When your air conditioner is running properly, your home 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 bad but can cause a lot of damage to your home. On the other hand, a coolant leak is harmful to you and the environment. In either situation, fixing a leak will require skilled air conditioning repair.
In most instances, you can prevent your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling annual air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC tech will closely check your system for problems and clean it. This service helps ensure worry-free cooling and might even improve energy efficiency.
Learn more about 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 air conditioning. Your air conditioner has two systems, 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 drains out of your house through a condensate drain line.
Because of the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We regularly get calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it occurs:
Drain Line Is Clogged
Over time, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can lead to water backing up inside your home. Our Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling professionals can eliminate clogs and get water flowing again smoothly. Give us a call at 515-278-2900 for assistance.
Air Filter Is Dirty
We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.
Replacing your air filter is crucial for:
- Indoor air quality
- Energy efficiency
- Reducing breakdowns
- Extending your air conditioner’s life span
A dirty air filter can reduce 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 issue, your drain pan might be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Replacing your pan or pump requires a professional, so call us at 515-278-2900 for help.
Why Does My AC Unit Leak Freon?
Your air conditioner relies on coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was put in before 2011, it likely uses R-22 Freon. As time passes, chemicals in Freon can eat away at metal and cause leaks.
It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in case your system has one. They include:
- Air that seems hotter or more humid than normal
- Bubbling or hissing sounds by the air conditioner
- Sweet odor by the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is bad for your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC pro like Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling to repair an air conditioner coolant leak. In most situations, it might just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is expensive. Production of this coolant was stopped in 2020 due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, just reduced recycled quantities are available.
Contact Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling for Fixing Your Leaky Air Conditioner
When it comes to air conditioning repair in Des Moines, 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 515-278-2900 to schedule your appointment today!