Help! Clearing a condensate drain!

[mpire]

My condensate drain clogged up last night for the first time.

The house was built in 2001 so the drain is 16+ years old.

Same AC unit, still blowing cold, but obviously the coil is rusting away. Why do they use steel on them again?

Anyways, I have PVC from the pan to the space between the first and second floor which I have no access to. Then it hooks up to the black plastic pipe somewhere around there.

The drain line is clogged with rusty hard ****.

I installed a valve in the 1/2 PVC line to close off the pan and then pressurized it with roughly 60 psi of air pressure and that gave me a very slow drain so the AC is working for now. I also did the shop vac on the outside and that doesn't seem to do much good.

I snaked it with some 1/4" Fridge ice-maker line and that came out full of a rusty brown solid. Its pretty gross. Obviously that is the problem.

I pour a cup of vinegar down every month when I change the filter, but obviously that isn't doing any good.

Should I use drain cleaner? Should I snake it with my steel fish tape?

I am concerned that if I push to hard I may break the black flex pipe or push it off the connector to the PVC. IDK.

Got some tricks up your sleeve, let me know.

Otherwise I will have to rig up a condensate pump or something. Its too damned hot to have to deal with AC in August.

 

[The FIB]

Did you try an actual drain cleaner, you can get something like the Ridgid Powerspin.

https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/power-spin

Its an inexpensive hand (or drill) operated auger type drain cleaner. The bulb on the end actually drills into solid clogs and lets you pull it out. I have had a lot of success with that little tool.

 

[Jackfre]

Gallo Gun. It used CO2 canisters but was designed for this job. After some careful prep to contain the mess, you might blow it backwards to possibly break up the debris. What size is the pipe? Is it actually large enough to get a snake in it?

 

[mpire]

Its 1/2" PVC pipe then changes to 1/2" black condensate drain pipe somewhere in the walls.

I can probably get a snake in there, the question is more along the lines of not breaking the flimsy plastic drain pipe.

 

[mpire]

Gallo Gun. It used CO2 canisters but was designed for this job. After some careful prep to contain the mess, you might blow it backwards to possibly break up the debris. What size is the pipe? Is it actually large enough to get a snake in it?

I just hook up the air compressor to the line and blow it out that way. It works pretty good, but I don't want to over do it. I don't know what pressure the think black plastic condensate line can handle.

 

[mpire]

I am going to put a permanent air line fitting on the pipe to make it less messy.

 

[Marctrees]

mpire - Gently pressurize it from the OUTPUT end w like 5-10 lb air, then go clean up the spoils from input end, then get a hose and flush line from top, lastly get some very coarse filter like a scotchbrite pad and make a Dam to keep future chunks from pipe. Marc

 

[larry_g]

On small lines I have used speedometer cable to snake the line. You can even spin it with a hand drill.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Richard Cranium]

I would be afraid that the cable would eat through the pvc pipe being spun by a drill.

 

[thertel]

I've used CLR to solve this type issue before. Capped off the outside line and poured an entire jug in and let it sit overnight. Then put a bucket under the capped side and remove the cap. then just keep flushing water through it until no more crud comes out. Previous poster was dead on with using a piece of course scotchbrite as a filter or you can use stainless mesh, but make sure you check it during your monthly filter change.

 

[JRC3]

Same thought as a last ditch...Condensate pump.

 

[slip knot]

if the drain isn't working then maybe you need to vacuum it out first. Then try a bleach mix to keep it clean. Vinegar works on calcium buildup but bleach works on algae. Condensate shouldn't have any calcium in it.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Its 1/2" PVC pipe then changes to 1/2" black condensate drain pipe somewhere in the walls.

I can probably get a snake in there, the question is more along the lines of not breaking the flimsy plastic drain pipe.

That's part of your problem. Code is 3/4" ID minimum. I second the Gallo gun.

Tommy

 

[mpire]

That's part of your problem. Code is 3/4" ID minimum. I second the Gallo gun.

Tommy

You are correct, it is 3/4 PVC but I get all the different sizes mixed up at first glance.

CPVC and pex etc are all their own sizes.

I am going to give the CLR a trick. Its draining now, but it is slow.

 

[RPH]

Vinegar does work on alge, mold, and bacteria. It does quite well as a sanitizer.

 

[bzinsky]

shop vac on the drain line, always works in seconds for me

 

[Marctrees]

shop vac on the drain line, always works in seconds for me

Ya, but you may not have rust flakes, etc.

Sure, try sucking first, but it could just pack the junk more.

That's why I said BLOW into the OUTPUT end, with GENTLE pressure.

Wont a compressor (assuming OP has one) set at low psi work as good as a Gallo gun ?

Always keep in mind, being a condensate drain, there is very possibly an unglued or otherwise poor joint hidden somewhere, so the Vac is definately safest if it works.

Marc

 

[Gila Monster]

I have a Gallo gun/CO2 for just that purpose, I never could get a shop vac or air compressor to put enough power to get the stubborn clogs. It really has come in handy.

You might also just want to replace the parts of the line that are easily replaceable, it sounds like they maybe undersized anyway. I thought they were all supposed to be 3/4"

It seems like I had far fewer issues with clogging when I just replaced my lines and it didn't take very long at all to just cut off the PVC and make a new one, just make sure it has the proper traps.

 

[bzinsky]

Ya, but you may not have rust flakes, etc.

Sure, try sucking first, but it could just pack the junk more.

That's why I said BLOW into the OUTPUT end, with GENTLE pressure.

Wont a compressor (assuming OP has one) set at low psi work as good as a Gallo gun ?

Always keep in mind, being a condensate drain, there is very possibly an unglued or otherwise poor joint hidden somewhere, so the Vac is definately safest if it works.

Marc

most shop vacs you can just put the hose on the exhaust side, giving you a slight amount of positive pressure. I do that sometimes as well. Either way, I've unclogged maybe different 10-15 lines, and I'm batting 100% using a shop vac.

 

[Marctrees]

Well ya, if you can get to it.

Keep in mind units are sometimes in attics(not smart overall) and pipe can be totally mostly hidden. Marc

 

[trashmanssd]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-Safe-Pan-Tablet-Bottle-30-Pack-AC-913/203216149

I started using these recently for my drain pans and for the pump on my ac systems.