Heat Waves and AC Water Leaks

6/1/2018 (Permalink)

Strategically placed bucket catching water from an AC condensate line blockage in the China Spring area. It can happen with any AC system.

It looks like (and feels like) hot humid weather has come early to Waco and Central Texas.

It may be a long hot summer.

Our air conditioning systems are going to get quite a workout.

One problem which pops up virtually every time intense heat arrives and stays is a blockage of the water drain line from the unit inside the building to where it runs out on the ground outside the building.

They call this the condensate line as the water is formed from condensation in the cooling process.

This almost always leaks right at the air handler (furnace) inside the building and comes out into the building, such as this unit in the China Spring, TX, area

It can be especially bad if the unit is next to a closet or room which no one enters regularly and can go undetected for a while.

You might want to have a look inside the closet/room where the AC unit is located and adjacent rooms.  Just to be sure no funny business is going on there.

Things you can do to help prevent an AC leak include:

• Pull off the top part of the pipe and pour bleach down the pipe at the unit.  Plumbers seem to swear by this.
• Actually blow down the pipe in a big burst of air.  This will work to unclog the pipe sometimes too.  Yes it sounds gross and would probably be a younger male convinced to do it. (Or an older, gritty male)
• Check outside where the line should be draining onto the ground and be sure water is coming out and it is not blocked...or in the ground!

Should you find water damage in your building leaking from the AC system, call SERVPRO of Waco to get it extracted and dried properly in Waco and Central Texas.

Call us anytime!