can use vinegar but if it's clogged it won't likely fix it. Use a shop vac to suck out the water from the pan and then use it to blow air through the drain pipe.
I had this problem last week. After doing all of this, I was still having water back up so I called my AC guy. He used a co2 cartridge to clean the line and was there for like 5 minutes. Cost me $20.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:45 pm to King of New Orleans
Burn house down
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:45 pm to King of New Orleans
Do you have an air compressor? The AC guy will probably put an air hose in the drain pipe and blast it clear.
Put a towel over the drains in nearby showers/baths that could be connected. Otherwise you may blow gunk on the ceiling.
After it is clear, start pouring bleach in it monthly to avoid buildup.
Put a towel over the drains in nearby showers/baths that could be connected. Otherwise you may blow gunk on the ceiling.
After it is clear, start pouring bleach in it monthly to avoid buildup.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:48 pm to King of New Orleans
That's your overflow pan, which should stay dry unless there is a problem. Clearing the drain pipe for it is only treating one of the symptoms. Take off the panel at the evaporator coils and check to see if it's dirty. The condensation is suppose to run down the fins to the primary pan that is inside of the unit. If dirty the water will just drop down instead of running down the coils to the primary. If the coils are clean you have a drain issue from the primary. If you don't feel comfortable checking all of that stuff out get in touch with BigEdLSU. I know he's been pretty busy so if you need his number email me at tdfunkjunky @ gmail.com
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:51 pm to King of New Orleans
Extremely timely thread, as mine overfilled yesterday afternoon and started dripping through the air filter grate in the hallway. I went up in the attic to scope it out and found that the drain pipe had something small thrown on top of it, keeping it at an angle where the gravity-feed wouldn't work. So I fixed that, but since the water had been sitting stagnant in the pipe so long it clogged up.
Eta- I wrote the next part before reading the entire thread, obviously
I'm thinking my next move will be somewhat ghetto/genius, as I plan on going outside to the drain outlet and adapting the shop vac to suction it out, like emptying a fish tank. Any reason this would be a bad idea?
Eta- I wrote the next part before reading the entire thread, obviously
I'm thinking my next move will be somewhat ghetto/genius, as I plan on going outside to the drain outlet and adapting the shop vac to suction it out, like emptying a fish tank. Any reason this would be a bad idea?
This post was edited on 8/27/16 at 3:52 pm
Posted on 8/27/16 at 3:51 pm to King of New Orleans
Easiest way to keep the A/C drip pan from filling up is to turn off the A/C. Just sayin'.
Other than that, clean out the drain line. My old house had a drain only a few feet from the pan to where it left the house. I got myself a trombone cleaning snake and would just use that to clean out the drain. A little bleach periodically would keep the growth from coming back.
Other than that, clean out the drain line. My old house had a drain only a few feet from the pan to where it left the house. I got myself a trombone cleaning snake and would just use that to clean out the drain. A little bleach periodically would keep the growth from coming back.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:10 pm to King of New Orleans
Run your drain line properly
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:31 pm to King of New Orleans
That s not the drip pan, to the emergency pan. It only get wiser when something else is wrong. Either you have a leak in the primary pan or you have a clogged condensate drain line.
If you have a wet vac you can try to suck the trap clean. Depending on what is in the trap you may need to cut it out and build another if it won't blow out or suck clean. As others have stated pour bleach into it every somoften to keep it clean.
If you have a wet vac you can try to suck the trap clean. Depending on what is in the trap you may need to cut it out and build another if it won't blow out or suck clean. As others have stated pour bleach into it every somoften to keep it clean.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:41 pm to tigeraddict
As mentioned earlier you can use a shop vac. Find where the drainpipe comes out of the house and shop vac the line from there. Also as mentioned, pouring some bleach down the line periodically may help keep the algae from building up.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:46 pm to King of New Orleans
poke a hole in it.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:47 pm to tigeraddict
You can get chlorine tablets from a pool supply store. Place then next to the drain hole and they will slowly dissolve over time. Keeps the drain clear of algae for months a t a time.
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:48 pm to King of New Orleans
Had this problem once. I actually used an pool algaecide and poured it into my drain line. This may solve you problem and it may not. My issue was in the a trap in the wall, not the small one near my AC. The setup from the AC to the drain line was kind of crappy, I re-plumbed it, haven't had issues since. It is also possible that it is trash in the line from dirty coils, etc.
If it is algae. you could add these to the evaporator pan (not the overflow pan) to help prevent algae growth. Air Conditioner Pan Cleaner Tablets
If it is algae. you could add these to the evaporator pan (not the overflow pan) to help prevent algae growth. Air Conditioner Pan Cleaner Tablets
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:49 pm to King of New Orleans
I think white vinegar is suggested into the drain pipe as well?
But also get an emergency stop installed if there isn't one to shut off the unit before the backup pan overflows
But also get an emergency stop installed if there isn't one to shut off the unit before the backup pan overflows
Posted on 8/27/16 at 4:51 pm to Shankopotomus
quote:
But also get an emergency stop installed if there isn't one to shut off the unit before the backup pan overflows
Do this, it's pretty much standard practice now, with good reason.
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