*Clogged AC Condensation Drain Fix*
By: AirBear
29 August 2011

MY unit is due for replacement and, as soon as I find about $8k lying around that I have nothing else to do with, I'll do just that. About 5 or 6 years ago, as I was making my way down the hall way, I experienced that squishy wet carpet feeling under my feet that almost matched the feeling it gave me in my gut when I realized something was VERY wrong!

After pulling my wet socks off, I began investigating the cause of this morning surprise, and discovered that my AC condensation drain tube had become clogged. My initial attempt at remedying the problem was poking a coat hanger down into the pipe... no luck! Believing that pressurization was the solution, I made a trip down to the local tire shop and requisitioned an unusable truck tire tube they had discarded. I cut out about a 10" x 10" piece leaving the tire stem in the center (valve core removed)...

I used a wet-vac to remove most of the water from the pipe to make room for the air...

Using a 4" hose clamp I secured the inner tube patch with the valve stem centered over the clogged pipe...

I then used a portable air tank with about 30-40 lbs. of pressure to pressurize the pipe. I don't know how much pressure I applied before the clog gave in, but it was not much...

This was about 5 or 6 years ago and I've only had this issue one other time, a couple years ago, that I caught early before it created a mess. I now, about once a year, during a rainy or humid part of the summer, routinely do this to prevent the wet morning sock syndrome (WMSS). I also run about 1/2 gallon of 50/50 water bleach down the tube also which definitely seems to help...

Afterwards, everything stores nicely next to the heater unit…

for the next year...
AirBear

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