Discovering water inside your house where it does not belong is a nightmare as it can cause extensive damage. Rotten floorboards, peeling paint, mold on the walls, and a wet socks stench are just some of the ways in which it can give any homeowner a headache. But this is not the end of your troubles. You still need to figure out the source of the leak and fix it up. If the leak is springing from your air conditioner, you cannot ignore it as it can harm your AC leading to costly repair bills.
Air Conditioner Leaking Water – What To Do First?
Now that you know an air conditioner leaking water is a matter not to be taken lightly, your first step should be to turn off the unit and cut its power supply. It is necessary to do so to prevent any further water damage to the unit and also to avoid any short circuits.
The next step is to mop up all the water that has pooled on the floor or dripped over the furniture. If necessary, move that piece of furniture away until the source of the leak is identified and duly plugged.
6 Reasons Your AC Is Leaking Water
Here are six possible reasons that could be the cause of water leaks inside your cooling unit:
1. Rusted Drip Pan – The air conditioner cools the air is by extracting water vapor from it. This water vapor cools into water droplets, also known as the “condensate. This condensate collects over the evaporator coil and drips down into a drip pan from where it flows out through the drain line. If you have an old AC, it is normal for the drip pan to develop cracks due to rusting. If the crack is no too big, you can seal it. However, the best would be to replace the drip pan with a new one if the crack is wide or it has several cracks. This will take care of the leak.
2. Disconnected Drain Line – Sometimes, the drip pan is fine; instead, the problem lies in the drain line that carries the condensate outdoors. The drain line has to be connected to the drip pan to be able to do so. If the line is disconnected or detached, the drip pan overflows and spills water indoors. After checking the pan for leaks, the next course of action should be to check if the drainpipe has loosened and got disconnected. It can happen due to vibrations in the unit or because it was never secured properly in the first place after the last ac tune-up or repair. If it has, secure it back in position, and the overflowing problem is taken care of.
3. Blocked Condensate Drain Line – The drip pan is in good condition, and the drip line of the drainpipe is also attached, so where could be the problem? Well, the problem could be as simple as a blockage in the drain line due to which the condensate is backing up and not flowing out. Instead, it spills indoors through the AC. Sometimes dirt and debris flow from the drip pan into the drainpipe leading to a blockage. In this case, the stuck material needs to be extracted so that the condensate can flow out freely. You can do this yourself using a long hose wet and dry vacuum pump. It will suck out the unwanted material and unclog the drainpipe. Once this is done, there should not be any more dripping water inside your home from the AC.
4. Malfunctioning Of Condensate Pump – If the air handler of your AC is installed in the basement, the way in which the condensate flows out is a little different. In this case, the drain line will empty the condensate into the drip pan. A condensate pump will then pump out the collected water. If the pump itself develops a fault, the last action will not be complete due to which water will start pooling around on the floor of the basement. You will need to call your local HVAC technician to rectify the fault in the condensate pump.
5. Low On Refrigerant – Often, due to low refrigerant level, the evaporator coils tend to freeze. It happens because the refrigerant can no longer effectively draw out the heat from the air. As a result, ice starts forming over the evaporator coil. When this ice melts, the air conditioner starts leaking water indoors. Actually, in this case, the dripping water is a good sign as it makes you aware of a budding problem before it can fry the compressor. Fixing a fried compressor is very costly, and so is replacing the entire unit. If you notice any ice on the evaporator coil, call the experts to tackle the problem.
6. Dirty Air Filters – When the air filter is dirty, it blocks the flow of air over the evaporator coil. Consequently, the temperature of the evaporator coil drops to freezing levels leading to ice formation. When the ice melts, the pan cannot handle all the water, causing it to overflow and form water puddles indoors. Regularly changing the air filters at least once every quarter, if not every month will take care of the issue. There is no need to call the big guns to take care of this problem. You can do it yourself and, in the process, even save a few dollars.
Before We End
An air conditioner leaking water should not be overlooked at any cost due to the potential hazards. However, mostly the reason behind these leaks is a minor problem that can be taken care of easily. Otherwise also, if you seek professional help as soon as you notice the leak, fixing it should not be a problem. The key is to remember to call the technician immediately and not ignore the occurrence.
Aztil Air Conditioning provides HVAC tune-up, repair, and replacement services in West Palm Becah, Florida. If you wish to make an appointment with our air experts, call us at +1-888-729-8452.
