When your air conditioner is working properly, your home will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is annoying but isn’t necessarily dangerous. It depends on whether it’s leaking water or coolant.
Water leaking from your air conditioner isn’t bad but can cause a lot of damage to your house. On the other hand, a coolant leak is dangerous for you and the environment. In either case, fixing a leak will require professional air conditioning repair.
In most instances, you can prevent your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling annual air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC tech will closely check your system for problems and clean it. This service helps provide worry-free performance and may even boost energy efficiency.
Find out why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can stop it from happening in the future.
Why Won’t My Air Conditioning Stop Leaking Water?
Water is a natural result of the cooling process. Your air conditioner has two units, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit includes an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it blows over it. Condensation forms as the air cools, drips into a drain pan and goes out of your home through a condensate drain line.
Due to the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We regularly get calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it occurs:
Drain Line Is Plugged
Over time, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can lead to water leaking inside your home. Our Patterson & Stirling professionals can eliminate clogs and get water draining again smoothly. Reach us at 814-308-0416 for assistance.
Air Filter Is Dirty
We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.
Replacing your air filter is crucial for:
- Indoor air quality
- Energy efficiency
- Reducing breakdowns
- Extending your air conditioner’s lifetime
A dirty air filter can reduce airflow, make the coil very cold and freeze it. As the coil melts, it can make the drain pan overflow. We recommend checking your air filter if you haven’t replaced it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.
If this doesn’t fix the problem, your drain pan may be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Replacing your pan or pump requires a pro, so call us at 814-308-0416 for help.
Why Is the Air Conditioning Leaking Freon?
Your air conditioner needs coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was installed before 2011, it probably has R-22 Freon. As time passes, chemicals in Freon can eat away at metal and create leaks.
It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in case your system has one. They include:
- Air that seems hotter or more humid than usual
- Bubbling or hissing sounds near the air conditioner
- Sweet odor near the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is hazardous to your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC pro like Patterson & Stirling to repair an air conditioner coolant leak. In many situations, it might just be better to schedule air conditioning installation since Freon is expensive. Production of this coolant was stopped in 2020 because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a result, only limited recycled quantities are available.
Contact Patterson & Stirling to Fix Your Leaky Air Conditioner
When it comes to air conditioning repair in Erie, turn to the company your neighbors and friends depend on. We’ve been known for our quick, friendly and affordable services since {year}. Call us at 814-308-0416 to schedule your appointment now!
