It’s one of the hottest days of summer. You come home from a long day at work to discover that your air conditioner isn’t working properly. You inspect your A/C unit and find that the drain pan your unit sits in is completely full of water. What do you do? In this article, we discuss reasons why water could have pooled in your drain pan and some simple maintenance steps that you can take to prevent this issue from recurring in the future. In most cases, a full drain pan means that you have a clogged drainpipe. The humid conditions inside the refrigerant coils and pipes are the perfect breeding ground for algae and mold, which can clog the drainpipe over time. If not taken care of, a clogged drainpipe can create serious mechanical problems for the air conditioner. First, turn off the power to your air conditioning unit, even if it isn’t running. With the unit turned off, check the tubing on and around your unit to make sure there are no cracks, holes, or leaks in the drain line.

If you find any, these pieces should be replaced. Once you have determined that there are no issues, the next step is to remove the water from the drain pan. The easiest way to do this is with a wet/dry shop vac, which you can pick up at your local hardware store. Simply vacuum up all of the water and dispose of it. Finally, remove any sludge or debris that may be at the drain. Check the drain termination outside for obstructions.  Be sure the drain outlet is not blocked by mulch, pine straw or other debris. The water is gone, but the source of your problem still needs to be fixed. Start by removing the PVC cap from the top of the drainpipe. Next, use a strong, small wire brush to gently clear the clog. Once the large pieces are gone, pour a cup of bleach in the drain pan and into the top of the drain pipe (don’t forget your eye and hand protection). This will get rid of any additional algae, mold, or mildew that may be gumming up the works. Once the clogs are clear, put the PVC cap back on and turn the power to your A/C unit on.

If the unit does not begin to work immediately, turn it off, wait thirty minutes, and turn it back on again. car air conditioner repair mesa azIf the problem persists, contact a professional.15000 btu window ac units Regular maintenance can easily prevent this from occurring. gree split air conditioner e1If you live in the Raleigh or Wilmington areas of North Carolina, consider purchasing a maintenance service agreement with Newcomb and Company. The scope of our agreement will prevent this issue as well as many others.(Today's mechanical code requires an auto safety switch to be installed on all new equipment to protect against water damage) Under no circumstances should you ever see water around the indoor unit. This is a sign that something is either leaking or dripping not draining.

Although it needs prompt attention, sometimes it is only a very minor problem. In the cooling mode, the indoor evaporator coil and the suction line sweats. That's why it is wrapped in black insulation. If the insulation is missing or has been torn or split, it can cause dripping. Obviously this is easy to repair. The evaporator produces a lot of water during the summer as it removes excess humidity from the air. The water runs down the outside of the coil into a pan that has a drain. The drain goes outside the house into a gutter or directly to the ground. If the coil is dirty, the water mixes with the dirt; the dirty water ends up in the pan, the drain trap or anywhere else it can cause a problem. As the water flows by gravity, it doesn't take much dirt to clog a drain and if your coil is located in the attic or finished room, serious damage can result. This is a very important reason for having clean filters and an annual inspection that includes coil cleaning. Sometimes the indoor coil actual ices up.

When the ice melts, excessive water all over the floor or ceiling is the result. Indoor water problems are not just limited to summer. Some of today's high efficiency furnaces also produce condensation, which must be drained. A central humidifier also can cause leaks. All of these things emphasize the necessity for annual inspections plus you should always keep your eyes open for water, as it is a sure sign that something is amiss. Sometimes it is a simple fix; Items in blue can be addressed or fixed by the homeowner. Those in red usually require a service call. Suction line missing insulation Drain line moved or not pitched downward Floor drain clogged with dirt Blocked pan, trap or drain Indoor coil frozen due to malfunction Dirty or defective evaporative coil Broken fittings or pipe; Kinked tubing Humidifier over filling or leaking Excerpts of the preceding information have been compiled by Hannabery HVAC, which has graciously permitted us to include them on this web site as a service for all homeowners.

" are provided FREE and as a consequence Climatemakers does not assume any liability resulting from any information we provide. CHANGES in outdoor weather often produce baffling changes in indoor conditions -- things that never leaked before suddenly leak. Drafts develop in previously calm spaces. And for one reader, cold weather produces indoor rain."We installed a Rheem attic AC system into a typical rancher, with the vents in the ceiling," he writes. "Along with the AC we installed a fresh-air exchange system from Honeywell. The unit provides fresh air and humidity controls with an 80 percent efficiency exchange rate. At the same time, we had a ridge roof system installed (attic high-point ventilation) ."Once we hit the cold part of the season, starting in late December, water started dripping from some of the ceiling registers. The ones that leak are fairly consistent from year to year."The reader says both the supplier of the exchange system and the contractor who installed it and the air conditioning unit say the equipment was properly installed."

We reviewed the AC installation, checking all ductwork and the attic unit to check for air leaks," the reader says. We even went as far as to isolate the fresh-air exchange unit from the AC ductwork, but we still had what appears to be condensation leakage from the ceiling registers. Last winter, I sealed the vents with plastic and that did not make any difference. The last action I planned to take was to install a second layer of duct installation around the existing insulated duct."Have you ever heard of this happening?" asked the reader, who signed himself "Unwanted Indoor Pool LifeGuard."We hadn't, but Steve Strain of Modern Heating and Air Conditioning in Baltimore has, and he had a couple of tips.Condensation usually occurs when warm, moist air contacts a cold surface. Moisture will form on the cold surface and drip down. You often see it on old metal windows that are not made with insulated glass. The way to avoid condensation is to keep the warm air away from the cold surface.Another factor in this case may be too much humidity in the air circulating through the ductwork.

Strain recommended a level of around 40 percent.Modern houses are usually well sealed, and bathing, washing dishes and clothes, and cooking create a lot of indoor humidity. Good spot ventilation can help: Be sure to run exhaust fans after taking a shower until all the steam and humidity have been blown outside. Use stove hood vents and keep dryer vents clear.It's also possible in the reader's case that the ductwork may be getting too cold. Strain suggested that the reader make sure the air-to-air exchanger is providing some heat to the air it is recirculating. He also thought it might help to run the fan on the air conditioner to circulate air through the ducts and warm up the ductwork even in winter.We would try the simple things first. Make sure you are in control of the humidity levels. Check the heat exchanger for proper operation. Run the fan to circulate the air and warm up the ductwork. Then, if the problem persists, consider adding additional insulation to the ductwork.Randy Johnson is a Baltimore home-improvement contractor.

Karol Menzie is a feature writer for The Sun.If you have questions, tips or experiences to share about working on houses, e-mail us at homeworlark.net, or write to us c/o HOME WORK, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278. Questions of general interest will be answered in the column; comments, tips and experiences will be reported in occasional columns. Nude photos expose Jones and her selective memoryChild sex abuser sentenced to 8 years Girl and 2 boys were victimsMinor's future arrives early Rookie didn't expect to make a start at third this seasonThe misunderstood 'rule of thumb' Misconception: Many feminists for years thought the phrase "rule of thumb" referred to British common law's tolerance of wife-beating.Charles Kuralt's other life Scandal: The late CBS newsman had a wife in New York and, secretly, a longtime companion in Montana. The two have now met, in court.Relief At Last Intro: For Bobby Ojeda, life nearly ended on a Florida lake in 1993. It began again at Sheppard Pratt.