How to Stop Drain Snot (Bacterial Zoogloea)

[@hkhsm359]

Nice video and good knowledge and explanation

[@ideacrafter]

I run a maintenance dept in a 800 home retirement community in Florida. I have 3 full time ac techs who work on and even replace units. I done this for 15 years. THIS problem started 8-10 years ago when ALL brands quit with the copper and started all aluminum handler coils. As we have phased out more of the old R22 freon air handlers (which had copper coils) this issue has gotten worse. I since have hired an AC PM guy who does nothing but clear drain lines monthly. We have noticed that 16 veritable speed air handler clog faster. We also have found that as a whole UV lights seem to make it worse and NOT better. We used to use co2 air shots to clear lines back in the days of copper coils but that has been abandoned because it wont clear the line underground it just moves the gunk around a little. I made up (in my workshop at home) a rig made from a washer machine wall box valve which has an irrigation rotor head adapter piece used to increase the rotor height screwed on the in feed of the valve. On the hose side I screwed a 6" male to male garden hose adapter piece. The rig is then attached to a garden hose (backwards) and the irrigation adapter piece fits into the drain line. It's long enough to bypass the "T" part of the fitting going into the ac drain pan and when you turn the 90 degree knob............it blasts out the underground line. It takes about a minute but when you turn the valve off and go outside snot-skins are EVERYWHERE. I found something in this video to try and that's the copper pipe and silver idea. I have some 96% silver wire I use to solder silver spoon art so I think I wrap some of that around some stripped back #6 copper wire and lay 3 of those 12" long in one of the known monthly problem pans at work and do a controlled test. I'm writing this on 08/30/22 so if someone in the future reads this and wants to know how it went hit me back with a comment in December and I'll post back on how it went.

[@jenoiserie]

Well?!

[@bgreen4175]

How’d it work?

[@zachosborne6577]

How’d it go bro?

[@rick-williams]

Asking from the Future... How did the Silver/Copper work?

[@LuisC202]

Just like Magic he disappeared 😂

[@bikerbobcat]

"It's not a silver bullet, but if you DID have a silver bullet you could put it in the drain pan." - best quote.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I'll definitely keep the copper trick in mind. It makes sense 👍👍

[@blackrifle3932]

Would it make more cents if you used pennies? 🤔

[@speckulator7516]

@@blackrifle3932new pennies are made from zinc. I don’t remember what year they changed.

[@wimm1392]

Short and sweet, I keep on learning. Thank you very much.

[@FlushtheSystem]

I wrap 2" of copper wire and silver wire, both good quality wire. Place in drain line at the fitting to housing. No issues at all since. The silver wire was 26.00 but that was for 16' and that is for over a hundred houses. Well worth it. I just twist them together and BAM. All done.

[@ramblinjamman]

Very intelligent and informative insight. Well spoken.

[@jimberrigan939]

I Use AC Line cleaner. works well

[@econtrolable]

I use liquid copper (for plants). Works well for me and I live in central Fl.

[@vicentee2687]

did you just pour it in the drain line and leave it or rinse it out

[@econtrolable]

@@vicentee2687 leave it . Will not hurt

[@vicentee2687]

@econtrolable thx brotha I'm in Central FL also here lately I've been having to clean it out weekly or I get a weird smell in the house

[@econtrolable]

@@vicentee2687 You can also put a small piece of copper in the pan. If you don't have a small piece of wire you can get a small copper washer or anything copper. Don't block inlet or outlet. And the pan will stay fungus free for years.

[@noecardenas422]

​@@econtrolablewill penny's work also

[@starhopper457]

I love it Bryan... I consider HVAC a "hobby" and intellectual interest... but by training, I am a microbiologist/immunologist, and you've clearly done your home work. I've been introduced to D70 (from my A/C company) which is nothing more than quaternary ammonium which takes care of bacteria as well as Covid-19. It can be found in more inexpensive forms including a variant of Simple Green. Good coil cleaners should also help in controlling this stuff. There is stuff out there being advertised on tv now (iflow) that may be good but I'm sure there are more economical means of doing the same thing. Nicely done!

[@jerrylockhart3069]

We see this every single day even hundreds of times a year and we’re in South Florida the AC runs year-round never stop we have three days of heat. Customers have to have clean ducts, pretty good filters changed often UVC light in every coil literally as well as Remi halo air purification. And we best go out every four months to do maintenance are we going to have issues still. Unbelievable been getting worse and worse. It is very rare to see it on the copper coil. Aluminum coils all day every day. I have some apartment complexes that I stack 20 blue tabs in the back of the coil every maintenance and hope they last a few weeks. We also install the time release drain strips they may be helping a little bit but it’s hard to say it never stops. We have to coil clean and acid clean drain lines constantly. The static pressure in the variable speed technology most likely doesn’t help. Thanks Jerry

[@thomast9736]

Do you find the UV lights to be effective? one of my local Carrier vendors carries SCORPION UV Air Filter.

[@scrambler350]

Here in south Texas it has been a BAD year for backed-up drains and drain gunk. Have been partial to getting the customer to add vinegar to the pan through the secondary (where I'll usually add a 90 and a cap) - will have to try the silver and copper trick on some aluminium coils.

[@Lisaann2161]

I’m in Tampa FL. My air quality in my apartment went to shit and I was feeling sick a lot. This week noticed a musky scent with AC blowing. Complex replaced my unit 3 months ago. Had them come in today change filter and they showed my fucking white slime. They threw in some tabs? It made it worse literally throat burning. What do I do?

[@jerrylockhart3069]

I’ve read some places in Texas and in Florida where they are doing light coil cleans on every coil they install and on every new install and they have pretty much cut down dramatically on the that issue

[@DavesLife100]

How about a condenation drain pan treatment pad?

[@garrettbrown1871]

Think pouring colloidal silver down the drip line would help prevent growth?

[@hvactrevv23]

Your right commercial package units you see that a lot. That's good to know def have to try that trick out. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@helifynoe9930]

My solution cost me mere pennies. Up her in Canada, pennies are no longer in use, but I still had some lying around. So after cleaning the drain pan as best as I could, I tossed several of these copper pennies into the drain pan, and presto, the problem never returned.

[@reebertJunkman]

Good stuff here, I subscribed and will spread the work, son just bought first house... he will be able to use

[@jamminwrenches860]

Awesome ideas. We could cut old copper lines into French fries for placing into drain pans so there's no way it could block liquid flow.

[@superiorcomfortheatingairl3373]

The very first time I experienced this was back in late 1990’s and it was at my mom’s house. No problem for the first three years, then it showed up in the condensate pump, I had to clean out the pump monthly. The only thing that changed in the House was that she had to be on Oxygen, there was this large stationary oxygen machine that fed threw these long hoses for her to breath and still be able to be mobile in her home, this machine would run 24 hours a day. I don’t know If contributed to the problem but this was the only thing that changed in the household.

[@natew.5511]

Thank you. Great information. I'm not an A/C tech, but a homeowner who does all of the A/C and heating system maintenance. Have a ICP brand R-410 split system, scroll compressor, TXV and aluminum evaporator. Note on air handler from previous house owner states to pour a cup of bleach into the evap drain line Tee (next to drain pan) every couple of months to keep pan drain from clogging. I knew this was a bad idea. There was this white powder below the drain pan all over the exterior of the evaporator. After moving in, I completely cleaned the furnace, air handler, fan, evaporator, condenser, and ducts. Found secondary heat exchanger fins in condensing furnace clogged from air bypassing a too small air filter and a badly corroded evaporator. Corroded allmost to the point of needing replacement. The bleach caused the corrosion. Never use bleach around aluminum (or copper). It will eat right through these metals. Thanks again for showing me the correct solution!

[@gameplayer4371]

Just found this issue in my drain line. The water level switch activated, and the unit would show blank on the thermostat. When i flushed the line, the snot came out. Thanks for the information. I'll have to figure out a way to place some copper in the pan.

[@Barracuda48082]

Is this subject brought up in the latest training classes? Nice catch. who knew sil fos or 3/8 copper would deter this huge lunger.. and is it a problem only in the coastal areas? Again as always..one step ahead of me . I will watch up here in Michigan and leave you feedback, the new Bryant rtu's have the micro channel alum coils and ecm blowers. Never stop learning.

[@Chillguydrew]

Great video!

[@mauriciodiaz1912]

Do you believe Iflo will help? Therez a lot of thinfa you ahould take into consideration.

[@juanacosta2788]

Great video love it

[@ownpetard8379]

For those commenting about twirling silver and copper wire... Why both? Copper will work on its own. Perhaps silver does too? I think copper sulfate - used to kill roots in drains - should work just fine. Placed in pan. Need to make sure it doesn't block drain, so place in a nylon bag? Condensate will reach copper sulfate. Will take a long time to rot.

[@thomast9736]

I get some kind of growth on my coils that definitely has an impact my health. When I turned on my system, I had strong "dirty Sock Syndrome" (DSS). I never had a goo like shown here but definitely something on the coils. I tried spraying some 3% hydrogen peroxide and that was very effective in killing what ever was on the coil. I tried this a few days before turning on my system. my concern is if i am somehow damaging the coils with the peroxide. How effective are UV lights placed to shine on the return side of the evaporator coil?

[@ownpetard8379]

Don't have your answer, but someone on a video said use hydrogen peroxide. Came here to see if true. Best guess: Should not be an issue in a PVC drain. I would keep it away from the coils, or let it set for 10 minutes, then wash it off. But okay in the pan or drain, but would have to re-do on a schedule.

[@thomast9736]

@@ownpetard8379 update: I definitely think the peroxide reacted somehow with the aluminum although that is said to be impossible. Perhaps there was a coating it reacted with, don’t know. I put in a scorpion LED UV light and that was effective at removing the odor completely. After the contractor installed the light, I turned on the system. Smell was the same but began to notice the smell reduce gradually over approximately 45 minutes. I shut down the system for a while starting it up again and that time it smelled less and was gone in about 10 minutes. It has never come back. I thought UV lights were snake oil based on what I read on the professional forums but it really worked.

[@ownpetard8379]

@@thomast9736 UV light of the correct wavelength will definitely stop the odor. And kill microbes. Good luck.

[@orochikaiba]

I finally have found what the heck this slime is. I just figured it was some kind of algae. Is there recommendation for how to regulate/treat to this in a window A/C unit? Unfortunately this window unit is on the second floor. If it was on the first floor I would use coil cleaner and house it down. But so far what I have been doing is using a hose sprayer and filling it with vinegar and then spraying the A/C from down below. Anything else you can recommend?

[@mrgreen9086]

What about using copper sulfate in drain pans and drain lines?

[@ownpetard8379]

Kills tree roots in sewer drains. My guess is that it does the same for the goo. Thanks. Worth a try.

[@hvacresidentialbasics7684]

Nice Bryan!

[@jeffb8437]

Wasn’t zooglea a Ben Stiller movie?

[@rts3613]

I'm going to try taking some scraps of romex electrical wire and lay it in the pan and in the condensation pipe. The ground wire is already bare. I may also start collecting copper tubing remnants too small to use, and throw those in the tub of my condensation pump.

[@lance16O1]

Or, make a portion of the drain copper. Maybe like a foot.

[@davidnorse275]

What about placing copper pennies in the drain pan?

[@ericviele4379]

4 year old video and this is the first time I'm hearing about this. Yay, a new thing to worry about.🙄

[@markthomas2436]

Some tech told me to pour bleach down the tube. Will that work?

[@smacleod69]

I see this in carrier air handlers in a left horizontal application all the time! Their aluminum slanted coil. clogs up the drain really bad. alls i could do isunclog the drain line and be on my merry way. I didn't how to prevent this until now.

[@tahuyaguy]

I have no practical experience with aluminum ac coils, but I would be concerned about causing premature failure of the coil by creating galvanic corrosion of the aluminum coil especially if the copper comes in direct contact with the coil.

[@ideacrafter]

You smash the copper 1/2" pipe flat, about 8" long and lay it in the drain pan which is made of plastic. Cooper never touches aluminum which..............is what he said to do. Water leaves aluminum and enters drain pan....passes around the copper on the way down the drain line.

[@HeyChickens]

That won't be a problem because the old coils used to be made of copper tubing and aluminum fins in direct contact with each other. Plus, galvanic corrosion needs a path through the water for the electrons to go between the two metals, but the copper or silver will be in the drain pan, and the aluminum will be in the coil up above.

[@tahuyaguy]

@@HeyChickens If it works, it works. Sometimes that is the answer. If an aluminum coil last 25 years and something a technician comes up with in the field takes care what is essentially a bio-fouling problem in the drains and the coil still last 25 years, then there is no problem. My only question is, do we know if we just took a system that would have lasted 15 years and inadvertently, trying to fix a clogged drain, cut its working life to 10 years? And then (in this hypothetical) when if at all would we know if what we did cut the life of the system by a third? I don't know? That being said, I would have little concern about aluminum fins on copper tube. In that case, if anything, the aluminum would protect the copper. Simple problems, simple solutions, complex systems?

[@tahuyaguy]

@@ideacrafter I know I mentioned direct contact but I understand the setup, the copper is sitting downstream of the coil in the plastic drain pan and there is no physical contact between the two assuming an idiot did not just throw a bunch of copper scrap in and around the coil. However, Is there no electrical contact between the two metals? 'Pure' water coming off the coil is obviously not pure and is contaminated with dust, bacteria, spores, etc, from the air, and would have no conductivity in an ideal situation, but dissolved CO2 quickly forms a very weak carbonic acid. I just don't know. I always get nervous about dissimilar metals being put in close "contact." Again, I don't know. How is there even enough 'food' in the condensate to have anything in the dark grow enough to clog the drains.

[@donnagarner6007]

As a consumer in need of a new unit, I'd like to know if you can still get copper coils?! Or is this going to be a new ac problem from now on? Why do they just keep making things worse, cheaper and crummier? My husband called it a "built-in fatality." I keep wondering if it is indeed on purpose. 😢

[@mgomez5606]

It clogs the drain and causes to overfill and leak all over and into our carpet. Very frustrating.

[@new-knowledge8040]

I am still waiting for some tabs. But for the moment, I gave my air conditioner a dose of mouthwash. That shrivelled up and killed any goo that I was not able to reach without having to disassemble the air conditioner. I just recalled that I also have a bottle of old copper pennies. Hmmm. Finally, a better place to put them.

[@donnagarner6007]

Was it Listerine?

[@new-knowledge8040]

@@donnagarner6007 I DON'T RECALL. Anyhow, after placing old copper pennies in the base of the air conditioner, that slimy guck never reappeared. The conditioner is active right now, and thus my Danby Simplicity SAC5250 is still working after 23 years of summer use. The electric motor did end up with dried out brass bearing felt pads years ago, and thus it was making squealing sounds big time. But I figured out a way to re-oil the dried up felt pads, and so that fixed that problem.

[@RichGT350r]

For some reason I have the urge to blow my nose! Thanks. Good info!👍

[@zachosborne6577]

What if you treated the evaporator with d7 or a bjj spray every 6 months? That should cut down on bacteria

[@JoeSmith-um2sg]

That was fun

[@Barracuda48082]

Dont smash your tube..leave tube round and lay so condensate can flow around and through..

[@polized123]

Yes i agree. Since it has more surface area to generate those ions.

[@GrahamCrannell]

For household applications, if I'm installing a brand new system, why wouldn't I just go with all-copper coils? I'm guessing cost savings?

[@Austin23191]

Almost all manufacturers have now switched to all aluminum coils. Very few, if any, use copper

[@GrahamCrannell]

@@Austin23191 - fair enough. I'm not an HVAC tech, so idk about the offerings available, but are there any manufacturers that account for this type of bacterial growth? Are there any systems that utilize copper or silver somewhere in the lines to reduce/kill the nasties?

[@Austin23191]

in my experience, manufacturers don't give 2 hoots about their equipment unless a unit breaks while under warranty. The only place where some evaporator coils will have copper is in the "u-bends" (where the refrigerant lines turn around to go back through the airflow). But the u-bends simply arent enough the kill bacterial since it will just grow on the aluminum instead.

[@Austin23191]

@@GrahamCrannell using 15% silver brazing rods, UV lights, and drain pan cleaners may help to kill the bacteria though

[@Barracuda48082]

Ha, re-label my 15% rods as anti bacterial/ fungi reducer. per rod..like anodes on a boat..

[@MinnesotaHvAc]

I've had a few minnisplit that the exterior wall was sealed and the interior wall was not. With the entire space under the hood being under a negative pressure on hot days in the attic office the odor. Well let's say attic insulation. 2 years of complaints. It took me a couple of visits and the light bulb went off. Thumb gum smashed into the interior wall. Problem solved.

[@AB-yi5hj]

???

[@enriquefzurek1395]

Use copper and silver nice presentation.

[@fishhappens4]

Unfortunately there are too many outfits out there that don't care about the systems they install because "its just another service call later."

[@jerrylockhart3069]

I’m back. Static pressure makes it a lot worse as well as you can’t pitch the whole way it Hass to be very aggressive pitch like half inch per foot. Also no standing water need to front pitch everything not to the point where it spills over the coil but no standing water in the coil pan. As well as maintenance every four months at least. Six months don’t cut it anymore. Well there you have it folks do UV lights in the air purification the good filters they barely work

[@polized123]

I will use an electric Copperwire and Twist and Flat them they have More Surface Area

[@pdavis4436]

I think I had some of that in one of my drinks

[@jerrylockhart3069]

The oil too, need to clean coil on new units or replacement coils , airflow pitch and source like he said . Duct clean and uvc light . We also see it on some copper coils too but not as bad. I’m sure Florida is the breeding grounds for the Zooglea. I did the copper thing it didn’t work that good I even tried brazing rods

[@diaperdood9369]

Is this stuff dangerous?

[@mattpierce9409]

I wonder how baking soda would help. Chemistry

[@spencermitchem2415]

That was Zoogleander!

[@nunzionapoli6325]

Amazing talented actor. A great loss.

[@paulgaras2606]

Maybe it’s because I live in the northeast. Never ever seen that.

[@MeTube550]

Once upon a time, I dated a girl that may have had ( Bacterial Zoogloea ) .ha ha ha

[@Imwright720]

I would throw some old penny’s in. My new AC is aluminum, so I’ll watch for it.

[@ryanroberts1104]

They need to go back to using copper for these things! What are they saving, maybe 30 bucks in raw material in a system that costs thousands with that damn aluminum?

[@ex7229]

30 times 100,000 units is a lot of money

[@rj.parker]

The copper coils were leaking too fast

[@haleytakamura6772]

How about just stick a few pennies in the drain pan🤔😅

[@davidchipman6573]

Yest?

[@st.m.3979]

just dont use aluminum, i would insist on copper especially on evaporators of indoor units of splits

[@kfury19]

Manufactures don’t offer copper coils any more

[@tj4102]

Yeast not yest

[@ownpetard8379]

Pronouncing it correctly is the ..... yeast he can do. Sorry!

[@coldfinger459sub0]

My father back in the 60s , 70s and the 80s would throw a handful of 100% copper pennies. Copper pennies are no longer available. A couple years ago on my new installs I started experimenting with 100% copper sheet metal for gutter manufacturing laying in the bottom of The evaporator on new systems for a few select customers. I would experiment on my own systems but my filtering is so good I don’t need to clean evaporator for at least a decade and still have zero buildup no dust no residue.

[@Kntryhart]

I would think a couple lengths of 12 gauge bare copper electrical wire would suffice.

[@coldfinger459sub0]

Kntryhart yes I’ve already heard of that being done. As long as it’s near 100% copper which electrical wire is close to that it’s about 98%+ that’s another good cheap source of copper. We all have leftover scraps out of End of a job . I don’t think we’re gonna be purchasing silver dollars to throw a dozen of those in the bottom of a pan even though I have many of them I could do that in my own lol.

[@tj4102]

Yeast not yest