Your air conditioner performs a powerful and useful task for your household. It’s absolutely essential for it to run smoothly and effectively. If you happen to notice that there is a puddle of water collecting around your air conditioner unit, it may certainly be cause for alarm. Our team at Select Air Conditioning and Heating would be more than happy to ensure that your air conditioner is up and running. In the meantime, please review the following list of reasons that could be the culprit behind your air conditioner leak.
1. Frozen Evaporator Coils
Frozen evaporator coils can be caused by a number of different issues such as:
- Clogged air filters.
- Dirty coils.
- Blocked vents or registers.
- A damaged blower motor.
- Low refrigerant.
When your air filter is dirty, air cannot pass through as easily, which causes the evaporator coils to freeze up. The refrigerant in your unit flows through the coils and relies on proper airflow to absorb the heat. However, when this airflow is restricted, the coils get too cold. This means that ice will be allowed to form and water will drip as a result. Frozen evaporator coils can cause the air that is passing through your unit to be warm, or, depending on the issue causing the lack of airflow, there may be no air passing through the unit whatsoever. For this reason, a hard strain can be placed upon your compressor which can lead to premature breakdown.
If you do happen to notice that water is leaking from your unit, the best course of action for you is to call your local reputable HVAC technician.
How To Avoid Frozen Evaporator Coils
In all honesty, the best way for you to avoid this problem now and in the future is for you to make sure that you change out your air filter every thirty to ninety days. Another great way to ensure your air conditioner is healthy and functional is to perform regular inspections on your home to make sure that the air vents and registers are not covered by furniture or household items.
Annual air conditioner maintenance is another form of preventative maintenance that can be quite beneficial in the long run. A good HVAC technician can spot potential problems such as a blower going bad or low refrigerant. They can also perform necessary repairs so that your air conditioner functions as well as possible as long as possible.
2. Cracked or Overflowing Drain Pan
The drain pan is located underneath your indoor air handler and catches condensation. Condensation is naturally emitted from your air conditioning unit. Over time, the drain pan can suffer from wear and tear, leading to the pan or the drainage pipes developing a leak.
When you ask for an air conditioning maintenance inspection from our HVAC repairman, we will use a wet-dry vac to clean out the overflow pan. After that, we inspect the bottom, corners, and edges with a flashlight to make sure that there isn’t any rust or visible leaks. If for some reason the pan is damaged, then we will recommend that you invest in a new pan for your air conditioner unit.
3. The Condensate Drain Line Is Clogged
The condensate line in your air conditioner can become clogged over time from debris, fungi, and even algae. If your condensate line is displaying issues of any kind, it’s critical for you to give our HVAC team a call. To deter any problems from occurring in the first place, get your condensate line drained at least once a year to make sure that there are no visible leaks or clogs. Fortunately, air conditioners these days have an automatic shut-off switch for when the condensate line or the drain pan collects too much water in the unit.
The reason why the automatic shut-off switch is a critical part of new air conditioner construction is that electrocution can be a possibility. Having an automatic shut-off switch can protect your air conditioner from shorting out. If your unit shuts off and refuses to turn back on, always check to see if there is standing water collecting near the drain pan and the condensate line.
Need Air Conditioner Repairs or Maintenance?
Our team at Select Air Conditioning and Heating would be proud to provide your necessary air conditioner maintenance. Not only are we proud to provide air conditioner repairs for our customers, but we can also provide your gas furnace repairs and geothermal heat pump installation. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with a brief phone call to set up an appointment today.
