Owning a home comes with many responsibilities, especially if it is a modern smart home. You have to ensure that all the different appliances and technology are always working correctly to give you maximum efficiency and effective service. Unfortunately, every home appliance, including your AC, is prone to mechanical issues.
When it’s summer, the last thing you want to deal with is a faulty AC because this is the time you need it most. However, things don’t always go as planned, and it’s normal to notice AC problems like leaking water. While this may start as tiny drops, it can get worse over time, and this can endanger your property due to water damage. In order to prevent or correct this situation, it’s important to comprehend what causes it. At Affordable Air & Heating, our team of professional technicians has been helping residents of the Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley with their cooling problems for over 20 years. Let us give you a comprehensive explanation.
Why Does an AC Form Water?
Before we proceed, it’s crucial for you to understand how an AC forms water in the first place. Most people think that an AC cools the air inside a room. While this may be true to some degree, the primary purpose of an AC is to remove heat from inside the room and transfer it outside. It does this in three distinct ways using three components: an evaporator coil, a compressor, and a condenser.
First, an AC has a filtered return vent that sucks up the hot or warm air inside a room and then blows it over the evaporator coil. The coil has a cold refrigerant that absorbs the heat, turning the refrigerant into a hot gas. The cool air in the AC is then blown back into the room through the supply vent using a fan.
Second, the hot gas present in the coil moves to the compressor outside, which continues to compress it into a hotter vapor. Finally, the hot gas is passed to the condenser, and the heat is discharged outside. The refrigerant in the coil becomes a cold liquid that moves back to the first station to absorb more warm air from inside the room, and the cycle goes on.
As the AC continues its operation, the moisture from the hot hair keeps collecting in the evaporator coil as water drips into a primary drainpipe. From the primary drain pipe, it moves to a drain line leading it outside.
Why Is the AC Leaking Water?
Now that you understand how your AC comes to produce water, let’s look at why it is leaking that water instead of draining it outside.
Clogged Drain Line
One thing that may cause your AC to leak water is a clogged drain line. The drain line is essential in letting the collected water out from the drain pan. When your AC has a damaged or dirty air filter, the filter will let dirt and debris into the air conditioning system. When this debris accumulates over time, it will clog the drain line.
This may lead to flooding in the drain pan, which with time, will weigh down the drain line, stressing the connection to the drain pan. In addition, when your AC vibrates, it will increase the wear, loosening the line from the pan and thus causing water to leak from your AC.
Failed Condensate Pump
Some ACs use a condensate pump to aid inadequate water drainage. The condensate pump is usually mandatory if you have your home’s drainage system above your AC unit. If the condensate pump isn’t working correctly, water may collect in the pan and leak out.
You need to make sure the condensate pump has power. If you realize power is not the issue, then the condensate pump may need to be repaired or replaced. Call us at Affordable Air & Heating and let our experts repair the condensate pump for you.
Damaged Drain Pan
The drain pan is essential in the working cycle of an AC. It is where water collects before it is drained outside through the drain pipe. It is usually located just below the AC’s evaporator coils. If the drain pan is rusted or damaged, water will leak as it collects instead of moving into the drain line.
One of the main reasons for a rusted or damaged drain pan is age. Typically, a drain pan will last as long as the AC itself, but this isn’t always the case. Lucky for you, at Affordable Air & Heating, we have the right team of experts with the proper training to handle such issues. We’re here to help you with the problem or suggest a new AC if the damage is beyond repair.
Condensation Buildup
Condensation is part of the air conditioning cycle, at least the dehumidifying process. When too much condensation builds up, your AC can start leaking water from the air vents and ducts. This water can drip into your home’s insulation system, causing damage and extra expense for repairs. Additionally, the dripping water can encourage mold growth in the air ducts, which will deteriorate the quality of the air inside the house.
Many things can cause condensation buildup; clogged ducts, blocked drain pumps, and dirty filters are just a few. To curb this problem, you need to stay up to date with your AC maintenance as this will prevent any water leakage and remove any dirt or debris from your AC system.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
When there is a refrigerant leak or blocked airflow, it can lead to frozen evaporator coils. In turn, this leads to moisture buildup, which then causes the drain pan to overflow with water and start to leak. Evaporator coils are a vital part of an AC’s dehumidifying process. Therefore, it is always best to ensure they are in perfect working condition.
If you realize your AC is freezing up, it is best to seek professional help as soon as possible. At Affordable Air & Heating, we have the right set of skills to help identify the source of the problem and come up with possible solutions. One of the things we may do is clean your AC filter. If this does not help improve the status, your AC may need more refrigerant. If the refrigerant is low, the evaporator coils become too cold; extreme cold later results in icing. When this water melts, it drips from the AC unit, causing leakage.
Say Goodbye to Water Leaking From Your AC
At Affordable Air & Heating, we offer comprehensive air conditioning and heating services to keep your home comfortable during any season of the year. We provide installation, maintenance, and repair services for HVAC units of all makes and models. We offer maintenance contracts and free estimates on installations of all heating and cooling systems. In addition to our heating and cooling services, our experienced technicians can also assist you with your home’s indoor air quality. From our locations in Canyon Country and Lancaster, we cover the entire surrounding area. Feel free to contact Affordable Air & Heating today to set up an appointment or get more information regarding your AC.
