In the dog days of summer, there’s nothing more refreshing than a cool glass of water, a dip in a pool, or just a quick run through the lawn sprinkler. Water is nature’s way of cooling us down when the heat won’t yield.
But water is only good when it stays exactly where you want it. For example, you don’t want an air conditioner leaking water. This kind of water indicates a problem.
What does it exactly mean when your air conditioner is leaking water? Do you need to call in a repair man? Is this your AC leaking or is it natural condensation?
By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you will know the reasons why you may have water leaking from the air conditioner and also how you can avoid this problem.
Dirty Air Filter
AC experts recommend you change your air filter every 30 days, especially if you live in a home with a smoker or if you live in a particularly dusty environment, such as on a dirt or gravel road or in the country. When you do not change your air filter, your AC has to work harder, and it may even stop blowing air as efficiently as it would with a clean filter.
Dirt on the filter can reduce the airflow over the unit’s evaporator coil. The coil will become cold and even start to freeze. When the frozen coil melts, the water will flow into the drip pan, and it will begin to overflow.
Your drip pan should have moisture in it already from the condensation produced by the AC. So when your drip pan begins to overflow, check the air filter first.
This is a simple and inexpensive repair that you can do on your own.
Clogged Drain Line
When your AC is leaking, you may ultimately need to call a good Denver air conditioner repair person. You can change a dirty air filter on your own. You cannot, however, unclog a drain line.
The drain line should reach from your unit to a safe area for water to drain. If you’ve had your AC long enough and not had a maintenance person look at it regularly, dirt and debris can accumulate in the drain line.
When this occurs, the water will back up into the unit and leak water into your house. You can try to remove the debris on your own with a wet and dry vac. However, if you don’t have access to a powerful enough vacuum, you’ll have to call in the experts.
AC repair and maintenance technicians will have a powerful vacuum that can diagnose your problem and remove the blockage.
Low Refrigerant
An AC needs an adequate amount of refrigerant to blow cold air and to maintain pressure inside the unit. When the refrigerant dips, the pressure dips as well. Then your evaporator coil freezes and causes a wet mess.
Have a technician check your refrigerant levels. If you hear a hissing or bubbling sound, you could also have a refrigerant leak. If you do not have a technician repair your unit, you will end up destroying the unit and needing to purchase a replacement.
Ideally, you should have a technician inspect your unit at the beginning of the summer.
Pan Problems
If you have an older air conditioner, you could have a damaged or corroded drain pan. The pan will no longer hold an adequate amount of water, and it will leak. If you have an AC unit that is older than 12 years old, check your pan.
Broken Condensate Pump
A broken condensate pump will not pump water outside as it should. This means water will leak and gather in your home. An AC repair technician will be able to either fix or replace the pump and keep your home dry once again.
Ultimately, if you see water leaking and have checked your air filter, it’s best to call a professional. They can diagnose and repair the problem quickly.
Avoiding Leaks
You can avoid leaks by working the above problems backward. For example, if you change your filter every 30 days and clean your drain line once a year, you can avoid clogged filters and drain lines.
You can also check your drain pan regularly for corrosion and fit. Make sure the drain pan is the right size for your unit. A past owner may have replaced the old pan with one that does not fit correctly, and this will cause drain and water problems.
You can also protect your AC and your home by cleaning the drain line with bleach every six months. Bleach will kill the microbes that have begun to grow into mold or algae in your pipes. Mold in your AC can cause significant health problems as well as a water leak down the road.
Thus cleaning the drain line does more than protect your air conditioner. It protects your home’s occupants.
Finally, don’t overwork your AC on hot days. Cranking your thermostat extremely low on those days with a heat index will cause your AC to work an onerous amount.
You can help out your AC by doing basic things to keep your home cool. Pull the shades before the sun begins to heat the home. Don’t use the oven or other devices that generate heat.
This will help keep your home naturally cool and also protect your air conditioner.
Fix Your Air Conditioner Leaking Water
An air conditioner leaking water indicates a problem. You may have a problem as small as a clogged air filter and as serious as a broken condensate pump. You won’t know until you begin investigating and then call in a professional air conditioner technician.
Are you looking for a comprehensive air conditioning repair and maintenance service in Denver, Arvada, Centennial, Lakewood, Littleton, or Westminster? If so, contact us.
Temperatures in Deer regularly climb above 80 degrees, and you need a functioning AC to keep your home comfortable. Call us today, and let us help you find a solution to all of your HVAC woes.
