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Started By
Message
Condensation line constantly clogged
Posted on 10/19/25 at 6:41 pm
Posted on 10/19/25 at 6:41 pm
The rental I'm in constatnly has issues with the A/C condensation line backing up. It occurs a couple times a year. My landlord is trying to say I'm not changing air filters often enough or I'm setting the temp on the thermostat too low.
I keep it set on 75 during the day, 72 in the evening, and 70 when i go to bed.
I've never had this occur anywhere else i live. Anyone had ideas of why this might be happening or how to fix it?
I keep it set on 75 during the day, 72 in the evening, and 70 when i go to bed.
I've never had this occur anywhere else i live. Anyone had ideas of why this might be happening or how to fix it?
10
Posted on 10/19/25 at 7:33 pm to Bobandus
quote:
Anyone had ideas of why this might be happening or how to fix it?
It's not getting cleaned out good enough. Have you blown it out with an air compressor? How old is the condensate line? Is it vented at the top? Still have proper pitch?
I very much doubt temp setting has beans to do with it. Nor the filter changing.
Posted on 10/19/25 at 7:47 pm to Bobandus
Have you tried pouring bleach down the line?
Posted on 10/19/25 at 8:02 pm to Bobandus
Gotta flush the line quarterly
Posted on 10/19/25 at 8:05 pm to Bobandus
Posted on 10/19/25 at 8:12 pm to Bobandus
This is a warning that your landlord is not interested in maintaining his asset. I would get away for that guy as soon as it makes sense.
Posted on 10/19/25 at 8:43 pm to FOBW
quote:
This is a warning that your landlord is not interested in maintaining his asset. I would get away for that guy as soon as it makes sense.
True... next thing you'll have a...
"Sir, my roof is leaking. Dripping on the bed."
"Well, sounds to me like you ought to move your bed over some. Make sure to put a pan under the leak, so it doesn't hurt my floor."
Posted on 10/19/25 at 8:55 pm to Bobandus
quote:Your landlord is a dumbass.
My landlord is trying to say I'm not changing air filters often enough or I'm setting the temp on the thermostat too low.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:05 pm to RoyalWe
Another thing I like to do is put the shop vac on the end of the drain line and suck everything out. Works pretty dange well.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:46 pm to Bobandus
Pour white vinegar down the line once/month when you change your filter.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:47 pm to MemphisGuy
It's not getting cleaned out good enough. Have you blown it out with an air compressor? How old is the condensate line? Is it vented at the top? Still have proper pitch?
all good ideas, mine was the pitch, the harness holding it up broke. water cant flow uphill. could be a very simple fix.
all good ideas, mine was the pitch, the harness holding it up broke. water cant flow uphill. could be a very simple fix.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 3:11 pm to ThermoDynamicTiger
quote:
Another thing I like to do is put the shop vac on the end of the drain line and suck everything out. Works pretty dange well.
Most newer homes you can't do that as they drain into the homes plumbing usually through a bathroom line
Posted on 10/21/25 at 7:51 pm to MemphisGuy
quote:
It's not getting cleaned out good enough. Have you blown it out with an air compressor? How old is the condensate line? Is it vented at the top? Still have proper pitch?
I very much doubt temp setting has beans to do with it. Nor the filter changing.
This is what i was thinking. I bet the HVAC guy that's been repairing it has just been evacuating the water and pouting some bleach/vinegar down it. There's probably a clog somewhere that's incompletely removed.
I don't know how old the condensate line is but apparently the whole system was changed around 2018. Not sure if it's vented at the top. I know where it drains because i've tried to attach a shop vac to it before. Got a little water and gunk out, but not enough to get the system running again.
HVAC guy that fixed it last time made mention of aluminum coils rather than copper promote more growth of junk in the line. He also said something about the way the line is run may affect it.
My landlord is actually pretty good about timely repairs, but was a little pissed this happened again. He has a "service agreement" with an HVAC company (whatever that is), and said he gets charged like $700 every time they come out to fix this. If that's true, he's getting screwed on the price. I might believe that happened one time when he had them come out out to fix it on the weekend in the blazing hot summer.
At this point I almost wonder if the HVAC guys are taking him for a ride and will gladly charge him for a "service agreement" and a few $700 bills a year to drain the condensate line.
Posted on 10/21/25 at 8:15 pm to Bobandus
quote:
At this point I almost wonder if the HVAC guys are taking him for a ride and will gladly charge him for a "service agreement" and a few $700 bills a year to drain the condensate line.
If?
Posted on 10/21/25 at 8:33 pm to WigSplitta22
quote:
Most newer homes you can't do that as they drain into the homes plumbing usually through a bathroom line
You can also suck it or blow it from the air handler side.
Do you have a shop vac OP? I agree some of them are just pains. The best thing is to vacuum it out completely dry. Then fill it back up with clean water, then add a cup or more of bleach. Nuke it all.
Vinegar on the reg is a good idea but it’s just a mild acid. 30% vinegar is like 5x the price of bleach so I just prefer bleach.
Posted on 10/21/25 at 8:51 pm to Bobandus
He has a "service agreement" with an HVAC company (whatever that is), and said he gets charged like $700 every time they come out to fix this.
--
He's getting raped.
I usually pay my guy $100 to blow out a line. The big boys in town charge $300.
--
He's getting raped.
I usually pay my guy $100 to blow out a line. The big boys in town charge $300.
Posted on 10/22/25 at 1:53 pm to baldona
quote:
You can also suck it or blow it from the air handler side.
You mean from the evap coil side? That would be hard as hell to do
Posted on 10/22/25 at 2:33 pm to Bobandus
quote:
Anyone had ideas of why this might be happening or how to fix it?
There can be some pretty heavy mineral build up in those lines if they aren't thoroughly cleaned.
A cap full of vinegar every quarter is a good step to keeping them clean, but you have to blow out that built up gunk before that works.
An air compressor might not be enough. I use a 5 pound CO2 cylinder. The valve fits pretty snugly up to the line. Wear a leather glove and hold the connection tight, and slowly open the valve on the tank. That's 800 PSI and it will blow anything in that line out of the line.
Posted on 10/22/25 at 2:35 pm to ItzMe1972
quote:
I usually pay my guy $100 to blow out a line
Go to your local welding supply and buy a 5 pound CO2 cylinder, it's what is used for kegerators. You will pay around $150 for a full tank and it will last a decade + if you just use it to periodically blow out lines
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