Why Is It Important To Keep My Drip Pans Clean?

In this episode, we talk with special guest, Brandon Day, from Daycool Heating and Air, about the importance of proper maintenance for your air conditioning (AC) system. He explains the crucial role that the drip pans found beneath your air conditioning units play, especially if the unit is installed in the attic, a common placement for many households.

Brandon highlights that the pan you see is not the main pan but a backup pan, and finding water in it indicates a potential problem. The purpose of the pan and the float switches connected to it is to prevent water back-up from damaging your home. Brandon affirms that proper maintenance of these pans is essential to prevent water leaks and significant damage.

We explore why it's critical to ensure the pan, the pipes, and the area around it remain clean and clear. Obstructions such as insulation, dirt, dust, and even misplaced household items can cause major problems if they find their way into the pan. Brandon shares the steps his team at Daycool take to maintain the pan and talks about the immediate and devastating potential for damage caused by blockages.

Brandon recommends having professionals like Daycool perform maintenance checks at least twice a year, usually in the spring and fall, and shares some DIY maintenance tips for homeowners. He underlines the importance of ongoing maintenance to prevent failures and major breakdowns in the heat of summer.

The episode concludes by reminding listeners that Brandon's contact information is available in the podcast description for those seeking expert AC system maintenance services. Brandon expresses gratitude for the opportunity to share his knowledge on the Checker Pro Radio Show, helping listeners ensure the longevity and efficiency of their AC systems.

 

For more information about Daycool Heating & Air in Mobile, AL -  log on to www.daycoolair.com or check them out at www.checkapro.com.

 

Visit Us At -  www.daycoolair.com

 

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Brandon Day from Daycool heating and air is
joining me here on the Check A Pro Radio Show to answer
some questions from you the listener Hey Brandon how are you today pretty good
I'm living the dream thank you so much drip pans very important to
have it installed correctly and for them to function correctly these are the

(00:22):
pans that are underneath your air conditioning unit and if you have an air conditioning system,
especially above your head in the attic, which is relatively common,
then you can have a big problem if that pan is not operating correctly.
Can you tell me why it's so important, Brandon?
Yeah. So I think most people, if they have a horizontal unit or something in

(00:46):
the attic, everybody sees a big, shiny pan or plastic one, whatever.
You know, that's the backup pan. That's not your main pan.
Pan so if you ever see water in there you already got an issue so that's
to if if the main pan and inside whatever piece
of equipment, you have ever backs up
that's your fail safe you know not only is that pan important

(01:07):
those float switches on that are important to where
it's a it's a a floating piece
of some of them have like rubber in or core it cuts the
unit off if it backs up so when that water ever gets
past that then that that secondary catch pan is
is what's your next form your
armor against coming through sheetrock or tearing

(01:30):
up ductwork or anything and you're also supposed to have a float switch on that
pan so if it's have two rounds of backup you know and we'll use we don't use
them as often as we used to because people were complaining about them but those
Those little sirens, when they sense water,
it's a water sensor, moisture sensor, it screams too.

(01:52):
But when those batteries fail, like when you're growing up, those little peak
chip gags you used to hold your finger over and they make that chirping sound.
Those things start doing that. We don't use them as often, but it's not code,
but they're a good product to have.
Yeah. So sometimes people get to the point where they actually have a water
leak in their ceiling, which comes through.

(02:15):
The sheetrock can literally fall down onto furniture and carpet and flooring.
And if it's gotten that far, a number of things have failed.
So let's talk a little bit about how the system works, the air conditioning
system. Part of what it does is it pulls moisture out of the air,
the coils do, and that water has to go somewhere.
It's supposed to be drained properly.

(02:36):
You should never see the water in the pan if everything's running correctly.
But that pan is, like you said, it's a secondary, it's a backup,
and it's okay if there's water in there, if it is clean and clear,
and the pipes running from that are unobstructed.
So that's why it's so important to make sure the drain pan is installed correctly

(02:59):
and clear of things. What do I mean by clear of things?
Insulation, dirt, dust, things that just shouldn't be there,
like Christmas decorations, right? You keep things away from that.
When you guys go up into the attic to maintain a system, what do you do in terms
of the pan? Do you clean it out with your hand?

(03:19):
Do you blow air, put water in it to make sure it's draining? What do you do?
So on the main pan, the one that nobody can really see, you know,
our code here in Mobile requires access and such to be able to still get in
there and suck it out, clean it out, blow it out, whatever.
Whatever um different different types of systems have different needs in reference

(03:41):
to exiting drain pan but in the auxiliary pan we have like uh those we use those
battery powered Milwaukee shop bags so we can suck out any insulation and they're
non-intrusive they're small and easy and.
It's, there's, I want to say probably cable guys or something going through
an attic, knocking, just, just moving by something, knocking insulation in there

(04:03):
could cause $3,000 worth of sheetrock damage quick.
Just because that little piece of insulation floating over a little, everything's gravity.
So path of least resistance. If that pan gets clogged up by the smallest,
anything, it could be devastating.
It can be. I know, Brandon, you recommend at least twice a year for you and

(04:25):
your team at DayCool to come out to your customers' homes to do an overall maintenance
check, to do what needs to be done.
Generally, the fall and the spring are often recommended.
And these are great times to be testing the system, to be going up there and
looking at things. The condensation lines, if they're running correctly, need to be cleaned.

(04:53):
Do you recommend the homeowner cleaning those out, or is that a service that you provide?
We do it. We provide it. As a rule, when we put a system in,
we teach the guys to let the customer know once a month.
They were 30 days run, hot water and white vinegar down the drain.

(05:14):
Uh usually people say bleach just that and the
other but everything's aluminum coals now and it's corrosive when
you pour bleach in a pan you get
uh formicaric erosion way faster than in in that white chalk that you always
see like on a boat after it gets that corrosion imagine that trying and that

(05:35):
chalks up and can stop a drain not only make the coil fail but um Um, that we,
we kind of ask people to do that, but sometimes the seniors,
senior customers can't do it.
Uh, sometimes it's hard to get to, and sometimes they've done it and they screw
things up trying to just pull the cap off.
So you kind of take it like you think it'll roll.

(06:00):
Yeah, no, absolutely. The maintenance is so important. A lot of people wait until it's too late.
It's often the hottest day in August. and they're like, yeah,
I haven't had an air conditioning company come out in five years. Yeah.
And you're going to have a failure.
All of Brandon's information is located in the description of this podcast.

(06:23):
There's no reason not to reach out to him and make an appointment.
Brandon, as always, thank you for bringing your expertise to the Checker Pro
Radio Show. I really do appreciate it. Yeah. Thanks for having me.