Every cooling unit in the building condenses moisture out of the air. A PTAC, VTAC, heat pump or ductless head running in July produces water continuously, and that water has to leave the unit through a pan, a line and sometimes a pump.
How drainage fails
Biological growth in a warm, wet pan turns into a slime that migrates into the drain line and blocks it. Pans corrode or crack. Lines get pitched wrong during a renovation. Condensate pumps fail or clog. Sleeves and drain slots on through-wall units fill with debris.
What it costs when it goes wrong
Water damage in a multi-unit building is rarely confined to one room. Ceilings, finishes and flooring below are affected, occupants are displaced, and the response is emergency-priced.
The maintenance that would have prevented it is a fraction of the remediation.
What good drainage maintenance includes
Pan cleaning, line clearing, treatment where appropriate, verification that the unit actually drains under operation, condensate-pump testing where present, and documenting pans or lines that are damaged rather than simply dirty.
Where to concentrate
Ceiling-mounted equipment and units above finished occupied space carry the highest consequence, and they deserve priority in the schedule whatever the rest of the program looks like.
Want to know the condition of your equipment inventory?
A-TAC maintains PTAC, VTAC, water-source heat pump and mini-split systems across the NYC metro area — New York City, nearby New Jersey, Westchester and Long Island. We can assess a representative sample of units or the full inventory and report what we find.