When your air conditioner is working properly, your house will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is annoying but isn’t necessarily dangerous. 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 home. In contrast, a coolant leak is dangerous for you and the environment. In either situation, fixing a leak will require professional air conditioning repair.
In most instances, you can stop your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling yearly air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC technician will closely inspect your system for problems and clean it. This service helps ensure worry-free cooling and might even boost energy efficiency.
Find out why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can prevent it from happening in the future.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Water?
Water is a natural result of the cooling process. Your air conditioner has two units, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit includes an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it moves over it. Condensation occurs as the air cools, drips into a drain pan and goes out of your house through a condensate drain line.
Due to the condensation process, having water leak is a common problem. We regularly receive calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it happens:
Drain Line Is Clogged
Over time, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can lead to water backing up inside your home. Our Northern Comfort Inc professionals can break up clogs and get water draining again smoothly. Give us a call at 507-387-6596 for help.
Air Filter Needs to Be Changed
We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.
Replacing your air filter is critical for:
- Indoor air quality
- Energy efficiency
- Reducing breakdowns
- Lengthening your air conditioner’s life span
A dirty air filter can reduce airflow, make the coil very cold and cause it to freeze. As the coil defrosts, it can make the drain pan overflow. We recommend inspecting your air filter if you haven’t changed it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.
If this doesn’t resolve the issue, your drain pan may be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Replacing your pan or pump requires a professional, so contact us at 507-387-6596 for help.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Freon?
Your air conditioner uses coolant to move 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 create leaks.
It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in case your system has one. They include:
- Air that seems warmer or more humid than normal
- Bubbling or hissing noises near the air conditioner
- Sweet smell near the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is hazardous to your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC professional like Northern Comfort Inc to repair an air conditioner coolant leak. In many situations, it may just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is costly. Manufacturing of this coolant was halted in 2020 because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, only reduced recycled quantities are available.
Rely on Northern Comfort Inc for Repairing Your Air Conditioner Leaks
When it comes to air conditioning repair in Mankato area, turn to the company your neighbors and friends depend on. We’ve been known for our quick, friendly and affordable services since 1975. Call us at 507-387-6596 to request your appointment today!