A/C Drain line

[Bow-TechAggie]

Our drain line to our home A/C started over flowing today. Sure enough it was full of slimey crud. I cut out the plugged section and she is now good as new.

Question I have is: The drain line I cut out had been insulated (with foam pipe wrap) by the A/C tech when he installed the unit. Does a drain line need to be insulated?

[TXBassboy]

Only if you think it will freeze

[JEG8233]

The reason the drain line is insulated is to keep the drain line from sweating during the summer. As far as freezing that would only be a possibility if you were running a 90%+ condensing furnace.

[Uncle Saggy]

A drain will sweat in an attic.

[floyd80]

We pour a cup of bleach down the drain every month to help keep it clean.

[pigstika1978]

A/C Drain line

We pour a cup of bleach down the drain every month to help keep it clean.

^^^^

[Bow-TechAggie]

We pour a cup of bleach down the drain every month to help keep it clean.

Our drain line is tied into the house's drain system which means it goes into our septic tank. Is pouring a cup of bleach once a month bad for the bacteria in the septic system?

[Matt2006Martin]

Bleach..bleach...bleach...will do all the work for ya

[txlawdog]

The reason the drain line is insulated is to keep the drain line from sweating during the summer. As far as freezing that would only be a possibility if you were running a 90%+ condensing furnace.

This, the line will sweat and drip a little bit. The cold water in the pipe mixes with the hot air in the attic and condensate forms on the pipe. It is like your cold beer can/bottle sitting on the table while you drink it.

[jaxthedog]

Tablets

They also sell tablets you can put in bottom of pan or coil - like bleach.
So it releases continuously.
You could probably find on amazon.

[gusman]

A drain will sweat in an attic.

Yes...just reinstate it

[Uncle Saggy]

They also sell tablets you can put in bottom of pan or coil - like bleach.
So it releases continuously.
You could probably find on amazon.

The pan tablets work great

[dustoffer]

Get one of the big chlorine tabs used in swimming pools. Break it up into nickel- or quarter-sized chunks, and toss one into the drain pan each week or so. Prevention is worth a gallon of bleach.

[60 Deluxe]

Our drain line is tied into the house's drain system which means it goes into our septic tank. Is pouring a cup of bleach once a month bad for the bacteria in the septic system?

Short answer is yes. How much a septic system will tolerate is unknown as the article that I was reading did not get into quantity. We probably use a couple of cups of bleach per month through the washing machine and have had no problems. Our drip lines drain to the yard. It gives the dirtdobbers a steady supply of mud to move onto our walls, cabinets in the barn, under the hood of the car.....

[Devil1]

Bleach and blow it out occasionally. You'll notice it needs cleaning when you see it dripping from the secondary line. Some even take a water hose to it.

Oh sorry, it's insulated to keep it from sweating.