My Air Conditioner Is Leaking Water: Why And How To Fix It

There are a number of reasons why air conditioners leaking water can occur. The majority of modern A/C systems utilize both outdoor and indoor components. When hot air traverses the evaporator coil, condensation will form, and it is supposed to drip into the drain pan which leads to its condensate drainer line, but this doesn’t always occur, resulting in leakage.

The Drain Line is Clogged

If you notice that the air conditioning is leaking within your home, this probably means you have a drain line that has become clogged, likely the result of dust, mold or debris. Once the drain line becomes clogged, the water will be unable to escape and then drain outside normally. Instead, the line will get backed up, making the condensation move in reverse where it will leak into your residence.

The simplest method for unclogging the drain is extracting the debris with a dry/wet vac. By doing this you’ll remove everything which is causing the blockage so that the liquid can escape externally. However, there are times when this method doesn’t work, and if so you’ll need to hire a professional who will use a specialized vacuum that is much more powerful to completely eliminate the blockage.

The A/C Refrigerant is Low

Every air conditioning system has a limited amount of refrigerant, and once it drops to a certain level, the pressure within the A/C system will fall concurrently. Low refrigerant can also lead to evaporator freezing, which in turn will cause a liquid mess. If the A/C is not cooling down your residence as efficiently as it used to, the first thing you’ll want to do is inspect its refrigerant levels. Other warning signs include a bubbling or hissing sound. If low refrigerant is the culprit, you must resolve the matter promptly, otherwise, the system may sustain damage so severe that it has to be totally replaced.

The Air Filter is Dirty

A/C systems come with air filters that should ideally be cleaned or replaced every thirty days, but almost no one does it within this timespan. However, the trouble with putting off the replacement for too long is that as the air filter becomes dirtier the system will be forced to work harder, and eventually the internal components will become worn down or damaged.

Additionally, having a filthy air filter will obstruct the airflow near the evaporator coil, and once this occurs the coil will become exceptionally cold to the point of freezing. Once the coil starts to melt, excess liquid can lead to the pan overflowing. So even if you don’t have time to change the air filter every month, you’ll definitely want to change it every two or three months.

Your A/C is Getting Old

Time takes its toll on everything, including A/C systems. The average unit has a service life of between twelve and fifteen years and if you’ve had yours for this long, it might need a new condensate pump or drain pan. Sometimes older A/C systems can be repaired, but in other cases, it is better to replace them with newer models.