Use your wet or dry vacuum outside on the end of the drain line to suck out the lent and trash . I do this about once a year. A window unit don't count, only the central unit needs this help...

   Just let the window unit fall out the window and it will be clear after you set it back in..Second thought, I keep my shop unit tilting down outside to take care of the extra water build up so no worry there...The big unit inside does make a mess if not cleared regularly...

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I've never had lint build up in my AC drain lines, either the primaries or the secondaries. Usually, any blockages are the result of algae build-up or critters building nests inside of the lines. I have always been told (and it has always worked) to just dump a cup of plain white vinegar down the line(s) once a month. The acidic acid will kill and flush away any algae and loosen up most blockages.

 

If you do have a stubborn blockage it is better to use a low pressure air stream to blow the blockage out of the lines.

Edited October 5, 20187 yr by schnewj

If you have a unit like mine the only direction one could get an air nozzle would be from the outside in and I don't think I want more sludge floating around in the drain pan under the coils .

  I had to clear the line on daughters unit in another state when we were visiting and there was no way to get air to her drain pipes under her coils also... I did use her vacuum outside where the water was supposed to be coming out that time even though it was a regular vac and not designed for water... I didn't ask her later if her vac still worked for they were gone on a vacation at the time and we were baby sitting.

  So I guess there are more varieties of heat- air units out there so I will say I am reminding folks that have a unit like mine how to deal with a stopped up drain line.

Edited October 5, 20187 yr by Smallpatch

I use the shop vac also.  Dosen't hurt to do it several times a season. Roly

I cleared a clogged drain line with a plumbing drain snake.  The line was placed so it drained into the house's gutter.  I had to climb a ladder to reach the drain and it was real easy to carry the coiled snake up there.  The A/C guy had done a good job and put the emergency overflow in a spot that was very noticeable.  I've seen situations where the emergency and regular drains shared the same line.