Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Water?
It shouldn’t be doing that, so if you find puddles of water around your unit, there’s something wrong with the system. However, before you pick up the phone, you may be able to take care of the issue yourself—even if you aren’t much of a DIYer.
We’ve put together this guide to help you figure out what’s causing your air conditioning leak and what you should do next, so let’s get started!
The First Things to Do If Your Air Conditioner Starts Leaking
If you spot any water around your air conditioning unit that shouldn’t be there, don’t leave it alone. A few puddles of water might look harmless, but the damage could lead to some dangerous problems if you don’t fix it right away. Make sure you follow these steps before poking around your HVAC system.
Turn Off the Unit
Go turn off your air conditioner. The extra water might be leaking into the electrical components, which could put you at risk of getting shocked, damaged the unit, or even start a fire in your home.
Odds are, nothing like this will happen. However, it’s always better to stay on the safe side when it comes to the safety of yourself, your house, and your family.
Find Out If There’s a Refrigerant Leak
Your air conditioner uses Refrigerant (a type of gas) to help make the air cool, but if it leaks out of your unit, it can also be dangerous. As the Refrigerant leaks, it can cause ice to form on the evaporator coils, which can then melt and spill water on the floor.
Because of this, it’s easy to mistake Refrigerant leaks as a different type of leaking problem if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Some of the signs of this type of leak include:
- Warm air coming out of your air conditioner
- Higher-than-normal electric bills
- Poor airflow
- Cooling the house takes a long time
- Symptoms of Refrigerant poisoning, such as headaches, nausea, or dizziness
Refrigerant is mostly odorless. However, you may be able to smell a slight sweet or chloroform scent coming from your air conditioning unit.
If you think you have a Refrigerant leak, don’t try to handle it yourself. Breathing in too much of this gas is bad for your health, so you should call a professional HVAC company instead.
Call a Professional
Don’t have a lot of time to spend on household projects? Don’t know a lot about HVAC systems or how they work?
You don’t have to try to diagnose and repair the problem yourself. While DIY fixes might be enough to solve plug the leak (in some cases), schedule a maintenance visit with a professional ensures you get your unit working again faster and without any hassle on your part.
Don’t hesitate to call a professional if you know you’ll need the help.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking? Common Problems (And What to Do About Them)
If you want to take a look at your air conditioner yourself, these are the places you should check first. With the right tools and know-how, you may be able to repair the leak yourself. However, there are some repairs you should leave to the professionals for the safety of yourself and your unit.
1. Broken Condensate Pump
If it doesn’t make sure the pan is tilted toward the drain. This is a simple fix that can solve the problem (and it’s an especially likely culprit if your window air conditioner is leaking water).
The motor might be damaged if the condensate pump still can’t get rid of the water. In this case, you should call a professional to find the exact problem and repair it.
2. Blocked Drain Pipe
Another reason water might start leaking from your air conditioning unit is that there’s nowhere else for it to go. Over time, the drain pipe can fill up with things like dirt or mold, forming a clog.
Check both ends of the drain to see if there is a blockage. If you can’t see one, it might be farther down inside the pipe.
Next, all you have to do is use a drain cleaning tool to pull the clog out of the pipe. After this, the leak shouldn’t be an issue anymore.
3. Damaged Seals
Your air conditioning unit has several seals. As the unit ages, the seals can become worn out or damaged, which can cause leaking. Depending on the location of the broken seal, you may be able to buy a new one and replace it yourself. However, if the seal is in a hard-to-reach area, it’s a better idea to let a professional take care of it.
4. Dirty Air Filter
Dirty air filters restrict the amount of air that flows through your unit. This means not as much air is hitting the evaporator coils, which can cause them to freeze over with ice. That ice will then start to melt, and the drain pipe might not be able to handle all this extra water.
Make sure you clean or replace your air filter often to prevent this from happening.
Plugging up Those AC Leaks
Did you try following the tips above but are still stuck asking, “Why is my air conditioner leaking?” It’s time to call a professional HVAC technician.
Don’t hesitate to set up a maintenance appointment with our team at Carolina Climate Control. We will take a look at your unit, find the problem, and make sure all the water stays where it’s supposed to stay!
