Clogged Air Conditioner Drain Pipe

Tampa Homeowners Guide to Overflowing AC Drain Pans and Clogged Drain Lines

As air circulates through your air conditioner’s evaporator coil, particles of dust and dirt can be trapped by moisture and eventually build up in your condensate drain line. Left untreated, a clogged AC drain line will reduce your air conditioner’s cooling power and eventually cause your AC to shut down.

Below, we describe the common signs your AC condensate drain line is clogged and what to do about it if you live in Southeast Tampa.

Signs Your AC Drain Line Is Clogged

Symptoms of a clogged AC drain line include:

• Musty, moldy smell near your indoor unit or in air from the registers/vents
• Standing water near the indoor unit
• Water damage in areas near the indoor unit
• AC system is not cooling your home
• AC system shuts down or doesn’t turn on

If you are experiencing these symptoms, schedule a visit from one of our HVAC technicians. We’ll clear your clogged air conditioner drain line, and we can perform a full AC tune-up, too, if desired.

Why Is My AC Drain Pipe Clogged?

When warm air blows over the cold evaporator coil of your HVAC, humidity condenses inside the drain pipe. The warm, humid environment is conducive to mold and mildew growth. Combined with the accumulation of dirt and dust particles, this buildup can block your AC drain pipe.

How to Clear a Clogged AC Drain Line

As a part of our preventative AC maintenance service, our technicians inspect your condensate drain line and clear debris during your annual AC tune-up. If you don’t perform routine annual AC maintenance, you could experience an AC drain clogging problem.

Your All American HVAC technician will:

• Check the AC drain pan for standing water
• Clear the drain pan of water using rags and/or a shop vac
• Clean the drain pan to prevent mold and bacteria growth
• Remove visible debris from the AC drain and drain pipe opening
• Clear the clogged drain using a shop vac
• Test the drain to ensure it’s flowing clearly without obstruction
• Clean the drain pipe with a specially formulated PVC cleaner to prevent mold growth
• Reassemble any removed parts, restore power, and test your AC system

Why Is Unclogging Your AC Drain Pipe Important?

The condensate line releases moisture collected by your air conditioner’s evaporator coil as air passes over it. The coil converts humidity in the air into water, which drains into the condensate drain pan, enters the drain line, and exits your home.

If this moisture isn’t evacuated out of your house, your drain pan could overflow, causing flooding in your home and damage to your walls or ceilings. Untreated water damage can lead to mold and mildew growth in your home.

Fortunately, most AC systems have a float switch. Think of a float switch as an electronic water detector for your HVAC system – it senses a clogged drain and shuts the air conditioner off if water is detected. This prevents your AC from continuing to run and adding water to a potentially overflowing drain pain.