Enjoying New Appliances

Tips To Improve The Efficiency Of Your Air Conditioner's Condensate Drainage System

Inefficiencies in an air conditioner's condensate drainage system tend to increase the risk of water leaks. They usually put your property under the constant threat of moisture damage. An easy way of eliminating any moisture-related air conditioner problems is investing in your time and money in improving your system's condensate drainage system. The following are tips that will come in handy in helping you do so.

Install a larger condensate collector tray

Any condensate that is formed in the evaporator coil collects first in a condensate collector before exiting the air conditioning unit through the drain lines. If your air conditioner's tray is small, it will fill up faster. This will increase the chances of water leaks. This is especially so if your unit is prone to coil icing—which causes a sudden rush of water when the ice melts—or if you live in a highly humid area. In such cases, your unit's condensate collector tray may leak even when it is the right fit for your system.

Installing a larger condensate tray will provide more room for the collected condensate. It will therefore be able to handle any sudden onrush of condensate that forms due to increased humidity levels or melting coil ice. This will improve your odds of ending up with a leak-proof air conditioner.

Use drain lines with uniform diameters

Most air conditioners depend on gravity when draining the condensate. Any resistance along the drain lines is therefore bound to have a significant impact on the rate at which the condensate flows out of the collector tray.

Drastic changes in the diameters of the condensate drain lines usually has a negative effect on the smooth flow of the condensate. For example, a decrease in the diameter of the line will cause an increase in pressure. This will reduce the rate of flow through the tube. It may then encourage the settling of any dust particles washed from the evaporator coil. Continued accumulation of these particles may thereafter cause blockages that will trigger air conditioner water leaks.

Using uniformly-sized drainage lines will avoid drastic pressure and rate-of-flow changes. It will therefore improve the efficiency of your condensate drainage system, something that will go a long way towards protecting your property from moisture damage.

Use a condensate pump

Air conditioners that rely on gravity alone to push the condensate through the drain lines are usually too sensitive to things such as slight up-hill slopes and sharp bends. They are therefore more vulnerable to water leaks. The use of a condensate pump can help to provide the additional power to push the condensate past a bend or up-hill sloped sections of the condensate drain line. The speed with which the pump will be able to push the liquid through the lines will also discourage any dust particles from settling, reducing the risks of blockages. Investing in a condensate pump is therefore something you should do if you want to protect your business premises from mold growth and any other moisture-related problems.

For more information, contact local professionals like R & R Heating & Cooling of Polk CO Inc.


Share