September 28, 2021

Your air conditioner has been hard at work this summer to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. A key part of this process is pulling extra moisture from the air. Normally, this condensate is transported safely away from the air conditioner and deposited outside. But if a leak appears, that means something has gone wrong.

Moving quickly is a good idea when addressing possible leaks, as water can damage other internal components of your HVAC system. Depending on where the leak appeared and how long it’s gone unnoticed, repairs may not be cost-effective. Instead, you’ll actually save more money by choosing to replace the air conditioner.

The HVAC experts at AC Mechanical want to make sure you’re aware of all the options. If a leak is already in-progress, you can count on us to determine whether air conditioning repair or air conditioning replacement is the best way to move forward.

3 Reasons for an Air Conditioner Leaking Water

While there’s no single cause of an air conditioner leak, there are a few spots our technicians will check first. You may be able to identify where the leak is coming from on your own. If you can, you’re that much closer to resolving the problem!

Clogged or Damaged Condensate Drain System

Most of the time a water leak starts with the condensate drain system. As humidity is condensed into water, it falls into the drain pain. The pan is connected to a drain line, which takes the water and safely deposits it outside your home. The water won’t have anywhere to go when the pan or drain line is clogged.

Repair or Replace?

Most of the time, repair service is enough to resolve a clogged condensate drain. Our technicians can use specialized vacuum equipment to remove the clog.

Dirty Air Filter

Your air filter is a crucial component of a well-functioning air conditioner. As it collects dirt and dust, airflow is gradually restricted. This can lower the internal temperature of other important components like the evaporator coils. As the pressure drops, the coils may start to freeze over.

The leak starts when the ice on the evaporator coils finally starts to melt. The drain pan may not be able to hold both melting ice water and the condensate, resulting in a leak.

Repair or Replace?

In most cases, neither repair nor replacement services are required! Changing the air filter is easy to do on your own and helps ensure your air conditioning continues to perform well. That being said, our technicians are happy to handle filter upkeep if you’d rather not worry about it.

Low Refrigerant Levels

Refrigerants like Freon or Puron need steady airflow. Just like the filter, low coolant levels can negatively affect the pressure inside the evaporator coils. This results in the coils freezing. As the coils melt, excessive moisture in your air conditioner will start leaking out.

Repair or Replace

Time is of the essence for refrigerant leaks. Severe leaks can cause extensive damage and will result in you having to replace the air conditioner entirely. We’ll do our best to keep that from happening. But if it does, we’ll check around the unit to make sure any water damage is correctly identified.

Call AC Mechanical for Leak Detection and Sealing

Once you’ve noticed water leaking from your air conditioner, let the experts at AC Mechanical know right away! Our technicians will rely on their years of experience to determine if you’re better off repairing the damage or replacing the air conditioner entirely.

Schedule an appointment with our technicians by clicking the button below or giving us a call at 307-778-0515.

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