Your air conditioner does two jobs: It cools down the air and it dehumidifies the air. If you live in a dry climate, you want the AC to dehumidify as little as possible because it uses extra energy and makes you spend more on lip balm and hand lotion. If you live in a humid climate, you really want it to do that second job as well as it can to keep your indoor air dry and comfortable. But where does all that condensate go? In most homes, it goes outdoors through a pipe, like the one above. Sometimes there's a little pump that pumps it out, but most often it drains by gravity alone. Occasionally that condensate line gets clogged. This happened at my condo last week. (We live in Atlanta, Georgia, a mixed-humid climate.) Gunk in the pipe built up to the point where it was barely draining. We could run the AC for a little while and then we'd have to turn it off again. This past weekend I tackled the problem. One of the best ways to do so is with good old air pressure. If you can close off all escape routes except the one in the direction of the clog, you can shoot positive pressure into the pipe near where the indoor unit is located.

That should blow the clog out the other end. In our case, that wasn't an option because our condensate line is connected to our upstairs neighbor's air conditioner, too.ac to dc converter at walmart So I got out my little wet-dry shop vac and set it up to suck the gunk out at the end of the pipe. 5000 btu window air conditioner with heat pumpThe photo below shows the setup.amana 2 ton air conditioner prices I was hoping to avoid a trip to the hardware store, so I used red duct tape to try to make an airtight connection between the shop vac hose and the condensate line. I took the shop vac hose with me to the store and bought some fittings in the plumbing department. I hooked it all up (photo above) and got a nice, airtight connection this time.

With the taped connection, I got maybe half a cup of water out of the pipe. With the airtight connection, I got the bucket full of crud you see below. If you really want to see how bad it was, watch the short video below and you can see my wife pouring it out. Yes, all that gunk was in our condensate line. One problem with condensate lines is that algae can grow in them. In our case, there's also a lot of sediment in that bucket, possibly from a corroded evaporator coil. We replaced our AC in 2009 and the condensate line hasn't been cleaned since then, so some of that crud could have been from our old unit. If you haven't thought about your condensate line lately (or ever), this would be a good time to do so. You can have your HVAC company make sure it's clean, or you can get a shop vac and do it yourself. To keep it clear, you can use an algaecide that's safe for air conditioners. Your HVAC company can recommend one for you. In hot-humid climates like Florida especially, clogged condensate lines are a frequent problem.

A little preventive maintenance now could save you thousands of dollars in water damage repairs and the loss of your air conditioner when the heat really cranks up. This Thermostat Setting Can Cost You Money and Make You Sick Have You Seen What's in Your Hotel Room Air Conditioner? An Interesting Way To Freeze Your Air Conditioner CoilA musty smell in a home is a result of inadequate cleaning, poor or stagnant air circulation, high humidity and possible moisture problems. If you've ever noticed an odd smell coming from old furniture, clothing or books, or in a poorly ventilated area such as the attic or basement, you have a problem with mold, mildew or fungi. If the mold and mildew growth is heavy it might look like an area of pink, orange, blue, black or green discoloration- on the other hand, if the fungi growth is light you might not be able to see where it is, though you can definitely smell it. Old furniture is often musty and puts off a smell that I can only describe as a combination of mold and rotten eggs.

The odor may start out as a minor annoyance but will eventually get to the point where the air in your home is bad for your health.  So once you start smelling a musty, moldy odor, it’s time to take care of it. The poor air quality and odor problem won't stop on it's own and will only get worse. Molds and fungi are not healthy for your lungs. Mold spores and noxious gases they put off are aggravating to your health. If you have breathing problems or the smell is particularly bothersome you may want to wear a mask while cleaning it up. First you need to figure out exactly where the problem is and what is causing the odor: The smell is not caused by the water leaking into your house itself, it’s caused by molds and fungi that are growing where the water is pooling. As they grow in number, mold and mildew put off a sulfur containing gas we all can easily identify. Once established, fungi can easily spread to other areas of a home so it's important to get rid of any water leaks as soon as they’re discovered.

Wet basements, leaky faucets and pipes are a common culprit. If wood remains damp it will start to rot and give off an earthy musty smell. Once again, molds and fungi will grow just like it will on any other organic material. If you should see dark stains on wooden items, chances are that they’re becoming wet from a leak somewhere and molds and fungi are growing. This can happen to an item left in a storage shed that water happens to drip on, or it can happen to the baseboard in your home that might have a water pipe leaking behind it. Leaking roofs allow rain inside which often follows gravity right up to a beam or other supporting structure in a home. Wet wood will continue to rot and allow mold and mildew growth until the source of moisture is stopped. If walls in your home are starting to look very rundown, take the time to look behind them. Most walls are made of drywall which is gypsum or plaster in between 2 sheets of paper. Mold and mildew will grow on the paper backing and it will darken in color, start to flake, blister or peel off.

Start by looking in the area with the heaviest discoloration for moisture leaks. Chances are pretty good that either molds or fungi or both are growing behind the walls and will have to be removed. Mold and mildew that covers more than a very small section of the wall will likely indicate a serious problem and the section of wall might need to be removed and replaced by a professional. Molds and fungi love bathrooms and laundry rooms. Both are warm, moist and often leak. Basements, attics, crawl spaces and air-conditioner vents are great homes for molds and fungi. If you start to see stains on the floors, ceilings or walls, molds and fungi may be growing. Clean the area right away to keep it from spreading further. If it's in a moist area where standing water is common, a good scrubbing along with a spray of 50/50 water and bleach will remove mold and mildew almost instantly. Fabric that is moist or in area of high humidity can be a breeding ground for molds and fungi.

Carpets and area rugs trap dirt, hold moisture and can become wet or saturated in the case of plumbing leaks or a cracked foundation. Dust and dirt will settle in the fibers and give off a bad odor if not cleaned occasionally. Look under the carpet to see if the carpet pad is mildewed. If it is, remove that part of the pad and replace. Clean the moldy part of the carpet with a solution of one cup of white vinegar to half a cup of warm water. Then scrub the mildewed area to remove mold. Turn a fan on the wet spot to dry it quickly. Spread borax on the entire dry carpet. Borax will treat mold, mildew and fungi and keep it from reappearing. Let the borax sit for half an hour or so and then vacuum it up completely. Vacuum upholstered furniture or drapes thoroughly with a vacuum. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove mold spores from the circulating air. Steam clean or dry clean the item, dry with a clean towel to remove additional traces of moisture. Move the piece to an area with good air circulation to dry completely.