“Common Drain” problems in South Florida apartments and high rise condominiums

As an air conditioning company in West Palm Beach, Florida their are certain issues associated with A/C malfunctions that seem to repeat themselves.

Today we were called to a high rise condominium in West Palm Beach to resolve a leaky air handler located on the ground floor of the building.  After securing the drain line of the unit, we quickly realized that the real issue was a problem with the buildings “common drain” and not the specific air handler.

We often see this common drain problem in South Florida apartments and high rise condominiums, so today, we decided to address the issue in our blog.

Common area drains typically run vertically through a building and serve the needs of multiple units. They are common area systems and fall under the responsibility of the Association to repair.

Keep in mind however, that if the problem is in a pipe branching off of the common pipe and serving only your unit, the repairs are your responsibility.

Since these pipes serve multiple units in any given tier of a building, when there is a problem with a common drain, it will most likely cause symptoms in more than one unit in the tier.

So, if you and your neighbor(s) are both or all experiencing the same problem (inefficient condensate draining at your air handler’s location), you can be relatively sure that it is a common area pipe or vent that is causing the problem. If this is the case you should contact your board or management company to explain the problem and seek help in getting it fixed.

Clogged common drains will usually affect the draining capacity of the condensate line of your A/C system.

If a main drain is clogged below the first floor, the first floor units can sustain serious backup problems and or leakage in the air handler closet where the condensate drain is located.  Common area blockages can be caused by many things but are usually the result of non-soluble particulates being put in the drainage system or algae buildup over time.

At Advanced Cooling and Heating Inc. we have been serving the needs of condo residents for over 25 years.

When thinking about an AC repair company, consider our experience and expertise. Let Advanced Cooling and Heating Inc., guide your association smoothly toward a worry free maintenance of your air conditioning units and common drains.