Do you know what the normal AC drain line clogged symptoms are? When it comes to having a comfortable and fresh feeling home, there’s really no system more important than your air conditioner. Being able to control the temperature of your home can be an absolute blessing in the middle of a scorching hot summer, making these systems completely invaluable to almost every homeowner.
However, in order to guarantee that you have this wonderful control all season long, there are certain care and maintenance services that need to be provided from time to time, including keeping your AC drain lines clean.
Your drain lines take the moisture your air conditioner creates, remove it from the air it’s cooling off and pushing back into your home, and release it from the system. It is an integral part of the way things work and without it, you could easily be dealing with damage if not a complete system shutdown. Unfortunately, clogging is a frequent issue that many homeowners have to deal with at one point or another and is often caused by the build up of dirt, mold, dust, corrosion, or even rodents or pests deciding the line is a great place to build their home.
A clogged air conditioner drain line can lead to a wide range of issues, including the eventual inability to cool your home properly. And believe it or not, clogging due to dust, mold, or even dirt can end up having a dramatic effect on your health. Luckily, rather than having to put yourself at risk time and time again, there are a wide range of signs that indicate that your drain is starting to clog, and if you are aware of these signs, you can take the proper steps to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
AC Drain Line Clogged Symptoms
Musty Smelling House
Have you suddenly started to realize that the inside of your home has a strange musty smell that it never seemed to have before and you can’t seem to find any explanation or cause for this strange odor? The problem might actually be right outside your home. When an air conditioner drain line starts to clog from something like mold, the smell can easily back its way back into your home, causing you to notice that musty and unpleasant aroma.
Keep in mind that the issue with this is more than just the way things smell. Mold buildup can have a tremendous effect on your health, particularly if you or someone you love suffers from a breathing condition such as asthma or strong allergies. Rather than putting yourself or your loved ones at risk, the best thing to do in this situation is to call a professional who can investigate the cause of the problem and address it.
Standing Water
While it’s certainly normal to see a little bit of water underneath or near your air conditioning unit, a large amount of standing water is a completely different story. Most air conditioners nowadays are designed to carry the water that comes together in the cooling process away from the system so it doesn’t have an effect on the way things run. If you start to notice a buildup of water around the system, particularly the furnace, it’s time to call a specialist immediately.
However, make sure you investigate properly beforehand. A lot of times, these units can be placed near other systems such as plumbing, and the water could easily be coming from something else. Make sure you take the time to determine the actual cause of the water collection so you can feel confident bringing in a professional to check things out.
Leaking Water
Have you started to notice little drips coming down the side of your air conditioning unit? These leaks could be an ac drain line clogged symptoms. Your air conditioner collects the water that it produces in a pan inside the machine, which your drain line then takes and removes properly. However, if the drain line is clogged, this means that the pan in which the water collects will eventually overflow, and this can cause the leaking that many people notice around their air conditioners.
If you start to notice these leaks, the first thing you’ll want to do is check to make sure the line is properly connected and isn’t damaged in any sort of way. Once this is done, and you’re sure there isn’t any other cause for concern, you can pretty much bet that the issue is a clogged line.
Wet Walls
Were you wandering around your home when you happened to put your hand on a wall close to your air conditioning unit, only to find it completely wet as if it was just hosed down? Then this could be a sign of a clogged drain line. When these lines get backed up, the moisture collects with nowhere to go, causing an overflow that can easily be absorbed by the walls of your home.
This can be an extremely serious situation for homeowners, as not only does it mean that your air conditioning unit needs servicing, but also that you need to concern yourself with the structural integrity of your house itself. This kind of moisture could result in the buildup of mold within your walls or even the rotting of the materials themselves. Make sure you address this problem as quickly as possible so you don’t have to invest thousands in repairs.
Noticeable Mold in the Drip Pan
So you’ve noticed that your air conditioning unit has a bit of water collecting around it and you decide to investigate. Once you open up your system, not only do you find that your drip pan is completely full, but also that the water is full of mold. This is a clear sign that there’s mold buildup in another area such as your drainage line that needs to be taken care of as quickly as possible. When mold starts growing in the pan, it means that not only has that water been sitting there for an extended period of time, but also that mold has started to grow in other locations as well, which could be the principal cause of your AC issues.
While there are certainly a wide range of DIY solutions to this clogging issue, such as using the hose attachment on your vacuum to clean out the line and then pouring in vinegar as a disinfectant, the best solution for homeowners is usually to call a professional service with years of experience dealing with similar issues. These experts will have years of knowledge and skill behind them, ensuring that you end up with a perfectly running system in no time at all.
In situations like these, the faster you address the problem, the better, so being able to recognize the warning signs ahead of time can make a world of difference. Rather than risking your health or your home’s well-being, keep these ac drain line clogged symptoms in mind and make sure you’re able to give your system the care it needs, starting today.