Leaky AC? What You Need To Know
One of the most common air conditioning repair calls is for an air conditioning unit that's leaking water. When your air conditioner is functioning as it should, there shouldn't be water leaking around the bottom of the unit. If you do start to see water around the base of your air conditioner, you'll want to reach out to an air conditioning repair technician as soon as possible. While some of the potential causes are simple, some will need professional repair. Here's a look at some of the most common reasons why your air conditioner might be leaking water.
Drain Line Problems
Part of the reason why your air conditioner doesn't typically leak water is that there's a drain line connected to the system to help direct that accumulated water away from the unit. The water is pumped through the condensate drain line automatically when the level reaches a certain point in the drain pan.
Sometimes, the drain line gets clogged with debris. Whether there's something blocking the end of the drain line, such as overgrown foliage, or there's something inside the drain line itself, when water can't flow through the line, it will back up into the drain pan and cause a leak.
The drain line can sometimes come loose as well. This usually results in the line becoming disconnected from the pump, so water can't flow out of the unit. The water will accumulate in the drain pan until it overflows, leaking around your air conditioning unit.
Evaporator Coil Issues
The evaporator coils in your air conditioner are used to draw moisture and heat out of the air as that air passes through the coils. When functioning properly, the coils remain free of ice buildup because the warm air prevents excess icing on the outside of the coils.
However, if you run your air conditioner when the temperatures are too cold outside, there won't be enough heat in the air to prevent the coils from icing up. The same can occur if the unit is low on refrigerant, which typically means it is leaking refrigerant somewhere. The coils will freeze up and then melt, and that ice melt can sometimes cause the drain pan to overflow, leading to leaks around the base of the unit.
Condensate Pump Problems
The condensate pump sends the water from the drain pan through the condensate drain line to keep excess water accumulation out of the air conditioner. If that pump has failed, the water won't flow out of the unit the way that it's supposed to. Your air conditioning repair technician can test the pump to determine if it is the source of the problem and repair or replace it if needed.
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