Is there a water puddle in your home, but you have no idea what it’s from? It could be a telltale sign of a problem in your air conditioner’s cooling system. Most homeowners don’t know that a leaking air conditioner can pour lots of water into your home and cause substantial damage. Learning about the possible causes of the water leak can help you fix the problem yourself and know when to seek professional HVAC repair.
Where does the water in my air conditioning system come from?
For you to understand why your air conditioner is leaking water, you should know how this water forms in your system.
During its normal functioning, your A/C pulls in moisture from your home’s air and expels it outside. The indoor air handler unit of your A/C contains the evaporator coil that cools the air blown over it. This causes moisture to condense on it. This moisture has to go somewhere.
If your cooling system is functioning properly, the moisture will collect in the drain pan below the air handler and flow into a condensate drain line, which conveys it to the outside of your house.
So what causes your system to stop working properly and pour water into your home? Read on to find out.
Reason 1: Blocked Condensate Drain Line
This is the most common cause of a leaking air conditioner.
The condensate drain line provides a warm, moist environment that can allow algae and mold to thrive and eventually block the line. Dirt, dust, and sludge can also clog your line. A clogged drain line will make water back up into your house.
The best way to fix the issue is by having a professional suck out the blockage using a special vacuum.
Reason 2: Rusted/Damaged Condensate Pan
Do you have an old air conditioner? The drain pan that’s meant to catch the condensed water may have rusted through or gotten damaged. That will cause the water to pool on your floor.
Replacing the pan should solve the problem.
Reason 3: Dirty Air Filter
If your air filter is dirty, airflow across the evaporator coil slows down. This makes the coil freeze up. When it melts, it may leak too much water that causes the collection pan to overflow.
To fix this problem, replace the filter. To prevent it from ever happening again, change your filter every 1-3 months.
Reason 4: Low Refrigerant Level
If there’s a puddle of water below your air handler and your AC isn’t cooling your home properly, or you can hear a bubbling or hissing noise, you probably have a low refrigerant level.
Low refrigerant will reduce the pressure in your air conditioning system, making the evaporator coil to get too cold and freeze up. When it melts, the drain pan can overflow.
You’ll need to have an East Bay air conditioning specialist locate and repair the refrigerant leak. If the leak is too severe, you may have to replace the entire AC unit.
Reason 5: Faulty Condensate Pump
If your indoor A/C unit is installed in the basement, it has a motorized condensate pump that sends the water outside. If the pump fails, the water can back up into your home.
To fix this the pump will need repair or replacement.
Contact Our Bay Area HVAC and General Contractors
If your A/C is leaking water or you need any other air conditioning service, contact B.A. Morrison – an East Bay HVAC and general contractor company. We’ve been in business since 1990, offering the best possible workmanship and outstanding customer service throughout the East Bay Area. Our certified technicians provide timely and quality heating and cooling equipment installation, repair, replacement and maintenance, and are ready to do the same for you. We also offer remodeling services and property maintenance. For more information, call us at 510-538-9817 or contact us online.