CONSUMER CONNECTION. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                                                           ========= CONSUMER CONNECTION ======== 
                                                            ======== QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ======= 

Question: Why does the A/C system need to have a drain line? 

Answer:1-The drain line is one of the most important parts of the air conditioning system. 
             2- The drain line carries the water the air conditioning system produces result of the dehumidification process out to the outside. It is a plastic PVC pipe that is connected to the air handler, it goes from the air handler to the outside. Installation configuration of drain lines varies from system to system.
Dehumidification on these residential air conditioning systems occurs every time the air conditioning is working in cool mode. The air mixture inside the house or the place being cooled contains certain percentage of humidity. That humidity needs to be controlled and maintained at certain levels to avoid issues like mold, etc… While the system is engaged in cool mode, the temperature of the evaporator coil, the panel that cools the air inside the air handler is colder than the dew point of the water vapor of the air mixture passing through it. It causes the water vapor to condensate on the cold metal surface of the coil and change state from water vapor to liquid water. That water must come out some way some how, that is why the A/C system needs to have a drain line. 

Question: Why the A/C Condensate drain lines get clogged? 

Answer: Good question. 
It comes down in part to Indoor Air Quality. 
The mixture of air that crosses the air handler is not 100% clean, even using the best air filtration system available solid micro particles of dust, organic particles like mold spores, etc… in the air are going to pass through the filter.
Once on the other side they get stuck in the evaporator coil and helped by the water the coil produces part of this material gets down into the evaporator coil drain pan. Due to the conditions present inside the air handler where the evaporator coil is located some organic matter like mold spores and bacteria start to grow in the surface of the coil and inside the air handler.
Once part of this matter gets to the drain pan, water then tries to push it out of the system but the water flow is so passive that those solid particles tend to settle at the bottom side inside the drain line specially in horizontal sections. Add also the mold growth inside it. Over a period of time and if the drain line gets untreated the build up inside increases forming the clogs that ultimately restrict the water flow causing the drain line to get clogged. 

Question: Why is so important to have the A/C drain line clean? 

Answer: As mentioned above. The A/C drain line is one of the most important parts of your air conditioning system. 
In case it malfunctions other issues like water damage and mold, appear costing homeowners extra money in repairs. 
Once the AC drain gets clogged, it may lead to water leaking in the line resulting to extensive damage on the wall, ceiling, and the carpet and wood floor in your home, other damages caused by clogged drains include damage to the return duct plenum, wood platform where the Air Handler is installed (Installed vertically in Garages, Closets, etc…). This causes the wood to weaken and over a period of time if the drain is not properly cleaned the unit start to sink on the platform causing it to get out of level causing more problems. 
If the Air handler is installed horizontally in the attic or below the ceiling in the garage or horizontally in any other confined space then water starts to accumulate inside the unit causing the insulation to get wet, then this water starts to migrate outside the unit into the secondary drain pan and outside if the secondary drain line is in good shape and properly connected to the drain pan and clean. 
If the secondary drain pan does not have a secondary drain line connected then the water starts to accumulate in the pan. If the drain pan does not have a safety float switch then it will get filled and water will start to migrate outside causing all kinds of damages in the area around. 
Clogged drains account for a good percentage of the service calls air conditioning companies have to deal with in summer.
As homeowner you must avoid these situations from happening. 

Question: How we homeowners can avoid clogged drains from becoming a big issue?

Answer: You can avoid this problem by simply cleaning your AC drain and thus avoid the extra expenses you would incur from repair much later. 
One way to avoid this is to have the drain to be cleaned at least once a year. Many companies suggest doing it twice a year. Drain cleaning procedures vary from company to company and from technician to technician.
Here at North Pole Air Conditioning and Heating Services, Inc. we believe if the drain is properly cleaned once a year is more than enough. 
To prove it we made a test. We had an A/C drain (50 Feet long, horizontal run) cleaned properly, exactly the way we describe below. It took two and one half years to get clogged again up to the point that it drained into the platform. 
So, if a proper drain cleaning is performed, only once a year is enough. 
We are really proud of our zero incidences of recurrent callbacks service calls due to drain issues.
How do we do it? We vacuum, flush, chemically treat and test the drain line, including complete cleaning of the evaporator coil drain pan which is the place where all the dirtiness of the drain line starts to accumulate. 
We use a combination of water pressure from the house piping system, vet-dry vacuum, special drain cleaning chemicals (NO VINEGAR OR BLEACH) and pan algae tabs. 
At the end of the process we test the drain line by creating a simulation of the system making water; we spend time observing the pattern of behavior of the water coming out of the system, go back and forth making sure the system is draining properly like if it is working full throttle. 
At the end we guarantee that the system will drain the way it is intended and that particular drain to be the cleanest of the neighborhood. 
Here at North Pole Air Conditioning and Heating Services, Inc. we make sure that everything comes out perfect, the way our customers expect and the only way we know to guarantee what you want most: COMFORT.