Why Your Air Conditioner Is Leaking Water

Have you been seeing leaks coming from your ceiling whenever your AC is running? Well, you might have shrugged it off, but it's a big problem. Many people assume the leak is coming from faulty plumbing pipes. That can be the case, but you need to rule out all the other possibilities. Don't be surprised if you notice the leak is coming from your air conditioner. 

Air conditioner leaks rarely happen, but if they do, you should fix them immediately. Unfortunately, it's hard to fix the problem if you don't know what's causing it. The following will highlight a few possible reasons why your AC might be leaking. 

Frozen Evaporator Coils

Frozen evaporator coils are an indication your AC unit has a problem. You can tell your evaporator coils have frozen up by checking for the following signs:

• Condensation and moisture around the air handler
• Ice near the outdoor refrigerant line
• Ice around the evaporator coil
• Overflowing condensate pan

In most cases, frozen evaporator coils are caused by drainage problems, airflow problems, refrigerant issues, broken blower motor, and dirty evaporator coils. If you notice the air-conditioning evaporator coil is frozen, turn the AC off immediately and call in an air-conditioning repair expert to address the issue. Failure to remedy the problem immediately can ruin your compressor.

Overflowing or Cracked Drain Pan

As the name sounds, the work of the drain pan is to catch any condensation emanating from the air-conditioning unit. This component is located below the indoor air handler, and sometimes it can crack or overflow with the condensate. AC units come with two drain pans: One is permanently fixed, while the other is removable. 

If you find out the drain pan is overflowing, you might want to drain the water and clean it as well. Also, check for any cracks around the bottom, edges, and corners; they might be responsible for the leaks. You can seal the cracks on the removable pan, but don't interfere with the permanent pan. Just leave it to the professionals to replace it.

Clogged Drain Line

A condensate drain line is responsible for draining water from the AC drain pan. Due to the nature of its job, a drain line can get clogged easily. You'll find mold and algae breeding in the drain line, and that can cause nasty clogs. If debris and plants build up in the drain line, it will block water flow from the drain pan. This means the water will start leaking inside the house; thus, causing damage.

If you notice water leaking from the unit, call a 24/7 air-conditioning repair service to deal with the issue.