Time to Check the AC Condensate Line
November 12, 2008
Check the AC Condensate Line for Insulation and Voids
Yes, winters in Tucson are brutal, but if we prepare for them we can manage to make it to spring. The Air Conditioning unit is a workhorse for most of us during the summer months. As the fall air turns crisp and the nights clear our thoughts turn to hot tub evenings and we forget the AC unit till we need it next summer.
Before you forget, you should take it a plate of cookies for a job well done. In this case a plate of cookies would be an inspection of the condensate line insulation and entry point into the house. The condensate line is the big one coming out of the outside unit and going into the house. It is insulated and usually has stucco and caulk sealing the entry point to the house.
Over the summer the heat takes its toll on the insulation. It might need to be replaced or new tape added at the ends. In addition you should check to make sure the stucco or caulk hasn’t worn and voids appearing where water can enter and cause further damage.
During the summer the rains come and the weather is warm, the humidity, while high for Tucson standards is still quite low and moisture usually evaporates. During the winter months the rain can enter those same voids in the seal but with the temperatures at night dropping often below or near freezing the water can expand and cause cracks or widen existing cracks in the stucco around the lines.
I did my fall inspection a couple of days ago and a chunk of stucco had fallen out revealing a void. I took some 50 year caulk and injected it into the holes and around the line to seal it up for the winter. The insulation was in good shape so nothing was required there.
It is also a good time to go around the house and check the stucco for cracks that might have appeared during the summer heat. These too should be sealed before winter rains can enter the cracks and create a much bigger issue. Hairline cracks are a natural occurance in stucco. Sealing and painting is normal maintenance.
Take your AC Unit some cookies and milk, in this case stucco patch and caulk, to say thank you for a job well done and a well deserved rest for the winter.
