All About Air Conditioner Drain

To combat the heat at home, many families choose to install cooling systems of different capacities that have drainage mechanisms for their operation. This is a critical piece of equipment that, if not properly maintained, can cause multiple inconveniences and even damage the air conditioner.

Air conditioners have become part of the basic appliances in any home due to their effectiveness in making hot days and nights more bearable.

These devices offer the advantage of being able to control the temperature of the room relatively quickly and easily, which is why it is common to find them installed in all types of environments, whether private or public.

One of the most important systems with which the air conditioning works is the drain, since it has the responsibility of complying with a fundamental step, to guarantee the correct operation of the equipment.

What is air conditioning drain?

The drain or drain of the air conditioning (if you click here, you have several purchase options), basically, it is the system in charge of getting rid of the water generated by the use of the AC. When it is turned on, condensation is produced inside, which accumulates and generates residual water that, in turn, must be expelled through the drain, either through air conditioning pipes or into a tray.

When this does not happen as it should or water accumulates inside the AC, various problems can occur that can compromise its entire operation.

Types of air conditioning drain

Due to the fact that there are different types and models of AC, multiple drainage mechanisms are also available for the treatment of residual water . Now we will know what are the types of drains in air conditioners, so you can choose which one suits you best:

•  window

In this type of installation, the water from the air conditioning can be let out without the need for pipes if a bucket is placed underneath. In case you need a tube to direct the flow of water, its handling is usually flexible and easy to accommodate.

• wall

Split-type AC installations inevitably require an air conditioning hose to come out, in order to dispose of residual water from the internal unit, due to the design of these units.

When installing this type of model, care must be taken when mounting the internal unit, since you will probably have to connect the air conditioning drain pipe, so that it has the necessary extension and avoid problems of angles or subsequent obstruction.

• Dry

Air conditioners that are equipped with a dry drainage system are the most recommended if you want to not worry about aspects related to drainage. In these models, the air conditioning water is deposited in a tray which, when filled, will leave the water at the level of the rotor blade.

If this happens, with the movement of the propeller, the stored water will be splashed towards the coil of the AC condensing chamber which, due to its high temperature, may evaporate the water on contact.

However, you should keep in mind that some netizens consider this alternative to be very noisy compared to external drainage systems.

Common problems

Given that the drain of an air conditioner is exposed to various alterations, here we will indicate what are the most common problems of this installation, to prevent you from having to disassemble the Split air conditioner unnecessarily:

• drain blockage

If you’ve started noticing that your air conditioner isn’t pulling water down the drain pipe, the pipe is probably clogged .

This scenario is quite common in air conditioners, especially if they have parts exposed to the outside, and it is usually due to some foreign object that blocks the passage of water through the drain.

To solve this, we recommend that you take a look directly at the air conditioning condensate tray and check if there is indeed a blockage. If you find things like leaves or branches, for example, you should carefully remove them and clean the tray to remove the remains.

In addition, you should check for mold or fungus in the drain, as these can also cause blockages. To clean them, use a scrub brush or chemical cleaners, following the instructions until you verify that water comes out of the air conditioner.

•  Leaks

In the event that you see that your air conditioner is leaking water from the front, the causes can be various, but they generally go hand in hand with a problem in the air conditioning piping system.

One of the most common is that the air conditioning water tank has filled up, so the water cannot go down and the pipe fills up causing an overflow inside.

It can also be due to the air conditioning drain pipe not being at the correct angle , causing gravity combined with the low pressure of the water to accumulate inside the equipment and be expelled through the main console..

The solution to air conditioning dripping is simply based on verifying that the installation pipes are not bent or inclined incorrectly, and it can also be corrected by emptying the collection bucket in time.

• Noise

When an air conditioner makes noise, there is likely air in the drain pipes.

This situation occurs when there is low pressure in the air conditioning pipe and the temperature rises suddenly . These changes generate the release of dissolved air in the water and form the well-known air pockets.

It is a problem that must be solved as soon as possible, since keeping the air in the system can cause damage that even forces you to change the air conditioning drain pipe.