Moldy Water Damage – Don’t let this happen to you!
“There is water leaking ..from my attic …into my hallway …coming out of the utility closet.” Panicked homeowners call us all summer long with the same preventable story: Their air conditioner is leaking and destroying the ceiling, rugs, floors and walls… Don’t let this happen to you!
Any Los Angeles air conditioning contractor will tell you that our air is brimming with water, 65% average humidity. All that water is processed by your air conditioner and becomes condensation.
Just like a cold drink on a hot day creates condensation on the outside of the glass, so it is when warm air from your home comes in contact with your evaporator coil. Sometimes buckets of condensation are created. A properly installed heating and cooling system is carefully designed to deal with all the excess water produced. Proper systems are equipped with a drain pan and pipe running either to the ground outside your house or maybe into a rain gutter on the roof. If this drain line is clogged, you can be facing some potentially serious issues.
What’s in a clog?
The usual culprits clog a drain; dust, dirt, rust, pet fur. Sometimes there are interesting surprises, like snails or plants that have crawled into the drain line from the outside. The wet environment can be a host for algae or fungus. Sometimes a slimy growth builds up in the drain pan or condensate line and clogs things up.
Drain Pan Treatments
We have a couple of different long lasting drain pan treatments we recommend which become activated by moisture and kill any mold, bacteria, or yeast growing in the condensate system. The Drain Pan Treatments we recommend are safe and biodegradable, prevent buildup & growths and keep drain pans clean, free flowing, and odor free.
Flushing the Condensate Drain
Kilowatt’s Safety-Sealed service technicians provide a high pressure nitrogen flush to completely clear the drain line.
The condensate drain needs to be flushed out periodically to properly maintain the system. Typically every 2-3 years, but if you have been doing construction on your property, have pets, or if your AC technician recommends the service, it’s a good idea to do it as needed.
A Warning Sign
A good air conditioning contractor will place the secondary drain outlet over a window or in a similarly noticeable place. When you see water dripping call for service. The problem can be remedied BEFORE it causes damage to your home.
To schedule air conditioning service in Los Angeles, contact Kilowatt today!
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Tags: Condensate Drain, Los Angeles
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on Condensate Drain Recommendations: Line Flush / Pan Treatment
An air conditioning system doesn’t use water to cool off the inside of a house—but water condensation is a part of the AC’s heat exchange process. If you listen to the air conditioner’s indoor cabinet when the system is running, you’ll occasionally hear the drip of water. This is the vapor from the air that gathers along the evaporator coil. As the coil evaporates the cold refrigerant moving through it to draw heat out of the air, it also draws out moisture in the air, where it condenses on the coil.