AC Condensate Drain Line

5,022 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by htxag09
Ducks4brkfast
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:33p, 8/11/17
AG

My AC condensate drain line ties-into under a sink in an upstairs bathroom.

Home was completed this past Spring, and because I don't think anyone has ever really gone into this bathroom, we noticed yesterday the condensation and pooling of water under the sink/in the cabinet.

Spoke to my builder and he said it's occuring from the water coming from the attic into the air conditioned house (I agree) and the only fix is to keep the cabinet doors propped slightly opened and a towel under the drain lines.

That doesn't seem acceptable to me as a long-term solution. Thoughts?








Reply Quote
toolshed
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:26p, 8/11/17
AG
What's the AC temp upstairs?

The problem likely is that the water in the condensate line is cold from the coils, and the air in the cabinet is a bit warmer and more humid (lack of air flow/ higher temp upstairs than downstairs?) so the pipe sweats. Same as a cold drink cup sweating. I know they have to insulate the pipe in the attic to keep the pipe from dropping condensation in the attic, and you could pretty easily insulate the smaller line coming into the p trap.

They make a p trap insulation boot for commercial sinks to make them ada compliant. Maybe that's sufficient enough to keep the trap assembly from sweating.

Or try tying a bag around the p trap and stuff with some insulation, rags or something else to help insulate the assembly.
Reply Quote
UnderoosAg
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to toolshed • 5:20p, 8/11/17
AG
toolshed said:

They make a p trap insulation boot for commercial sinks to make them ada compliant. Maybe that's sufficient enough to keep the trap assembly from sweating.


The Truebro kits are mostly padding but might work. Just need to be sure it's not sweating inside the wrap.

Ask your builder if he honestly expects all his new homes to have to prop open doors and use a towel. If he does, ask him what time he's coming by every week to change out the towel. My unit is like that and doesn't sweat. Many units are like that without sweating.

Have him get off his lazy ass and have his AC guy look at the traps at your AC unit. Make sure it's actually trapping water and that you aren't having excessive cold air getting blown thru the drain pipe. One neighbor's house had the drain plug in the sink rattling nonstop because it was piped with a running trap that was too shallow. You could feel a steady stream of cold air coming out of the drain.

At the very least he should have offered to get $10 of pipe insulation and wrap it for you.
Reply Quote
3
Gary79Ag
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:36p, 8/11/17
AG
^^^^^
THIS

What kind of arsehole builder did you get stuck with? Be sure to advertise for him so future customers know how he operates and see how fast he either gets his sh/t together and resolves your problem or he has built his last house. That response from him is total bullsh/t...period.
Reply Quote
1
2 edits
Gary79Ag
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:49p, 8/11/17
AG
PS...told my wife about this and she said you need to advertise for him by posting a pic of the cabinet doors slightly opened with a sign of your builders business card above it and a note that he says to keep the cabinet doors open with a light on and he'll be sure to stop by to swap out the damp towels on a regular basis!
Reply Quote
1
1 edit
Marvin_Zindler
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:02a, 8/12/17
AG
Raise hell. You paid for the builder's work. Hold his feet to the fire.
Reply Quote
1
SoulSlaveAG2005
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
8:34a, 8/12/17
AG
Similar question on the primary condensate line... we are selling our home and the buyers inspector noted that our primary condensate line is not insulated and it needed to be... I have never heard of this and seems like a silly repair, I mean it's probably about 4 linear feet of pvc that I can put pipe wrap on... I don't mind doing it but have never heard of having that insulated?

ETA: its an attic mounted unit.
Reply Quote
1 edit
ebtexag12
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to SoulSlaveAG2005 • 4:24p, 8/13/17
AG
It's code now to have your main drain insulated but that's only when you replace a system. That's just an inspector trying to cover himself if it sweats through the ceiling on the new people. They find dumb stuff like that all the time.
Reply Quote
ebtexag12
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Ducks4brkfast • 4:27p, 8/13/17
AG
How dirty are your filters? How cold are you keeping it in your house? I would get your A/C guy to clear your drain and wrap that with armaflex.
Reply Quote
SoulSlaveAG2005
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to ebtexag12 • 4:40p, 8/13/17
AG
ebtexag12 said:
They find dumb stuff like that all the time.


Thanks. I went ahead and bought $2 worth of pipe insulation and installed it. For the sale of the home something little like that is an easy yes.

The inspector really did harp on some dumb things. Almost everything the buyer is looking to have fixed cost about $5 and 15 minutes of time with either a caulk gun or a screwdriver.... used 4 squirts of roof tar tube to cover 4 exposed nail heads on roof.... now I'm looking for other things to seal so as to not waste an entire tube.
Reply Quote
1 edit
AggiePlaya
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to SoulSlaveAG2005 • 5:25p, 8/13/17
AG
SoulSlaveAG2005 said:
ebtexag12 said:
They find dumb stuff like that all the time.


Thanks. I went ahead and bought $2 worth of pipe insulation and installed it. For the sale of the home something little like that is an easy yes.

The inspector really did harp on some dumb things. Almost everything the buyer is looking to have fixed cost about $5 and 15 minutes of time with either a caulk gun or a screwdriver.... used 4 squirts of roof tar tube to cover 4 exposed nail heads on roof.... now I'm looking for other things to seal so as to not waste an entire tube.
Although that may be some annoying nit-picking, if that's all you had to resolve you got off easy...be lucky it wasn't thousands in repairs and a long list of crap that may have killed the deal.

Wife had a client that refused to reason and they would not back down on asking for the moon...so they lost the deal and the sellers had another contract practically the next day!
Reply Quote
SoulSlaveAG2005
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to AggiePlaya • 6:31p, 8/13/17
AG
Oh. I know. I was ecstatic when they sent me the list. I received the report first and went... "oh crap!" They are gonna want some big ticket items fixed... they completely glossed them over and just sent me a weekend honey do list. We got an amendment to allow me to do the work and I pretty much knocked it all out today. Only cost me 1 trip to Home Depot and $122.
Reply Quote
1 edit
SCHTICK00
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:42p, 8/18/17
AG
Make sure you clean that trap once a year. It will be full of slime.
Reply Quote
htxag09
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to SCHTICK00 • 6:24p, 8/21/17
AG
SCHTICK00 said:
Make sure you clean that trap once a year. It will be full of slime.

I do it twice a year. When I'm in the attic getting Christmas decorations and in July. It's funny how often people post in next door asking for help because their guest bathroom sink, which they never use, is overflowing with water. FWIW, I live inside the loop in houston so lots of first time homeowners and yuppies.
Reply Quote
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.