Spring is the prime time for AC inspections and service. If you’re preparing your air conditioning system for the quickly approaching summer, keep in mind that you may need help from your Houston plumber. This is because the drain lines for your AC unit can become clogged and need professional cleaning. Let’s talk about AC lines and how your plumber can help keep your AC unit in good condition.
How Your Houston Plumber Helps with Spring AC Service
When you think of spring service for your air conditioner, you might not immediately think of a Houston plumber. However, your air conditioning system involves pipe systems like your home’s water and drain lines. AC units actually have a drain system of their own for excess moisture. Like other drains, they can become clogged. This can cause major issues for your air conditioning system, even causing a total system shutdown. Clogged AC lines may leave you sweltering in the summer heat and with high AC repair bills to boot. Instead, call our plumbers to clean out any clogs you discover during your AC service.
Local Codes Require a Houston Plumber to Clear Blockages in AC Drain Lines
Now, why not call your air conditioning company for a clogged AC line? Texas codes actually require someone with a plumbing license and a special drain cleaner registration to clean out any drain line or P-trap, which includes the AC condensate drain line.
Many air conditioning technicians don’t have this certification and therefore aren’t legally qualified to clean out an AC line clog. Therefore, it’s common to call your Houston plumber for help clearing these types of clogs, even though they are part of the air conditioning system. Only certain plumbing professionals are legally allowed to clean out AC drain clogs according to Texas laws. For example, journeyman plumbers and Houston master plumbers can provide drain cleaning services. Also, tradesman plumbers or supervised plumbing apprentices with a special drain cleaner registration are also allowed to clean out drain lines.
What is a Registered Drain Cleaner?
A registered drain cleaner is a special designation for plumbing professionals. To get this registration from the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, a qualified plumbing professional, whether an apprentice or a tradesman, must first get a passing score on the drain cleaner-restricted registrant verification of training affidavit, which is essentially a test of knowledge. They then have a drain cleaner-restricted registration and can work toward becoming a registered drain cleaner in Texas. Registered drain cleaners must work for at least 4,000 supervised hours under a drain cleaner-restricted registration and pass another test, called the drain cleaner verification of training affidavit. This extra training provides them with the knowledge needed to clean out drains.
Journeyman and master plumbers in Texas do not need this special registration because they receive this type of training in the education and work experience they need to obtain that level of licensure as a Houston plumber.
Why Call Your Houston Plumber for a Clogged AC Drain?
As you can see, you’ll need to call your Houston plumbing company for a clogged AC drain. Not only is this important for following laws and codes, but also means you get a knowledgeable professional to safely and effectively clear blockages from the AC drain line. Therefore, any time you suspect you may have a clog in the AC condensate drain, call our plumbers for help.
What is a Condensate Drain for AC Systems?
Of course, you need to know what an air conditioning condensate drain line is to know if it’s clogged. To understand this, we need to give you a basic rundown on how your home’s air conditioning system works.
Your air conditioning system draws warm air from outside and cools it through the evaporator coil, which has refrigerant that essentially absorbs the heat from the air. As you likely know if you’ve ever left a cool drink outside on a warm day, when warm air meets a cold surface, then water from the air starts to condense on that surface. That’s why air conditioners not only cool your home, but also dehumidify the air, which is especially important for Houston’s humid climate. In fact, condensation from AC units can create gallons of water in just one day, depending on the weather and how cold you keep your home.
Obviously, this condensed water must go somewhere. That water falls off the evaporator coil and into the drip pan. The drip pan connects to the AC condensate drain line. This line is typically made of PVC and features a small P-trap to prevent any musty odors escaping into your home. The line then continues outside of your house so the extra water can drain into your yard.
However, these lines can get clogged from time to time and require cleaning from your Houston plumber. Some things that commonly cause clogs in the AC line include algae growth, dirt, leaves, and debris.
Issues a Clogged AC Drain Line Can Cause
If you have a clogged AC drain line, it can cause many issues with your AC system, as the clog can cause water to build up and infiltrate other parts of the system that need to stay dry, like electrical components. The standing water can also encourage mold growth in your air conditioning system. Most modern systems even shut down when they detect too much water in the drip pan to prevent issues like electrical fires from moisture coming into contact with wires and other electrical parts. Water buildup from a clogged AC line can also damage your air conditioning system, requiring repairs or even total replacement.
Signs of a Clogged AC Line: When to Call Your Trusted Houston Plumbing Company
A clogged AC drain line can cause many symptoms that you should be on the lookout for. Some of these include:
- Moldy, musty smells in your home, especially when the AC runs
- Significant amounts of water in the AC drip pan
- Leaks and standing water near the indoor air conditioner unit
- Inadequate cooling in your home
- AC shuts off and won’t turn on again
Therefore, if you notice these signs of a clogged AC drain line, call your Houston plumber to help clean out the blockage and return your air conditioning and home to normal.
Quick, Friendly, and High-Quality Service from Santhoff Plumbing Company
If you have a clogged AC drain line or another plumbing problem, you can rely on Santhoff Plumbing for help. Our experienced team offers quick response and top-quality service for all your plumbing needs, whether you need drain cleaning, repairs, maintenance, or plumbing installation. We are proud to be a locally owned and operated Houston plumbing company and have been serving the Greater Houston community since 1974. Contact us today to schedule service or call our 24/7 line at (713) 360-2185 for plumbing emergencies.