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Air Conditioning condensate leaks, health hazards, mold risk, repairs InspectAPedia®  -     Air Conditioning condensate leaks, health hazards, mold risk, repairs Air Conditioning Condensate Handling Defects A/C condensate piping, leaks, hazards

This chapter of "How to Inspect the Central Air Conditioning or Cooling System" discusses the inspection of air conditioning condensate systems, including air conditioning condensate leaks, health hazards from air conditioner leaks, the related mold risk, and condensate leak repairs, as well as condensate piping, traps, drains, condensate pumps, and the detection and hazards of air conditioning system condensate leaks in buildings.

Condensate leak health and safety concerns are reviewed. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.

© Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

CONDENSATE LEAKS - Air Conditioning System Condensate Leaks

This sequence of photos shows of an attic air conditioning condensate line what happens when an amateur rigs up a condensate drain in an attic without proper glue, support, and slope.

The plastic piping was not securely supported and when touched, fell apart to spill condensate into the attic floor and into the ceilings below.

Condensate leaks into an attic ceiling risk not only damage to the building but a hidden mold reservoir in the building insulation or on the attic side of the ceiling drywall below.

Since this air conditioning attic system was the same one which showed the dog bowl and kitchen pot in use to catch condensate drips at the air handler unit, the inspector was not remiss in checking the remainder of the condensate drain line rather aggressively.

Condensate leaks from the air handler's internal drip tray (below the evaporator coil) occur if the internal drain is clogged.

When condensate wets the insulation on the interior of the blower compartment there is risk of problematic mold growth in the system.

In warm humid climates such as the Southern U.S., high levels of condensate production in the air handler unit can also result in movement of condensate downstream into the supply duct, forced there by the blower itself.



Missing air conditioning condensate trap: [example air conditioning inspection report language]: We did not see a trap on the condensate line itself - usually installed as good practice - ask your HVAC service person about this detail. It could be required for sanitary or other reasons. CONDENSATE TRAPS have several function including avoiding possible draw of unsanitary air or bacteria back into the building air supply.

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Technical Reviewers & References

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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS
AIR CONDITIONER COMPONENT PARTS
CONTROLS & SWITCHES
A/C DATA TAGS
A/C DIAGNOSTIC FAQs
A/C REFRIGERANTS
A/C DIAGNOSTIC FAQs
A/C TYPES, ENERGY SOURCES
A/C REFRIGERANTS
AIR CONDITIONER BTU CHART
AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS
AIR HANDLER UNITS
BOOKSTORE - Air Conditioning "How To" Books
CLEANING & Legionella BACTERIA
COMPRESSOR & CONDENSING COIL
CONDENSATE HANDLING
  DRIP TRAY DEFECTS
  CONDENSATE LEAKS
  CONDENSATE PUMPS
  CONDENSATE DRAINS
  CONDENSATE TRAY CLEANING
COOL OFF HEAT Thermostat Switch
DATA TAGS on AIR CONDITIONERS
COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ
DEFINITION of Heating & Cooling Terms
DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
DUCT SYSTEMS
DUCTS - Asbestos
DUCT SYSTEM DEFECTS
DUCT INSULATION, Asbestos Paper
DUCT INSULATION for SOUNDPROOFING
DUCTS, Asbestos Transite Pipe
DUST FROM HVAC?
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS
FAN AUTO ON Thermostat Switch
FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS
HEAT LOSS (or GAIN) in BUILDINGS
INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS
INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
INSPECTION LIMITATIONS
LOST COOLING CAPACITY
OPERATING TEMPERATURES
OPERATING DEFECTS
OPERATING COST
SEER RATINGS & OTHER DEFINITIONS
SYSTEM OPERATION
THERMOSTATS
CRITICAL DEFECTS

• Thanks to Mike Giaquinto and Scott at SJM Inspect for technical editing remarks

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• Complete List of Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Design, Inspection, Repair Books at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, A. D. Althouse, C.H. Turnquist, A. Bracciano, Goodheart-Willcox Co., 1982
• Principles of Refrigeration, R. Warren Marsh, C. Thomas Olivo, Delmar Publishers, 1979
• "Air Conditioning & Refrigeration I & II", BOCES Education, Warren Hilliard (instructor), Poughkeepsie, New York, May - July 1982, [classroom notes from air conditioning and refrigeration maintenance and repair course attended by the website author]
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, 5th Ed., William C. Whitman, William M. Johnson, John Tomczyk, Cengage Learning, 2005, ISBN 1401837654, 9781401837655 1324 pages
• Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment ($69.00 U.S.).
• ...

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