When you notice water leaking from your AC, you should always find the cause and severity of the leak as soon as possible. If left alone, AC leaks can lead to water damage in your home and high AC repair costs.
There are a number of things that can lead to an AC leak. To help you determine if your leaking unit is in need of AC repair, an AC tune-up or a simple at-home fix, here are some common causes of AC leaks and how to fix them.
Clogged Condensate Drain Line
Over time, your AC’s condensate drain line can become clogged with dirt or mold. When this happens, the water caused by the condensation inside your AC is prevented from leaving your home. This leads to excess water that will overflow your AC’s drain pan and leak out onto your floor.
A simple way to avoid this is to pour some vinegar down the drain line every couple of months to clean out any built-up gunk. However, if your drain line is still clogged after using vinegar, you may want to call an AC professional to clear the line.
Damaged Drain Pan
If your AC’s drain pan rusts or has cracks or holes in it, water will fall right through it and leak out of the AC before it can reach the drain line. When dealing with damaged drain pans, it’s always safer to have them replaced instead of trying to patch them up yourself.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
A dirty air filter can prevent airflow from reaching an AC’s evaporator coil. When this happens, the lack of warm air causes the coil to freeze and eventually melt, leading to an overflow of water in the unit. To avoid this, always remember to change your AC’s air filter regularly.
Inside AC Leaks vs. Outside AC leaks
The causes mentioned above are indicators of an AC leak inside your home. However, if you notice water by your drain line outside your home, that might be a sign that your AC is overworked due to high outdoor temperatures and humidity.
On a hot day, an AC’s drain line will normally leak a little water and create a small puddle outside your house that will eventually dry up. However, if the water leak continues and turns the puddle into a pool, then it’s time to call an AC technician to find the cause of the leak.
If you are unable to find the cause of your AC leak and require air conditioning repair in Houston or if you simply need an AC tune-up, contact Mission AC and Plumbing today.
