Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking?

It’s an unfortunate problem that may result in property damage or mold and mildew development. That’s why it’s so important for you to call a local technician as soon as you suspect a water leak from your air conditioner. But why would this happen? And how major is the repair going to be? When an air conditioner is leaking, you need to get help fast. But if you’re curious as to why this would happen—read on. It might not be as severe of a problem as you think.

Condensation

Condensation forms on the outside of an air conditioning system’s evaporator coil as part of the refrigeration process. Your air conditioner uses refrigeration to move heat from the inside of your home to the outside of the home. During this process, refrigerant (a chemical blend cycling throughout the system) absorbs heat from the air inside of your home. Once this happens, the inside evaporator coil begins to get very cool. Warm air blowing over the cold coil has some level of moisture in it (which you know as humidity). That moisture condenses on coil, where it drips down into a drainage system. Unfortunately, there are things that may go wrong within the drainage system. It could be anything from a clogged pipe to a drip pan that’s simply a little offset. This is usually an easy fix for a technician.

A Frozen Coil

A frozen evaporator coil can also allow for water to leak into your home as the ice thaws. Even though an air conditioner can help to get the air nice and chilly, it still should not actually freeze. Water may leak from the coil when it freezes, overflowing from the tray and moving into your home. The consequences of a frozen coil go beyond water damage. Your air conditioner is not working as it should, and is working harder to get your home to the temperature you need. This can result in higher energy bills, poor AC system performance, and a worn-down system that fails prematurely! Call Air Mechanical, Inc. for more information or to schedule AC service in Oak Grove, MN.