Is your air conditioner leaking water now all of a sudden? In the United States, more than 100 million homes have air conditioning. Most of them are spread out across the country’s south, where it gets the hottest. Many (HVAC) ACs leak water on the inside and outside of their units because they are used too much. When your AC leaks water, it’s never a good thing. Read on to find out why your air conditioning for room with no windows sometimes leak and what you can do to fix it.
What Causes Water to Condense in Your A/C
Most modern ACs have units both inside and outside. Inside the air conditioning condenser is an evaporator coil that cools the air as it blows over it. This makes the temperature inside comfortable—condensation forms on the coil when hot blow passes over it. Picture water droplets developing on the surface of a cold glass of water; that’s precisely what’s happening to the evaporator coil in your refrigerator.
When the moisture accumulates, it will eventually drop into a drain pan, which will then be connected to a condensate drain line. This line goes away from your house. Your AC shouldn’t leak inside the house, if possible. Sometimes your cheap air conditioner may leak water inside the house, but you don’t need to worry. Let’s look at possible reasons for this and how to fix it.
The Cause of Your Air Conditioner Leaking Water: A Clogged Drain Line
A blocked condensate drain pipe is most likely to blame if your AC spills into the house. Over time, things like dirt, dust, or mold can get stuck in this line. A blocked condensate drain pipe prevents water from leaving the building. The line gets clogged up, which causes the condensation to leak back into your home and also drops on air conditioning coils inside of it.
Using a wet/dry vac to clean the drain line is an easy way to eliminate the clog. This should eliminate whatever is causing the line to back up, letting water flow out again. You may need expert assistance if the wet/dry vacuum procedure fails. They have access to a strong vacuum that can clear the clog and get the drain line working again.
How Can I Prevent My AC From Leaking Water?
One of the most important maintenance tasks is to replace your old, dirty air filters with new ones that are the right size. (See our blog post about how to change Air conditioners filter.) Has your AC system been checked by a professional in the spring, before the busy summer season? You can prevent most AC issues. The person who works on your HVAC system should look for cracks or rust in the drain pan and treat it so algae don’t grow. He should, among other things, flush the drain line and make sure the condensate pump works.
Conclusion
Now you know what could cause your AC to leak water. Most of the time, your AC won’t leak water if you keep it in good shape by using proper air conditioning covers. When technicians tune up your outdoor and indoor units, they check the major parts for signs of problems. In addition, having your AC serviced annually helps it run more efficiently, which in turn helps maintain your house at a suitable temperature throughout the year.