Are you having trouble with your air conditioning system? There are a few different things it could be, but if you’re seeing a lot of water or signs of water damage, a clogged air conditioner drain line should be suspect number one. Keep reading for more information on what the AC drain does, how to tell if it’s clogged, and what to do next.
What Does an AC Drain Do?
To understand why the first sign of an AC drain is the presence of water or water damage, it’s important to understand what an AC drain does. When the air conditioning runs, it pulls moisture out of the air by causing it to form as condensation on the refrigerant coils. The moisture drips into a pan with a drain, but if the drain backs up, the pan will fill up and overflow.
Here are a few signs that you may have a clogged AC drain.
- Water around the AC cabinet: If your AC drain is clogged and the pan is overflowing, you may be finding water around the AC cabinet.
- Water damage on or near the AC cabinet: Even if you’re not seeing standing water, you may find signs of water damage on the wooden cabinet door, baseboard trim, drywall, or flooring around the AC cabinet. Rust on the metal is another indicator that you have an overflowing drain pan.
- A persistent musty smell: If there’s a persistent musty smell that you can’t seem to get rid of or that keeps coming back, it’s time to start looking for water damage. If the smell is strongest in the vicinity of the AC cabinet, or if you find signs of water damage nearby, you may be looking at a clogged AC drain.
- AC shutdown: If your AC shuts down on its own, there could be multiple reasons why, but if you also find signs of water damage, it’s a good bet that a clogged AC drain is the culprit. Most newer systems are designed with a safety shut-off that will turn the system off if the drain pan starts to overflow, indicating a blocked AC drain.
Know When To Call the Professionals
Whether or not you’re certain the problem is a blocked AC drain, it’s best to call for professional diagnosis and AC repair as soon as possible. A blocked drain may be an easy fix, but letting it go could cause additional damage to your system and your home — not to mention it could land you without a functioning AC, the last thing you want in Phoenix’s hot climate.
Contact Day & Night Air Today!
For Phoenix air conditioning repair, installation & maintenance, contact Day & Night Air today. We’ll quickly diagnose the problem and get your system running again.