When your air conditioner is running properly, your home will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is frustrating but isn’t necessarily dangerous. 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 home. In contrast, a coolant leak is dangerous for you and the environment. In either situation, fixing a leak will require skilled air conditioning repair.
In most instances, you can stop your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling annual air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC technician will closely check your system for issues and clean it. This service helps provide worry-free cooling and might even boost energy efficiency.
Find out why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can stop it from happening in the future.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Water?
Water is a natural result of the cooling process. Your air conditioner has two systems, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit has an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it blows over it. Condensation occurs as the air cools, drips into a drain pan and goes out of your home through a condensate drain line.
Because of 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
As time passes, mold can clog the condensate drain line. This can result in water leaking inside your house. Our Woody's Sudden Service Inc pros can break up clogs and get water draining again smoothly. Reach us at 703-278-2036 for assistance.
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
- Reducing breakdowns
- Extending your air conditioner’s lifetime
A dirty air filter can restrict airflow, make the coil very cold and cause it to freeze. 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 issue, your drain pan might be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Replacing your pan or pump requires a professional, so contact us at 703-278-2036 for help.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Freon?
Your air conditioner needs coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was installed before 2011, it likely has R-22 Freon. As time passes, chemicals in Freon can eat through 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 noises near the air conditioner
- Sweet smell near the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is bad for your health if handled improperly, so you’ll want an HVAC pro like Woody's Sudden Service Inc to repair an air conditioner coolant leak. In most situations, it might just be better to schedule air conditioning installation since Freon is costly. Production of this coolant was halted in 2020 because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, just reduced recycled quantities are available.
Rely on Woody's Sudden Service Inc for Repairing Your Air Conditioner Leaks
When it comes to air conditioning repair in Manassas, turn to the company your neighbors and friends depend on. We’ve been known for our fast, friendly and reasonable services since 1979. Contact us at 703-278-2036 to request your appointment now!