Project story

A slow drain line caught during a maintenance visit

During a spring check, a partly blocked condensate drain was cleared before it could overflow.

The problem

Nothing seemed wrong. This was a routine spring maintenance visit before the cooling season.
What we found

Water was standing in the drain pan under the air handler in the garage, and the drain line was slow because of algae build-up. There was no float switch to shut the system off if the pan filled.
The options

Clear and flush the drain line as part of the visit, and optionally add a float safety switch to the pan.
What was done

The drain line was cleared and flushed, the homeowner approved adding a float switch, and the rest of the maintenance checklist was completed.
The outcome

The drain flows freely and the float switch is in place, with no water damage to the garage.