While you are enjoying the cool temperatures in your home on a hot summer day, you most likely are not thinking about how your beloved air conditioner can cause some serious water damage to your home.

Your air conditioner not only removes heat from the air but also removes moisture. The moisture removed from the air is then drained from your home via a condensate drain system.

The evaporator coil in your indoor unit is typically built with a condensate tray to catch the condensation that leaks while it operates. The water is then drained from the tray through a condensate drain line out of your home.

In the absence of regular maintenance on your air conditioner, slime, algae, mildew, and bacteria can accumulate in your drain line blocking it and causing any backed-up water to overflow. If not taken care of, a clogged drainpipe can create serious mechanical problems for the air conditioner.

In an attic where the indoor unit is usually installed horizontally, there may be an auxiliary overflow pan to catch any condensation that leaks if the main condensate line is backed up. If it doesn’t have the secondary tray or if the auxiliary line becomes blocked, the water will eventually overflow causing damage to floors, walls, and ceilings.

If a vertically installed unit drain line becomes blocked, the condensate tray will overflow and leak everywhere. Property damage from unseen condensate leakage can be extensive and expensive by the time a leak is finally noticed.

An overflow safety switch can prevent a leak from happening. If you have a properly installed air conditioner overflow safety switch, when too much moisture begins to accumulate in the drainage system due to a blockage, a signal is sent to the compressor unit to turn off. Deactivation of the compressor stops the condensation process and an overflow is prevented.

Having an overflow safety switch installed in your air conditioner is a great investment to make to save yourself from having to spend money on costly home repairs you could have prevented. If you don’t have an overflow safety switch, Right Now Air & Solar can install one for you. Make an appointment today!