Central Air Conditioning Maintenance

Several days ago I was outside in the cool of the evening and I observed the two "Condensate Tubes" which serve to drain water from the two Air Conditioning Systems which keep my home cool. I reside in a two story house so two systems are more efficient to operate. You can observe that the tube shown above is dripping water from the Air Conditioning Coil. This is as it should be. I then looked at the other Condensate Tube, which serves the downstairs Air Conditioning Coil and noted that the soil was very dry at the end of the discharge tube. A quick survey with the aid of a long flat screwdriver indicated that the tube was plugged with dirt. This afternoon I acquired some number nine wire to run back in the line in the hope of cleaning it out. I determined that the line was fairly plugged. I then investigated the line from under the house because this unit is in the crawl space. The line was sagging and I determined that I should cut the plastic line and attempt to flush out the line with water. This I did and the line is now clear. Tomorrow I will reroute the line and also place it so that it has a down hill slope with proper support so that it will not sag. The reason I am publishing this blog is to urge all of the readers to check the condensate tube to see if the system is actually draining the water which drips off of the coils in the air cooling chamber of your Air Conditioning system. If the water can not drain away, you are certainly recycling the humidity back into your living space. This will also make your equipment run more using more energy.

Please note that I did not attempt to flush out the plugged condensate tube by back flushing it. Doing so may messed up the Air Conditioning Coil inside the Air Handling Chamber under my home. I flushed it with running water with the flow going the same direction as the condensate should have been flowing. It did not take much pressure to flush out the line.

I have also investigated the Internet to ascertain what else can be done to keep the energy cost as low as possible during these hot and humid days here in Middle Georgia. I found this site:

http://www.energy.iastate.edu/news/pr/pr-acmaintenance.html

What the Home Owner Should Do:

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  Clean or replace the AC filters monthly. Dirty air filters cause the AC unit to work harder than necessary. The energy bill can act as a monthly reminder to do this—change the air filter before sending out the bill.
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  Keep the grass around the AC trimmed, being careful not to blow debris or grass clippings into the AC. Make sure landscaping does not block the outdoor air conditioner components. Four to five feet of open air between any shrubs or trees and the AC unit will ensure proper airflow. Blocked AC units have a harder time taking in air to cool the home, which means higher energy costs.
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  Shade the outdoor AC unit. Air in a shaded space is typically five to six degrees cooler than the surrounding air, which means the AC will have an easier time cooling the air before pumping it into the home. Air conditioners with proper shading can be up to 10 percent more efficient over a cooling season, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
• 
  Insulate ducts. Sealing ducts will save energy and money year round. First, seal the duct joints and leaks with mastic tape or sealer. Plain duct tape is not recommended because it will dry out and peel off over time. Wrap the ducts with low-cost, foil-faced R08 rated fiberglass insulation (recommended for cold climates like Iowa), and seal the insulation seams with regular duct tape. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, insulating ducts in the typical American home costs about $250, but the improvement will pay for itself in energy savings in two and a half years. Even the added cost of hiring a professional to install the insulation will be repaid with the energy savings.
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  Clean off dirt buildup on the indoor and outdoor coils of the central AC system. These heat exchangers between the refrigerant and the surrounding air can quickly build up impurities will hinder the coil's performance by as much as 8 percent. Both indoor and outdoor coils can be cleaned with warm, soapy water, but need to be treated gently. Before performing any maintenance, be sure to consult the manufacturer's recommendations to answer any questions about an AC unit's care.
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  Recirculate air. It is far more economical to recirculate and cool the indoor air than to draw in hot air from outside, cool it down and remove the moisture in it.
  Raise temperature settings. Each degree of temperature can represent up to 9% savings or added expense in cooling costs.
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  Keep the unit fan on “AUTO.” IT is not necessary to run the fan constantly when the air conditioner is turned on.
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  Use ceiling fans. Moving air with ceiling fans can increase the comfort range.

As I reviewed the above information I ascertained that no where was there any mention of any inspection of the Condensate Tube. As I stated above, I will reroute the tube and also insure that it is on a down hill run with plenty of support to keep it from sagging. The sagging tube is what allowed the drain to fill up with dust and grime from the cooling coils. I also understand that you can procure tablets to place in the pan under the coil which will prevent the buildup of fungus so that the condensate tube will not become plugged with crud. I will investigate the source for these tablets tomorrow and post a comment to this Blog so that everyone will know.

Until then, check out the condensate tube discharge area for your Central Air Conditioning System or Systems to ascertain if you need to do some preventative maintenance or if you need to have your Air Conditioning Contractor pay you a visit.