When your air conditioner is running properly, your house will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is frustrating but isn’t necessarily harmful. 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 professional air conditioning repair.
In most cases, you can prevent your air conditioner from leaking by requesting yearly air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC technician will closely examine your system for problems and clean it. This service helps provide worry-free cooling and might even boost energy efficiency.
Learn more about why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can prevent it from happening in the future.
Why Does My AC Unit Leak Water?
Water is a natural result of the cooling process. Your air conditioner has two systems, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit has an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it blows over it. Condensation occurs as the air cools, drips into a drain pan and goes out of your home through a condensate drain line.
Because of 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 happens:
Drain Line Is Clogged
As time passes, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can lead to water leaking inside your home. Our Paniccia Heating & Cooling pros can eliminate clogs and get water flowing again smoothly. Give us a call at 219-872-2198 for assistance.
Air Filter Is Dirty
We recommend changing flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.
Replacing your air filter is critical for:
- Indoor air quality
- Energy efficiency
- Decreasing breakdowns
- Lengthening your air conditioner’s lifetime
A dirty air filter can reduce airflow, make the coil very cold and cause it to freeze. As the coil melts, it can overwhelm the drain pan. We recommend checking your air filter if you haven’t replaced it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.
If this doesn’t fix the issue, your drain pan may be rusty or have a broken condensate pump. Getting a new pan or pump requires a pro, so call us at 219-872-2198 for assistance.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Freon?
Your air conditioner uses coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was installed before 2011, it likely has R-22 Freon. As time passes, chemicals in Freon can eat through metal and create leaks.
It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in the event your system has one. They include:
- Air that feels warmer or more humid than normal
- Bubbling or hissing sounds by the air conditioner
- Sweet smell by the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is bad for your health if handled improperly, so you’ll want an HVAC pro like Paniccia Heating & Cooling to fix an air conditioner coolant leak. In most instances, it may just be better to schedule air conditioning installation since Freon is expensive. Production of this coolant was halted in 2020 because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a result, only limited recycled quantities are available.
Contact Paniccia Heating & Cooling for Repairing Your Leaky Air Conditioner
When it comes to air conditioning repair in Michigan City, turn to the company your neighbors and friends depend on. We’ve been known for our fast, friendly and reasonable services since year. Call us at 219-872-2198 to request your appointment today!