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Improperly installed AC leading to drainage

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  1. #1

    Improperly installed AC leading to drainage

    Hi all,

    I had my renovator install AC machine (split type) during the renovation two years ago.

    Later on, we noticed that a lot (seriously a lot) of shoddy work has been done and he just blames a million other things except for himself/his contractors when we brought it up.

    Last year, aircon water was dripping so I called official service hotline (manufacturer) to come clean.
    The technician said "it's not about cleaning, but it's installed improperly".
    But the water dripping issue didn't happen again last year after cleaning, so I ignored.

    Last month, the water was dripping again so I contacted manufacturer to do cleaning again.
    They did the cleaning, and it was okay for a month.... until last week.

    Water was dripping quite a lot (3 drops per second), possibly due to recent sudden heavy use.
    I got a cat so turned on the AC (weak) 24/7 for 2 weeks.

    I had manufacturer's technician visit again just now, and he said "drainage pipe is not angled properly and is too horizontal".
    Unfortunately manufacturer's technician only provides cleaning and not "Fixing"/reinstallation, which is annoying.

    The problematic aircon is in the middle of the living room. Few meters of "fake" wooden boards were added, at a hefty cost, during renovation to "hide" the drainage pipe connecting outdoors.

    My question is... is this something they can even fix without making a HUGE mess in the house? I would really want to fix as I want to turn on for my cat and I work from home half the time, but it still isn't just worth the mess they might have to make.


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    143

    i have the same problem. if the hose is in the wall, they will have to rip it out, re-do the drainage angle. and re-do the wall. that or every once in awhile, u get a guy to drain the hose manually.

    both are not ideal solutions, so pick your poison.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    1,237

    show us a photo

    jgl and JAherbert like this.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    3,988

    AC drain pipes get clogged when dirt/pet hair/debris/etc. builds up inside the drain pipe, eventually blocking the pipe, so the first step is to prevent dirt getting into the drain pipe. the HK fix is a technician blowing through the pipe.

    did you clean the air filters regularly? did you notice lots of cat hair on the filter? if yes you need to clean more frequently. Do you have the correct manufacturers air filters installed?

    Also if the pipe is not laid with the correct gradient between the AC unit to the outside face of the external wall that will cause problems, condensate water will build up in the pipe, and the smallest amount of dirt will block it, biggest mistake I have seen is that the section of pipe passing through the wall, and outside wall section is wrong, all should be lower than AC unit.

    one quick and dirty fix install a new drain pipe from AC unit to the wall with large slope/gradient, it might look ugly but it will drain properly


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    515

    Slightly OT, but if you turned on the A/C to keep the cat cool; don't, they don't really need that. If you turned it on to reduce smells and floating hairs, I suggest using an air purifier instead.


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Dubai
    Posts
    582
    Quote Originally Posted by bobly:
    i have the same problem. if the hose is in the wall, they will have to rip it out, re-do the drainage angle. and re-do the wall. that or every once in awhile, u get a guy to drain the hose manually.

    both are not ideal solutions, so pick your poison.
    I'm facing this problem in my house too but luckily that AC unit is a spare one so I can tolerate it. Also, if I blow that AC at 3/5 fan speed, I don't have issues.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Posts
    240

    Check with manufacturer if they have see fu to reinstall your aircon. If they take your case, it may be at charge. The cleaner doesn’t have the qualifications to take on your request.
    If not, you need to seek electricians to do the job.I would ask two quotations from different electricians.
    If the intention of the Reno was to hide the drains and wiring, then it’s going to be messy to tear up the lot.


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    6,733

    Had a dripping AC issue. Thought the drainage pipe was clogged. Turned out running it at low fan speed was causing condensation. 0 issues at medium/high fan speed!


  9. #9

    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    1,550

    Will condensate removal pump inside the home help with pushing the condensate against gravity through the pump. Also the pump can filter any hairs or dirt and keep drains clean? Found a bunch of such pumps in taobao, aliexpress and amazon..

    Condensate Pump https://a.co/d/iAukHIx

    Quote Originally Posted by WineLuver:
    Hi all,

    I had my renovator install AC machine (split type) during the renovation two years ago.

    Later on, we noticed that a lot (seriously a lot) of shoddy work has been done and he just blames a million other things except for himself/his contractors when we brought it up.

    Last year, aircon water was dripping so I called official service hotline (manufacturer) to come clean.
    The technician said "it's not about cleaning, but it's installed improperly".
    But the water dripping issue didn't happen again last year after cleaning, so I ignored.

    Last month, the water was dripping again so I contacted manufacturer to do cleaning again.
    They did the cleaning, and it was okay for a month.... until last week.

    Water was dripping quite a lot (3 drops per second), possibly due to recent sudden heavy use.
    I got a cat so turned on the AC (weak) 24/7 for 2 weeks.

    I had manufacturer's technician visit again just now, and he said "drainage pipe is not angled properly and is too horizontal".
    Unfortunately manufacturer's technician only provides cleaning and not "Fixing"/reinstallation, which is annoying.

    The problematic aircon is in the middle of the living room. Few meters of "fake" wooden boards were added, at a hefty cost, during renovation to "hide" the drainage pipe connecting outdoors.

    My question is... is this something they can even fix without making a HUGE mess in the house? I would really want to fix as I want to turn on for my cat and I work from home half the time, but it still isn't just worth the mess they might have to make.

  10. #10

    I had a similar situation as well earlier this year. Renovated with new AC put in three years ago, first year the AC operated fine with no dripping, second year some dripping and after cleaning by a non-manufacturer service AC cleaning tech (basically the neighborhood AC fix-it guy) it stopped, but third year (this year) the AC would start dripping very soon even after it was cleaned. Have pet in the flat.

    The AC is Panasonic so asked the Shun Hing Electric Centre (which provides support for Panasonic in HK) to come and do a more expensive deep cleaning (it was HK$1000 I believe). Instead of the random "blow into the drain pipe" to clear out any clogs in the pipe, I specifically asked them to use their blower tool into the pipe area and told them about the dripping issue. They were able to clear out the clog (there was a popping sound which seem to be a clearing of the blockage).

    I would suggest before going with an expensive reinstallation, to see if you can get a more professional cleaning procedure done. Your case sounds like there is a debris blockage in the pipe (dust and pet hair?) after your first year without a deep clean, which exacerbates the issue with the pipe not being appropriately angled. I will need to get my own AC more regularly deep cleaned from now on.

    Last edited by Cash Trader; 21-06-2023 at 02:37 PM.

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