Dealing with a Clogged AC Drain Line & How to Prevent Water Damage

Your air conditioner’s drain line is responsible for transferring water that drips off your AC’s inside unit to an outdoor location. When it’s clogged, this excess water will drip off your AC and into your home. Over time, this dripping water can cause severe water damage, breed viruses, bacteria, mold, and mildew, and even create a fire if it drips onto electrical parts. Instead of leaving yourself and your home unprotected, learn more about the main signs of a clogged AC drain line and how to solve it. 

How Does a Clogged AC Drain Line Occur?

As your HVAC system keeps your home cool, indoor air will circulate through your system’s evaporator coil. As this air passes through the coil, moisture can trap dust, dirt, and other airborne contaminants. This debris build-up can then enter and clog your AC drain line, as condensate from the coil will drain into your AC’s drain line.

Signs You Have a Clogged AC Drain Line

Before you can solve a clogged AC drain line, you need to know how to spot one in the first place. Some of the most common signs of a clogged AC drain line include the following:

• You can see water dripping from your AC
• You can smell must or mold coming from your home’s vents or near your unit
• Your AC has stopped working
• You can see water damage near your unit
• Your AC isn’t providing enough cooling power
• You notice water leaking from your attic or ceiling (this leakage occurs if you have a secondary drain line that’s also clogged, as secondary drain lines tend to be installed higher in a home)
• Your secondary drain line is dripping water

How to Solve a Clogged AC Drain Line

When you notice any of the signs of a clogged drain line, you’ll want to solve it quickly. Instead of trying to perform a DIY solution that could damage your unit or not fully remove the clog, turn to an HVAC professional. Once a professional arrives at your home and determines you have an AC drain line clog, they’ll begin by checking the drain pain for standing water and remove it. Next, they’ll remove visible debris from your drain pipe opening or the drain itself.

While removing visible debris will get rid of some of the clog, they’ll typically use a wet vac or shop vacuum to ensure non-visible debris is completely removed from the AC drain line. Sometimes, a plumber will use a plumbers snake to get rid of the clog, but shop vacuums and wet vacs are usually the better option. After clearing the clog, the technician will test that the line is actually clear and clean the line.

How to Prevent Water Damaged from a Clogged AC Drain Line

If you notice any of the signs of a clogged AC drain line, you’ll want to immediately call an HVAC technician to solve the problem. By contacting a professional as soon as possible, you can stop the dripping water from damaging your home. While you wait for the technician to arrive, you might also want to turn off your AC to prevent more water from dripping. If you need to leave your AC on, you can also place a bucket under the AC to catch the dripping water.

Besides acting fast to prevent further damage from a clogged AC drain line, you can schedule annual inspections and AC tune-ups to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place. During an AC inspection from an HVAC technician, they’ll check your lines for clogs and clear the lines.

Choose Bonney for Clogged AC Drain Line Services in Sacramento

If you’re looking for clogged drain services near you in Sacramento or the surrounding areas, turn to Bonney. Our HVAC technicians are trained to provide comprehensive inspections, repairs, and maintenance for all brands of air conditioners. When you think you might have a clog, our team will arrive quickly and clear the clog if they find one. We also offer Bonney Beyond, an annual maintenance program, which includes automatic inspections of your AC’s components, such as the drain line. Additionally, you can review our coupons and financing services to ensure our services fit your budget.

Learn more about our AC repair and tune-up services today. If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment, please contact us.