Is the thermostat set to “COOL” or “HEAT” and fan set to “AUTO”?
Is the temperature adjusted low enough?
Step 1. Turn off your air conditioner. To avoid shock or electrical damage, switch your air conditioner to “OFF” on your thermostat as well as at the circuit breaker panel.
Step 2. Locate the drain pipe. If you live in a single-family home, it’ll be located outside, where the condenser unit sits. If you live in a building, it could be located in the same closet as the furnace. It’s a PVC pipe with a plastic cap.
Step 3. Remove the cap from the pipe. You won’t need tools for this. Pulling it off with your hands will suffice.
Step 4. Check to see if there is any debris stuck in the drain. Visually inspect the drain line for any debris that may be causing the blockage. If it’s too dark, shine a flashlight on it.
Step 5. Remove any visible debris and retest for proper drainage. Manually remove any visible debris, be careful not to accidentally push it further down.
Step 6. Pour in Vinegar. Once the debris is removed, slowly pour one cup of distilled white vinegar into the pipe.
Step 7. Replace the drain cap. Wait half an hour before turning on your air conditioner again.
Please do note that this is a simple way of cleaning a condensate drain line if you regularly provide it with maintenance.
If it’s been years and you’ve never cleaned your AC drain line before, you may need a more aggressive method to remove a clog, such as a wet/dry vacuum.
Materials
Wet/dry vacuum
DIY vac (a plastic tube that fits the wet/dry vacuum on one end and the AC drain line on the other)
Step 8. Remove the drain cap. Gain access to the AC drain line by removing the system’s access cap or unscrewing the PVC pipe.
Step 9. Use a wet/dry vacuum. Once you have the line open, use the wet/dry vacuum to remove the clog and any trapped water along with it.
- Check the fuse box for tripped breaker switch.
- Reset the breaker by moving if to the full “off” position and then back to the “on” position.
- Check your appliances. Unplug all of them. Reset the breaker, plug one appliance in at a time to locate a possible faulty appliance.
- Look for a GFI plug, which is typically in locations near water like the kitchen, bathroom, or garage. The GFI is designed to “trip” or cut electrical power in case of a short, like when you drop a curling iron in the bathtub. You can reset the GFI by pressing the “RESET” button in the middle. You may have to push the “TEST” button and then the “RESET” before it will turn back on.
- There may be more than one GFI. Sometimes the GFI is on the circuit breaker, so be sure to check the panel for problems as well.
- Contact your local power company to inquire if there are any power outages in your neighborhood.
Step 1. Reset the GFCI outlet.
Step 2. Reset the disposal using the red
button on the bottom.
Step 3. Attempt to turn the blades safely using the hex key slot on the underside of the disposal. Please reference this 1 minute video for visual instructions on the troubleshooting steps above:
- Normally the smoke alarm will emit a beeping sound when the batteries are not working or are losing their charge.
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every thirty days.
- If a unit fails a test, change the batteries.
- If a new battery does not work, submit a Meld.
- Do not disconnect, remove, or otherwise disable a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector.
