Thread: Bleeding Condensate Drain Line

I'm baffled on this one. Me and the client stood there in horror watching something red like blood just draining out the condensate drain line. This was not orange in color like you'd see rust either.

Looked inside the condensate line at the unit and water was clear.

WTF is going on?

Any suggestions? Or is it a "Miracle"?

It did this for about 30 minutes and then cleared up.

rick

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This was a foreclosure and has not been previously inspected per the listing agent. Home has been sitting vacant for near 2yrs.

rick

There can be some pretty bizarre stuff growing in condensate lines. Often I have seen orange, black, brown growth in pans and drain lines but that bright red liquid is a first. Normally the growth will be semi solid but since the house was vacant, maybe a different species of algae or mold.
To use Ted's phrase.
Hmmmmm?

Foreclosure = someone may have poured paint down the condensate line and it accumulated downstream of where you were looking.

If you look closely you will see a slight reddish discoloration in the bottom where you are looking down into that cleanout - 200x and then 400x magnification shows it more clearly with evidence of the reddish stain around the sides of the cleanout near the bottom of the vertical section.

Water with high iron content in copper can cause that but it sure looks awfully bright.

Here's the poor video of the horror.

YouTube - Bleeding Condensate Drain line

Rick how long has it been since you had a drink. Looks like you need one "just to steady your nerves" before making a video.

Jim,

I wasn't holding the camera. My client was.

rick

Thats sick Something must be leaking inside the unit. an oil is what I'm thinking. a lot of oils for compressor are red like that. Looking at the film one moe time it looks like an oil. its not mixing with the water.

Best

Ron

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Jim,

I wasn't holding the camera. My client was.

rick

Well then. He needs a Margarita or 3 or a sony steady shot camera.

I never see the condensate drain lines cominbg out the edge of the slab like that. I usually see the tpr drain lines coming out the concrete like that.

Was that the Bates motel?

I am with Ted I was just thinking way did they go from pvc to copper for a condensate line? Are you sure thats not the TPR?

Ted,

You must have never inspected a Fox and Jacobs home in the metroplex then if you never seen a HVAC condensate drain in the foundation wall as such. They usually are coming out the front exterior foundation wall and dripping into the waste drain cleanouts. First time they get blocked, some HVAC hacks the copper line off at the exterior to blow out the line, thus leaving the line as you seen in my picture.

rick

Sure the home wasn't winterized. They use a biodegradable pink solution for the traps. I guess billy Bob saw that one and said what the heck and poured some in!

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Ted,

You must have never inspected a Fox and Jacobs home in the metroplex then if you never seen a HVAC condensate drain in the foundation wall as such. They usually are coming out the front exterior foundation wall and dripping into the waste drain cleanouts. First time they get blocked, some HVAC hacks the copper line off at the exterior to blow out the line, thus leaving the line as you seen in my picture.

rick

Yep I did go ovcer some old pics and reports and did find the copper condensate line. I guess I just don't do that many older homes in the area where they have done that. Most of the systems for the older homes are in a closet and they drain to the homes drainage under the closet unit.

I stand corrected on never seeing them. As far as that red garbage I think Mike may be on to something with the homes winterization at one time.

Hey Rick,

most likely it is dye, I was a HVAC contractor for years and when we had leaks we couldn't find, we put red dye in the system to help us locate the leak, and the condensate drain is one of the first places we looked, if the "A" coil is leaking, dye will be seen in the condensate drain.