When there’s water leaking out of your air conditioner, it can be easy to panic. The good news is that most cases of an air conditioner leaking water can be easily fixed.
There are a few reasons why leaks happen, and it’s important to take care of them as soon as you notice them. Most can get taken care of by an HVAC professional.
Are you looking to find out why your air conditioner is leaking water? Keep reading to learn more about the causes and how to fix them.
Your AC is Low on Refrigerant
If there’s water dripping from your AC, it might be worth it to check your refrigerant levels.
When the refrigerant is low, your home will not cool down. This also means that the evaporator coil is likely not doing its job. This could be the source of the leak.
Another reason could be that there’s a refrigerant leak. In this case, it’s important to check if there’s a leak in the refrigerant lines.
You can often tell if this is the problem by the sound that your air conditioner is making. If anything sounds out of the ordinary, you might be dealing with a refrigerant leak.
It’s important to call an HVAC professional to fix this.
You Have a Frozen Evaporator Coil
This might sound like a good thing since it has to do with keeping your home cool, but a frozen evaporator coil is a cause for some nasty problems. One of those is your AC leaking water suddenly.
This evaporator coil has an important job to do. It keeps the refrigerant cool and sends it to where it needs to go.
The reason that it freezes is usually due to a build-up of dirt. When this happens, the coil can no longer do its job of taking the heat and humidity out of your home.
In turn, the coil starts to freeze up, which then forms ice. This is what then causes water dripping from your AC.
In fact, a dirty air filter can also be a contributor to this. It can block the air from making it to the coil.
If you notice this, you should turn off your air conditioner and call an HVAC professional. They’ll be able to get it fixed the right way and prevent problems in the future.
Many of the causes in this case can be easily avoided through investing in annual AC tune-ups. HVAC professionals check for all these issues that can lead to leaking air conditioners so it’s less likely that they’ll happen.
Your Condensate Pan is Overflowing or Aged
The condensate pan within your unit is important as it holds all the water collected from your home’s humidity levels.
Sometimes, your pan can collect a little too much water. When the levels become more than what your pan can hold, it will overflow. This will cause your AC to leak water.
Another reason that your condensate pan might be the problem is that it could be getting old. The pans can corrode and crack as they age. This will cause the water within them to leak out.
To fix this, you may be looking at a condensate pan replacement.
You Have Clogged Drain Pipes
The pipes within your AC have a big job to do. They transport the water to where it needs to be.
When a clog or block happens, the water starts to back up within the system. With no other place to go, it starts to leak out.
To fix this, the blockage needs to be cleaned out. An HVAC professional can fix this by cleaning out the lines so that the blockage is gone. This will allow the water to flow once again.
You Have a Broken Condensate Pump
When your condensate pan fills up, your pump is what gets rid of the excess water. If the pump isn’t doing its job, the water will build-up and eventually, start to leak.
You can check if there’s a problem with your condensate pump by doing a few things.
First, make sure that the pump has power. This can stop it from draining the water.
Then, try emptying out the water that’s in the pump. The pump itself or the lines connecting to it could be blocked.
An HVAC professional can check for all these issues. They’ll be able to tell if the pump is in fact the problem, or if it’s elsewhere.
Your Air Conditioner Was Improperly Installed
If you have a newly installed AC that is leaking, it could be a matter of improper installation.
The ducts and drainage pipes could be leaky or not connected right. This will cause water to drip out. When it’s improperly installed, it can also cause many of the issues that were covered earlier.
An HVAC professional can help to fix the issues from an AC unit that was installed incorrectly. They may have to reinstall the unit themselves.
Your Unit Is Not Maintained
For an air conditioner to work it’s best, it should be well taken care of. If it isn’t, many of these problems will occur.
They can be avoided by checking on the system regularly. It can include changing out air filters, testing the system, and looking for issues within it.
One of the best ways to do this is through an annual tune-up conducted by an HVAC professional. They’ll see the signs of leaks before they happen and take the steps necessary to prevent it in the future. This could include changing out condenser coils or checking the pipes for a block.
Investing in proper maintenance can give you peace of mind that your AC won’t leak water in the future.
Is Your Air Conditioner Still Leaking Water? Fix-It Up Today
When an air conditioner is leaking water, it could be one of a few issues causing it. To truly pinpoint what the cause is, it’s important to have an HVAC professional come take a look.
Do you have an air conditioner that’s leaking in the Kearney, MO area? Give us a call today to get it fixed!