Home Repair forum - AC - drain problem.

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AC - drain problem.

2005-08-29, 8:21 pm

I've got a home that was built in 2000.
I'm largely unfamiliar with AC systems, so you'll have to excuse my
ignorance.
Outside my home, I have two drains - one on the upper floor and one on
the lower floor.

I "believe" I've got a problem - currently, only the upper drain is
dripping water.

Can anyone tell me the difference between these two drains? I see two
PVC connections on the unit in my home, but haven't opened it up to
tell the difference.

Research tells me that one is an "air handler" and one is drip pan
overflow... Does the pan backup the air handler?

I can attempt to clean it out, but I'd like to know that I do have an
issue first before spending time on it..

mrkool

2005-08-29, 8:21 pm

Hello DG,

I'm an HVAC Contractor in middle tenn, and normally you're right on,
one is the coil drain that is usually wet during the summer, the other
is connected to the aux overflow drain pan and can tell you when you
have a problem, but, you say "one is on the upper floor and one is on
the lower floor", if you have 2 indoor air handlers, and the lower
unit's cooling is running, then you're lower floor drain might be
clogged.

Ross Richardson

2005-08-30, 3:21 pm

You should have two drains for each airconditioning unit. One comes from
the coils and, in our area, is dumped into the home drain system and not
out doors. You can hear water dripping in the plumbing during the
summer. This drain gets rid of the condensation caused by the lowering
of the air tempterature. The other drain would be connected to a pan
under the coils in case there is a rust though. Many homes here have the
AC in the attic and you can imagine what would happen if that happened.
This drain goes outside. If you see water coming from it you have a
problem. I did and had to replace the cooling coils.
Regards, Ross

DG wrote:
> I've got a home that was built in 2000.
> I'm largely unfamiliar with AC systems, so you'll have to excuse my
> ignorance.
> Outside my home, I have two drains - one on the upper floor and one on
> the lower floor.
>
> I "believe" I've got a problem - currently, only the upper drain is
> dripping water.
>
> Can anyone tell me the difference between these two drains? I see two
> PVC connections on the unit in my home, but haven't opened it up to
> tell the difference.
>
> Research tells me that one is an "air handler" and one is drip pan
> overflow... Does the pan backup the air handler?
>
> I can attempt to clean it out, but I'd like to know that I do have an
> issue first before spending time on it..
>

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