What to do if your AC is Leaking Water?
Finding puddles near your Air Conditioner?
Read on to discover a few reasons why your AC might be leaking water.
Why Water Forms in Your Air Conditioner
Most modern air conditioning systems contain an indoor and outdoor unit. The inside part has something called an evaporator coil. This coil cools the warm air as it blows over it to create a comfortable indoor temperature.
Imagine water droplets forming on a cold glass of water. As hot air blows over the coil, condensation can form, and that’s exactly what starts to happen on your coil.
As the moisture forms, it’s supposed to drip into a drain pan that drains out of the house. If your unit is located in the basement, there may also be a pump to push the water out of the house. So ideally, you shouldn’t have issues with your AC leaking inside the home.
Unfortunately, there may be times when your air conditioner is leaking water inside the house, but there’s no need to panic. Let’s examine a few reasons why this could be happening and how to fix it.
Why Your Air Conditioner is Leaking Water: A Clogged Drain Line
Remember how we just talked about that drain pan and the line that is supposed to drain water out of your house? Over time, this line can become clogged with debris like dirt, dust, or mold.
When your drain line gets clogged, water can’t escape and the line quickly becomes backed up, causing the condensation to come back inside. This can overflow your drain pan and spill over into your home.
Why Your Air Conditioner is Leaking Water: Dirty Air Filter
You already know that you should change the air filter for your air conditioner every 30-90 days. A dirty air filter can make your system work harder, resulting in possible damage or worn-out parts.
In addition to causing strain on your home’s HVAC system, a dirty filter can block the flow of air that moves over the unit’s evaporator coil. When the air is blocked, the coil becomes extremely cold and can start to freeze.
As the frozen coil melts, the excess water can cause your pan to overflow. With summer right around the corner, we recommend double checking your filter just in case. If the filter looks to be extremely dirty or clogged, it could cause your AC to start leaking once the heat starts to kick in full force.
Why Your Air Conditioner is Leaking Water: Your AC is Low on Refrigerant
As the volume of refrigerant gets lower, the pressure inside of your AC system lowers, too. This can also cause your evaporator coil to freeze, creating a wet mess.
If you notice that your air conditioner isn’t cooling down your home like it should, check the refrigerant levels. Other signs include an unusual hissing or bubbling sound, which can indicate that you have a leak.
Have your HVAC system inspected regularly to prevent these problems from occurring. Ideally, you should have a thorough inspection at the start of every summer to prevent leaks and other issues.
Whenever you’re in doubt, it’s always best to turn to the professionals for help. Leaking air conditioners that go ignored can go from an annoying drip to a potential flood in a matter of days or weeks. Give us a call today at (330) 484-4328 or shoot us a message and we’ll get a technician out to you as soon as possible.
After all, at GMC Heating and Cooling - Your Comfort, is Our Calling.