When your air conditioner is working properly, your home will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is annoying but isn’t necessarily dangerous. It depends on whether it’s leaking water or coolant.
Water leaking from your air conditioner isn’t dangerous but can cause a lot of damage to your house. In contrast, a coolant leak is dangerous for you and the environment. In either case, fixing a leak will require skilled air conditioning repair.
In most cases, you can prevent your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling annual air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC technician will closely inspect your system for issues and clean it. This service helps provide worry-free cooling and may even improve energy efficiency.
Find out why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can stop it from happening in the future.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Water?
Water is a natural result of the cooling process. Your air conditioner has two systems, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit includes an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it moves over it. Condensation forms as the air cools, drips into a drain pan and goes out of your house through a condensate drain line.
Due to the condensation process, having water leak is a common problem. We often get calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it occurs:
Drain Line Is Plugged
As time passes, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can result in water backing up inside your house. Our Tri City Fuel & Heating Co., Inc. pros can eliminate clogs and get water flowing again smoothly. Reach us at 803-265-4208 for help.
Air Filter Is Dirty
We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.
Replacing your air filter is crucial for:
- Indoor air quality
- Energy efficiency
- Decreasing breakdowns
- Lengthening your air conditioner’s lifetime
A dirty air filter can restrict airflow, make the coil very cold and cause it to freeze. As the coil melts, it can overwhelm the drain pan. We suggest checking your air filter if you haven’t replaced it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.
If this doesn’t resolve the problem, your drain pan might be rusty or have a broken condensate pump. Getting a new pan or pump requires a pro, so call us at 803-265-4208 for help.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Freon?
Your air conditioner uses coolant to move heat. If your air conditioner was installed before 2011, it probably uses R-22 Freon. As time passes, chemicals in Freon can eat away at metal and cause leaks.
It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in case your system has one. They include:
- Air that feels warmer or more humid than normal
- Bubbling or hissing noises by the air conditioner
- Sweet odor near the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is bad for your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC professional like Tri City Fuel & Heating Co., Inc. to fix an air conditioner coolant leak. In many instances, it might just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is costly. Manufacturing of this coolant was halted in 2020 because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, just reduced recycled quantities are available.
Trust Tri City Fuel & Heating Co., Inc. for Repairing Your Air Conditioner Leaks
When it comes to air conditioning repair in West Columbia, go with the company your neighbors and friends trust. We’ve been known for our quick, friendly and affordable services since 1964. Contact us at 803-265-4208 to request your appointment today!