My Air Conditioner Is Leaking Water!

Life is good when your air conditioner is working perfectly and keeping the temperatures in your home favorable. But when you notice leaking around your air conditioner, this could send you into a frenzy. Questions running through your mind might be… Is my air conditioner broken? Can I fix it myself? Do I need a professional to check it out? Will air conditioning repair costs cause a dent in my pocket?

Well, don’t panic; a leaking air conditioner is a very common problem! Here are some of the reasons why your air conditioner may be leaking.

Filthy Air Filters

Constant airflow is a necessity for a proper air conditioning unit. Filthy air filters prevent easy airflow over the air conditioner's evaporator coil, thus causing it to freeze. When the evaporator coil eventually melts there will be excess water being released, meaning capacity may be beyond what the drain pan can accommodate. Thus, the result is a leaking air conditioning unit! To avoid this problem, be sure to clean your air filters or replace them regularly depending on the season.

Clogged Drainpipe

The air conditioning process results in the production of water. This water is directed out of your house through a drainpipe and onto a drain pan. If the drainpipe is clogged by dirt, mold, debris or sludge, it will cause water to back up into the air conditioner and eventually leak. Having an HVAC professional clear the blockage should fix your leaking air conditioner.

Damaged Drain Pan

Over time the air conditioner drain pan will develop cracks, holes, and/or rust. These damages can cause the water that has collected to leak from the air conditioning unit. Replacing the pan should address the problem.

Broken Condensate Pump

In instances where water from the air conditioning system must flow uphill out of the home, a condensate pump is used to get the task done. When this condensate pump breaks down, it will fail to pump out the water allowing it to collect and eventually leak from your air conditioner. In such cases, the condensate pump should either be repaired or replaced.

Low Refrigerant Levels

Low refrigerant levels will cause the evaporator coil to freeze due to the low pressure in the air conditioning system. Eventually, the humid air that has frozen will melt, and when it does, it will overflow in the drain pan. If your air conditioner cools with difficulty or produces a bubbling noise, this is a further indication of refrigerant issues.  Have an AC professional examine your air conditioning unit as soon as possible.

Improper Installation

If your new air conditioning unit has just been recently installed and it is already leaking water, then the most probable cause is that it was not installed correctly. Consult an AC installation and repair expert to have the unit installed appropriately.

We hope that you’ve found the information within this blog post to be helpful. If you feel that your problem requires professional attention to resolve, or you simply have a question that you need answered, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Kent Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. for fast and reliable air conditioning repair services.