My husband and I have spent a lot of time consulting with an architect. After living in our cramped, starter home for the past 11 years, we were finally ready to make some needed changes to it. We have added an extra 600 square feet of space onto our house. Before the construction began, we finalized the plans for our new heating and air conditioning unit with our HVAC contractor. Because our home was going to be substantially bigger than it is now, we purchased a larger HVAC system. We also installed a new, digital thermostat inside my home. On this blog, I hope you will discover the best types of HVAC units to buy for mid-size homes. Enjoy!
One of the tasks that are part of routine air conditioning maintenance is cleaning the condensate drain line, which is a pipe that's attached to the indoor unit of your home's central air system. Periodically cleaning the condensate drain line will prevent it from becoming clogged and causing water to back up inside your home, which can lead to water damage and mold growth. To learn more about an air conditioner's condensate drain line and why keeping it clean is important, read on.
What Is a Condensate Drain Line?
The indoor unit of your home's air conditioning system generates condensation while your air conditioner is running, and the condensate drain line allows the collected condensation to escape. The indoor unit contains a network of small tubes called evaporator coils that become very cold when your air conditioner is on. The cold evaporator coils will absorb heat from the air, which keeps your home cool and comfortable.
When the evaporator coils absorb heat from the air, water vapor in the air will form condensate on the coils. Cold air can't hold as much water vapor as warm air, so it drops out of the air and is left on the coils in liquid form. A pan underneath the evaporator coils collects condensate as it drips down. The condensate flows from the pan to your air conditioner's condensate drain line, which exits outside your home.
Why Is Keeping the Condensate Drain Line Clean Important?
The condensate drain line is a breeding ground for algae and bacteria. When microbes build up in the drain line, they can form a thick mat of biofilm along the sides that will completely clog the line.
When the drain line is clogged, the condensate dripping from the evaporator coils has nowhere to go. It can overflow from the drain pan onto the floors of your home, which can lead to water damage and mold growing on any drywall or wood that it saturates.
Mold and bacteria will also start growing in the drain pan, which will cause the air in your home to have a musty odor. The fan in your indoor air conditioning unit will constantly blow air over the water in the drain pan that's full of mold, spreading the smell throughout your home.
In order to avoid water damage and maintain the air quality in your home, make sure you're receiving regular air conditioning maintenance from an HVAC company in your area. As part of routine maintenance, they'll clean out your condensate drain line and spray antimicrobial chemicals on the drain pan to slow the growth of bacteria and mold.
For more info, contact a local company like Advanced HVAC and Electrical.
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