My house is 24 years old; I have lived here 16 years. The furnace is a 95% about 5 years old. There is an A/C also. The humidifier also drains to it.
Two years ago there was water on the floor next to my furnace. The repair man said that the condensate drain was clogged; he blew it open with compressed air.
This year the man cleaning my furnace said the drain was slow and he blew the drain open. He said it was likely to clog and recommended I install a condensate pump.
The condensate drain goes into the floor. There is a bathroom with a drain in the concrete floor on the opposite side of the wall from the condensate drain. I presume the condensate drain plumbs into the bathroom drain, but I don't know that; it could just go into the space beneath the floor.
I asked the guy why it was clogging, but he didn't know. I asked him if draino would be worthwhile; he said it couldn't hurt.
So, my questions...
1) Why would the drain be clogging after being fine for 20 years? In fact, why would it clog at all? Isn't condensate just water? 2) A fitting inside the furnace has clogged twice also; the guy says they designed it too small and it is subject to clogging if not cleaned regularly. Clogged with what? 2) Would draino be a good try? (In the drain, not the furnace!) 3) Wouldn't a condensate pump be just as likely to clog as a condensate drain?