When your air conditioner is working properly, your home will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is frustrating but isn’t necessarily dangerous. It depends on whether it’s leaking water or coolant.
Water leaking from your air conditioner isn’t bad but can cause a lot of damage to your house. In contrast, a coolant leak is dangerous for you and the environment. In either situation, repairing a leak will require professional air conditioning repair.
In most cases, you can stop your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling yearly air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC tech will closely inspect your system for problems and clean it. This service helps provide worry-free cooling and might 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 byproduct 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 blows over it. Condensation forms as the air cools, flows into a drain pan and drains out of your home through a condensate drain line.
Because of the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We often receive calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it happens:
Drain Line Is Plugged
As time passes, mold can clog the condensate drain line. This can lead to water backing up inside your home. Our Ambient Air professionals can eliminate clogs and get water draining again smoothly. Give us a call at 520-357-4912 for assistance.
Air Filter Needs to Be Changed
We recommend changing flat filters monthly and pleated filters every three months.
Replacing your air filter is critical for:
- Indoor air quality
- Energy efficiency
- Decreasing breakdowns
- Extending your air conditioner’s lifetime
A dirty air filter can restrict airflow, make the coil extremely cold and freeze it. As the coil defrosts, 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. Replacing your pan or pump requires a professional, so contact us at 520-357-4912 for assistance.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Freon?
Your air conditioner relies on coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was put in before 2011, it probably uses R-22 Freon. Over time, chemicals in Freon can eat through metal and cause leaks.
It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in the event your system develops one. They include:
- Air that feels warmer or more humid than usual
- Bubbling or hissing noises by the air conditioner
- Sweet smell by the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is hazardous to your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC professional like Ambient Air to fix an air conditioner coolant leak. In many situations, it might just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is costly. Production 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 Ambient Air for Repairing Your Air Conditioner Leaks
When it comes to air conditioning repair in Tucson, go with the company your neighbors and friends depend on. We’ve been known for our fast, friendly and reasonable services since 2001. Contact us at 520-357-4912 to request your appointment today!