HVAC Drain Line - No Cleanout

[maverickfhs]

So looking at our AC unit drain lines, one line is coming from the attic and other one is in the basement.

Both are connected and I am not seeing any place for a clean-out or any sort of water back up switch. In the past, have used bleach and poured it down that line and never had an issue.

Can anyone look at this pic and see if you can see something? Thank you

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

It's only pvc pipe. Change it at will. Plan #2, apply a shop vac to the outlet and vacuum it clear.

 

[maverickfhs]

Should I be doing any proactive shop vacuum cleaning - no issues to report, but was trying to see if bleach can be added somewhere?

Thank you.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Should I be doing any proactive shop vacuum cleaning - no issues to report, but was trying to see if bleach can be added somewhere?

Thank you.

Don’t overthink it, bleach may do damage. They only need to be cleaned every few years at most.

 

[maverickfhs]

Don’t overthink it, bleach may do damage. They only need to be cleaned every few years at most.

Having a BITOG forum member and mentality - dropping the urge of doing preventive maintenance. Thank you.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

If there was a good way to clean it that would be one thing, blowing out the line yearly probably won’t do much. I did building maintenance for years and they seem to clog with no rhyme or reason. One unit will plug up on a roof and the identical units on both sides of that one will be fine. Time May be better spent cleaning coils and maybe the fan.

 

[EA82]

What does it connect to in the attic ?

 

[KJSmith]

If the air blows across the coil, you usually pit a "T" to release the pressure and allow water to drain.
If the air is sucked across the coil you usually put a "P" trap to keep from sucking sewage fumes into the unit.

You have neither.
Good Luck.

On Edit:
If there is enough drop in the line, your not going to get any growth.
You could always put a "t" in and keep a cap on it.

 

[samven]

Ours never had a clean out either. To be honest it was one of those things I never paid attention to until my wife asked where the water was coming from in the basement. Ours was only 1/2" PVC and ran down the side of the howler box to the floor and across 5 ft to the sump hole. The pan inside had collected enough dust over the years that it plugged the end of the pipe and water was flowing over the edge and ran out from under the sheet metal toward the sump. I just put the wet/dry vac on the end of the pipe and sucked every thing out. After that I started doing it whenever I changed the filter. Probably overkill as it went 15 years before we noticed a problem, but it never happened again.