Why is My AC Leaking Water?

Posted On August 8, 2024

During summertime, your air conditioner has to work overtime to keep your home cool. Because of this, it can sometimes break down. If you notice water leaking from your AC, the right air conditioner services in Denver & Littleton can help you diagnose and fix the problem. 

To learn more about the common causes of an air conditioner leaking water, read on. 

Causes of AC Leaking Water

There are five key reasons why your AC might be leaking water. In addition to covering the most common causes, we’ll take a look at the symptoms of each issue and how you can solve the problem. With the help of emergency AC repair, you can get your air conditioner to work properly again. 

1. Clogged Condensate Drain Lines 

When your air conditioner is running properly, it removes moisture from the air. This moisture then travels out of your home using the condensate drain line. If the condensate drain line becomes clogged by mold, dirt, or debris, you may end up with leaky water. 

Symptoms 

There are a few symptoms of a clogged condensate drain line: 

• A puddle of water in your condensate drain pan
• A moldy smell near your vents, registers, and AC drain
• Standing water located near the air conditioner’s condenser unit

Solutions

Clogged drain lines can cause mold to grow, and these mold spores can damage your family’s health. If you catch this problem early, a little AC maintenance is all it takes to repair the issue. Using a wet or dry vacuum, remove any clogs in the drain line. 

Afterward, you should no longer have leaking water near your AC. If this doesn’t work, you may need to call for 24 hour AC repair. An HVAC technician can use a specialized vacuum to remove stubborn clogs. Additionally, they can check to make sure a clogged drain line is the only problem you’re dealing with.

2. Faulty Drain Pans

Older ACs may have faulty drain pans. Once an AC gets 12 years old, it is more likely to develop rusty drain pans. Rust can eventually cause the pan to leak water. Fortunately, this issue is fairly easy to repair, but you’ll need professional air conditioner repair services to replace the faulty part. 

Symptoms 

You will generally notice the following symptoms if you have a rusted drain pan. 

• Mold growth in or around your AC
• Musty smells from your air conditioner 
• Rust on the drain line or drip pan
• Water stains on your walls and ceilings
• Leaking water

Solutions

This generally isn’t a problem you can fix on your own with basic AC maintenance. If the drain pan is broken, you’ll most likely need to find a professional AC repair in Denver to get it replaced. 

3. Low Refrigerant 

Low refrigerant levels can cause your evaporator coils to freeze over. As the ice melts, it can cause puddles of water. 

Symptoms 

If you have low refrigerant levels, you may notice the following symptoms.

• Higher energy bills
• Hissing noises if it is leaking
• Warm air coming from your AC
• Frozen AC

Solutions

Before you do anything else, listen for hissing noises. If you hear a hiss or smell the sweet scent of refrigerant, turn off your AC right away. These signs indicate a refrigerant leak, which can be harmful to your family’s health. 

Afterward, call an HVAC technician to get emergency AC repair services. Refrigerant isn’t something you can recharge on your own, so you’ll need to find the right AC repair in Denver to help.

4. Frozen Evaporator Coils

Frozen evaporator coils generally happen because of dirty air filters or low refrigerant. If the air filters aren’t working properly, it reduces airflow in your AC system. Once your evaporator coils freeze, it can take up to a day for them to unfreeze on their own.

Symptoms 

When you’re dealing with frozen evaporator coils, you’ll likely notice some of the following symptoms.

• Flooding near the drain pan
• Longer run times
• Ice buildup on the coils
• Warm air coming from the AC 

Solutions

If this problem occurs, shut off the AC to prevent further damage. You can also change it to the fan-only setting so that warm air flows over the frozen coils. This can help the ice melt faster without causing further damage. 

Your AC has delicate fins and precise parts. Because of this, you shouldn’t try to scrape off the ice yourself. Other than damaging the AC’s parts, you could also cut yourself. 

Evaporator coils generally freeze because of an underlying problem. If this issue happens frequently, you should get professional AC maintenance and repair services to fix it.

5. Dirty Air Filters 

Dirty air filters can cause water to leak from your AC because they can cause your AC to freeze. Your air filters are supposed to be changed or cleaned every 30 to 90 days. If someone in your house vapes or you have pets, you need to replace them even more often.

Symptoms 

If the air filter is dirty or clogged, you’ll likely notice the following symptoms.

• Your AC isn’t blowing cold air
• Your family’s allergy symptoms are worse
• The AC freezes up
• The filter visually looks dirty or dusty
• Your energy bills are higher 

Solutions

Fortunately, a dirty AC filter is fairly easy to replace. Unless the dirty filter has caused other damage, you likely won’t need to get a repair service to fix this issue. Instead, you simply need to replace your filter with a clean one. Afterward, make a note on your calendar to remind you when you need to replace it in the future. 

Fix Your AC Issues Right Away 

When AC problems aren’t fixed right away, it can lead to long-term harm. Because of this, it’s important to call for air conditioner repair services once you notice a problem developing. Through AC repair in Denver, you can access the tune-ups, maintenance options, and repairs you need. 
To learn more about the services provided by Elkhorn Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical, reach out to one of our experienced AC repair professionals today.