My Air Conditioning Is Leaking Water

Why is My Air Conditioner Leaking Water?
Do you suspect your air conditioner may be leaking water? Leaking air conditioners are common in the peak of summer. Depending on the how often your AC leaks, how long the leak lasts and how much water leaks out, it may signal a problem with the unit—and the water could even cause damage to your home.

An AC unit leaking water isn’t always considered an “air conditioning emergency service” in San Antonio, as what you’re seeing could be just condensation mistaken for an actual AC system leaking water.

Any air conditioner unit with a water leak may leak water inside the home, which may become problematic and could cause damage if not repaired quickly. A central air conditioner will typically leak outside the home via emergency drain lines, however in some unusal cases, can leak water inside your home – still a cause for concern, but outside leaks pose less of a problem to your walls or floors.

It’s important to note that a tiny amount of condensation underneath an outside AC unit is also normal. However, if you see a puddle when the AC unit is running and you’ve noticed it is louder than normal or you have seen an uptick in your energy costs, you may have a leak.

Why is my air conditioner leaking water?

The cause of the leak is as important as the leak’s origination point. Typically, water will leak out of our air conditioning unit if:

The primary drain line is clogged.
Mold, dirt, algae, and rust can block the drain line and cause the AC unit to leak.

The condensate pan is damaged.
Your AC unit contains a pan to collect normal condensation. However, if there’s a crack in the pan, water will leak out of the unit. Maybe you were putting boxes into your attic and either stepped on the pan or dropped something on it, damaged it or bent it. This can cause water to leak instead of properly draining.

Refrigerant a.k.a. Freon levels are low.
Not having enough refrigerant can also cause the evaporator coils to freeze and leak all over the place like an untrained puppy.

Failed Condensate Pump
If your drain line looks clear and your drain pan doesn’t show any signs of damage or leakage, the next part of your air conditioning unit to examine is the condensate pump. The condensate pump is responsible for pushing water out of your home to the outside so it doesn’t overflow into your home. If your condensate pump is broken or malfunctioning, then water builds up and will eventually leak out of the HVAC unit. An HVAC technician can test and replace a non-working condensate pump. This symptom isn’t a DIY fix usually however your local AC pros consider this a pretty easy fix.

The outside temperature is too cold for running your AC.
Running the air conditioner when it’s cold outside can cause your evaporator coils to freeze over. But in San Antonio Texas, it’s extremely rare for this to happen because we’re in a southern climate – but look at the big freeze of February 2021 – never say never! In general, don’t run your air conditioner unit when it’s under 60° outside.

Some other AC leak fixes and hacks:

Replacing air filters.
In general, you should replace your HVAC air filters (heat pump or air conditioner) every 30 to 90 days when in use – in the heat of the summer, definitely every 30 days since your HVAC system runs almost 24/7. If your Air Conditionng filter is clogged up, it won’t allow enough air to pass over the AC coils and causes them to freeze and leak water. Try changing your filter and it just might work?

Your Outside AC Unit Fan Not Coming On Can Cause Frozen Coils and AC Water Leaks. You can fix this with just one finger! Yes, by using that finger to dial your local AC repair company in San Antonio. Replacing the outside fan isn’t typically a DIY job. Sorry DIY peeps.

Cleaning out the drain pan.
The drain pan is located underneath the indoor air handler and evaporator coil. You can try to seal any cracks with water sealant, but it’s usually best to simply replace a faulty pan. If you had any roofing done or other work in or around your attic, debris could have fallen into your AC drain pan and clogged the drain pipe, causing a leak. Clean the debris and if too much got into the actual drain pipe, you might have to call a pro to use a

Unclogging your condensate “primary” drain line.
Locate the pipe that leads off your drain pan. Remove the cap and pour in about a cup of white vinegar or bleach to kill any mold or algae in the pipe. If the clog persists, use a wet-dry vacuum to suck out the blockage.

How Much Water Leaking from My Air Conditioner Normal?
The amount of condensation you can expect to see from your air conditioner depends on a couple of factors, including:

Your thermostat setting, outdoor temperature & outdoor humidity:
Take for example, your home in Bexar, Kendall or Atascosa County If you come home to find a small puddle of condensation near the drain pipe, that is normal and quite common for an air conditioner working hard—particularly on extremely hot or very humid days. Likewise, if a small puddle is underneath your air conditioner’s condenser unit, this is most likely a result of your unit’s normal operation.

How Much Water Is Too Much?
There’s a fine line between your air conditioner functioning as expected and when it may need to be repaired, especially if you’re unsure how much leaking water to expect from your air conditioner unit. Under normal operation, your air conditioner should only leak or produce condensation while operating. Then, the small puddle of water should dry up on a hot day.

A common sign you need air conditioner repair is if the water leak persists for a day or more. If it does, you’ll need the help of a professional air conditioning contractor in San Antonio Texas. If that’s the case, call Air & Plumbing Today at 210-519-5959. Our technicians will shoot straight with you, telling you exactly what you need to do to fix your problem and how to keep it from happening again.