When your air conditioner is working 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 dangerous but can cause a lot of damage to your house. On the other hand, a coolant leak is harmful to you and the environment. In either situation, repairing a leak will require professional 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 inspect your system for problems and clean it. This service helps ensure worry-free performance and may even improve 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 includes an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it moves over it. Condensation occurs as the air cools, flows into a drain pan and drains out of your house through a condensate drain line.
Due to the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We regularly 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 clog the condensate drain line. This can lead to water leaking inside your house. Our Three Rivers Heating & Cooling pros can eliminate clogs and get water flowing again smoothly. Give us a call at 503-213-4433 for help.
Air Filter Needs to Be Changed
We recommend changing 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
- Extending your air conditioner’s lifetime
A dirty air filter can reduce airflow, make the coil extremely cold and cause it to freeze. As the coil defrosts, it can overwhelm the drain pan. We suggest checking your air filter if you haven’t replaced it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.
If this doesn’t resolve the problem, your drain pan might be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Replacing your pan or pump requires a pro, so call us at 503-213-4433 for assistance.
Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Freon?
Your air conditioner needs coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was put in before 2011, it probably uses R-22 Freon. Over time, chemicals in Freon can eat through metal and create leaks.
It’s important to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in case your system has one. They include:
- Air that seems hotter or more humid than normal
- Bubbling or hissing noises by the air conditioner
- Sweet smell near the air conditioner
- Frozen evaporator coil
Freon is hazardous to your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC professional like Three Rivers Heating & Cooling to fix an air conditioner coolant leak. In many situations, it may just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is expensive. Production of this coolant was stopped in 2020 due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, only reduced recycled quantities are available.
Trust Three Rivers Heating & Cooling for Fixing Your Air Conditioner Leaks
When it comes to air conditioning repair in Portland, turn to the company your neighbors and friends depend on. We’ve been known for our fast, friendly and reasonable services since {year}. Contact us at 503-213-4433 to schedule your appointment now!
