Hello,

I had an HVAC guy out last week because water was dripping onto the floor in the garage from the condensate line. It was going to cost $189 to have him clean the line which my boyfriend said I could clean it myself.

I saw on Youtube to use a shopvac on the outside and it would pull the water and algae out and it did.

After, the house started to smell so I put clean water in the line from the air handler where you take the plug out and let it run to the outside. That seemed to help.

When I lifted the plug out of the pipe where it is close the air handler, that's where the guy showed me the water and algae, there was still algae in there.

My boyfriend told me to use the compressor hose and blow the algae out of the line. I put the air chuck where you take the plug out and tried to angle the hose away from the air handler.

After, the house started to smell worse. That's when my boyfriend said he thought I had taken the condensate line apart and away from the handler.

I cannot use harsh chemicals and have got to find something that will clean the unit and get rid of the sock smell.

Does anyone have any suggestions, please? I am on disability and cannot afford to spend a lot of money on HVAC service appointments.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

Lisa

Condensate lines are usually plastic and the compressed air may have cracked it, if it had enough of a blockage. Old plastic can get quite brittle.

I would hire an HVAC guy to come out check the system can clean it... they have the right chemicals to clean that stuff out. And the knowhow to do it.

THere are some things you HAVE to spend money on. Someone that doesn't know what they are doing can do a LOT of damage.

Hello Smoothy,

Thank you for your reply!

The line isn't cracked, I didn't blast a lot of air in the pipe, just pulsed it for a few seconds and not full force.

The smell was starting before then, the algae is probably the cause now that there isn't any water in the line and also that the air pushed some of the algae into the air handler.

How I should clean that is what I am wondering, what could be used that wouldn't be a harsh chemical? I'm looking up no VOC cleaner and anti microbial cleaners.

I wouldn't be doing this myself if I had the money for someone to come out.

Thank you again,

Lisa

Well, that's wher it gets difficult. They do have chemicals that discolve the dust and crud that builds up... you have to take things apart or creat acess holes to get it there and to flush afterwards. Too much too fast and in the wrong places with get water places you don't want it to be.

And you need to have the ability to correctly cover those holes up afterward.

While I have a license to repair automotive A/C equipment ( and have only for my own fleet of cars), and not home stuff, I'd still be hesitant to do it on my own home unit.

You can pour a little bleach in the condensate line. That will help smell and the algae. You don't need much

Bleach in the condensate PAN is highly corrosive however... and it can damage certain plastics too if not flushed out in a reasonable length of time.

I never said the drain pan just the condensate line and yes you have to flush it out. I'm not saying use a bottle of it. A little bit will kill the smell and algae though. I have used this method many times with homeowner approval and never had an issue with it.

Like you said... you flushed it well afterwards. Very important point.

Hello,

I have read about bleach and will try that for the line. Is there anything that can be done to clean the pan if it needs it?

Thank you, I appreciate all of your help.

Lisa

What you can and can't do is impossible to guess without actually seeing your particular installation.

Mine for example, if I ever meet the fool that did it... I will beat them mercilessly with an aluminum ball bat. Yes they made that much of a mess of it.

Some others are well thought out and have access panels you can simply open and get to most things.

Hello Smoothy,

Outside of the face I'm glad I'm not the person that installed your a/c unit, I am not familiar with how they should be so I don't know how if mine is installed properly.

I will try the bleach even though the smell bothers me, I'll rinse it a lot unless I find a product that doesn't smell that can do the same thing. I'll keep looking for one.

Thank you again,

Lisa

That should say "fact" not "face"...

Just pass enough water so it dilutes the bleach after its used... an hour or so after you use the bleach is more than sufficient. Less if it gets on metal. Its very water soluble... so its not hard to rinse sufficiently.

Do I use straight bleach or should I dilute it? Once I put the solution in the pipe, let it sit for an hour with or without the a/c on before rinsing it?

Thanks, Smoothy

Would be easier if you use a measuring cup you use for laundry detergent... cleaner pour... ;

You can use it full strength since you really want to flush things out later anyway.

But JUST for the condensate drain... don't slosh it around everywhere else.

So one measuring cup full for an hour or so and then flush with water?

That's more than enough... excess will run into wherever that drains into.

Hello,

I posted yesterday about cleaning the condensate line and the smell in the house from it.

I haven't cleaned it yet with bleach or anything but the smell in the house is now sweet and not like socks, does that mean anything?

I also started a cough with a tickle in my throat, would that be because of this or not?

Thank you again for your help,

Lisa