Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine May 2023

HVACR NewsMagazine May 2023

Tech News

TAKE NOTE OF THE DRAIN’S SETUP WITHIN THE UNIT Before cleaning a drain, you will want to analyze the drain and its parts. Consider the setup of the air handler, fan coil, furnace, and case coil. See if you can answer the following questions about the unit: • Where will the water come out? • Will the water flow into a drain pan or float switch no matter what happens in the case of a backup or other issue? • Are the float switch and secondary pan firmly set in place so they won't move or slide? It's vital to ensure that everything is anchored in place and able to handle the weight of the water. The drain setup’s structural integrity will affect the drain’s function, so it’s always a good idea to check that the drain can handle overflow and perform its necessary job. CONSIDER IF YOU’RE WORKING WITH A COMMUNAL (COMMON) DRAIN SYSTEM In communal (common) drain systems, several HVAC units lead to a single common drain. A backed-up common drain will have a different set of consequences than a single obstructed dedicated drain. More drains will be affected by blockages, and they will suffer the consequences of careless cleaning practices. If a common drain backs up, several units are at risk of leakage. Also, you have to make sure that you clean dedicated drains without messing up other people’s drains. You have to be extra careful of backflow if you’re cleaning a single dedicated drain within a communal drain system. The drain size is also an important thing to note when dealing with communal vs. dedicated drainage systems. It varies between dedicated and communal drain systems. Dedicated drains are usually only about ¾”

wide, while communal drains can be around 2” wid e. We also strongly recommend considering where the condensate will come out when working with a communal system. If the drain leads out to a garden, you may not want to dump chemicals in the drain pan! ASSESS THE BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF EACH CLEANING TECHNIQUE We recommend using one of the three main techniques for cleaning a drain. These are using a shop vac, compressed air or nitrogen, and water. We have already talked a little bit about wet/dry vacs. They are versatile and portable tools, but they have their limitations. We have already said that they’re difficult to fit into small spaces, but they are also on the weak side. Their suction power is limited to 14.7 pounds of force per square inch by physics (and you obviously get a lot less than that). Compressed air or nitrogen is a bit stronger than a shop vac, but you must be more careful with it, especially in communal systems. You can cause leakages in nearby drains if your compressed air messes up the piping. That is especially problematic if the drain system runs through a wall. If you want to use compressed air, it would be best to be mindful of your blowing power and the drain system’s structural integrity. Cap vents properly, and make sure fittings are glued before you blow compressed air into a drain that leads to a common drain. We believe that pressurized water is the best solution. It's powerful, clean, and less likely to cause problems in communal systems than compressed gases. Unfortunately, you won’t always have a hose at the ready and may need to consider other techniques when water is unavailable. You also have to be careful not to let the water overflow into the return or make a mess in general.