When your air conditioner is working properly, your house will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is annoying but isn’t necessarily harmful. It depends on whether it’s leaking water or refrigerant.

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 skilled 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 inspect your system for problems and clean it. This service helps ensure worry-free cooling and may even improve energy efficiency.

Find out why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can prevent it from happening in the future.

Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Water?

Water is a natural byproduct of air conditioning. Your air conditioner has two units, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit has an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it moves over it. Condensation forms as the air cools, flows into a drain pan and goes out of your house through a condensate drain line.

Because of the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We often receive calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it happens:

Drain Line Is Clogged

As time passes, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can lead to water backing up inside your house. Our Woody's Sudden Service professionals can break up clogs and get water draining again smoothly. Reach us at 703-278-2036 for help.

Air Filter Needs to Be Changed

We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.

Replacing your air filter is critical for:

  • Indoor air quality
  • Energy efficiency
  • Decreasing breakdowns
  • Lengthening your air conditioner’s lifetime

A dirty air filter can reduce airflow, make the coil very cold and cause it to freeze. As the coil defrosts, it can make the drain pan overflow. We recommend checking your air filter if you haven’t changed it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.

If this doesn’t fix the issue, your drain pan may be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Getting a new pan or pump requires a professional, so call us at 703-278-2036 for assistance.

Why Is the Air Conditioning Leaking Freon?

Your air conditioner uses 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 cause leaks.

It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in case your system develops one. They include:

  • Air that seems warmer or more humid than normal
  • Bubbling or hissing sounds near the air conditioner
  • Sweet odor by the air conditioner
  • Frozen evaporator coil

Freon is bad for your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC professional like Woody's Sudden Service to fix an air conditioner coolant leak. In most instances, it may just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is expensive. Production of this coolant was halted in 2020 due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, only reduced recycled quantities are available.

Contact Woody's Sudden Service for Repairing Your Leaky Air Conditioner

When it comes to air conditioning repair in Manassas, go with the company your neighbors and friends trust. We’ve been known for our fast, friendly and reasonable services since {year}. Contact us at 703-278-2036 to request your appointment now!