Building Owners Recycle Air Conditioning Condensation
Photo courtesy of stephcarter by way of flickr.com
As water becomes scarcer throughout the world, some building owners are recycling their air conditioner's condensation. This is known as condensate recovery. In hot climates, air conditioners produce an extraordinary amount of condensation. In fact, the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, located in the desert city of Dubai, produces fifty-one million gallons of condensation per year. Its condensation is salvaged and pumped into an irrigation system which sustains all of the landscaping around the base of the tower. Closer to home, the San Antonio Public Library's air conditioning system produces one gallon of condensation per minute during the summer months which is recovered and used to irrigate the library's garden. More and more of the commercial buildings which utilize water chillers for air conditioning are recycling the condensation produced by these systems back into the chiller.
What happens to the condensation from the air conditioner in your home? During the summer months, your air conditioner may easily condensate five to twenty gallons of water per day. In most American residences, air conditioning condensation is carried away through a main drain which ties into your plumbing system. The condensation in some rural homes is drained directly outdoors and can easily be captured in rain barrels and used to water gardens. Some industrious homeowners have gone so far as to install pumps which force their air conditioner's condensation into an irrigation system. Beware of over simplistic how-to articles that advise you to reroute your ac drain into an indoor barrel (for example, one in your basement) for collecting water as it is quite likely to overflow leading to potential water damage.
If, like most American homeowners, your main ac drain ties into your plumbing, your air conditioning system should have an emergency drain pan and emergency drain as a back up in case the main drain should get clogged. The emergency drain pipe is most commonly made of pvc and drains outside your house. If you see water dripping or, in some cases, pouring out of such a pipe, it means your main drainline is probably clogged. The most common culprits are algae, insect nests, and loose insulation which has worked its way into the drain. Water coming out of emergency drains should not be welcomed as a source of water for your garden, but heeded as a warning that your main drain is clogged. Call an ac technician to come clear your main drain. Otherwise, if your emergency drain clogs, the water will back up and come through your walls and ceilings. To reduce the risk of water damage, have your air conditioning system and the drain lines inspected once a year. Some air conditioning companies will include an algaecide treatment with the inspection to reduce the risk of clogged drains during the summer.
If you want to go green and your deed restrictions and garden space allow, you may consult an ac contractor regarding the cost of rerouting your main drain outdoors so that you can collect the water for irrigation. Bear in mind that if you collect condensate water and do not use it daily, the barrel could become a breeding ground for mosquitos. Also make sure that any such barrel is located on ground which slopes away from your house in case the barrel should overflow.
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