What to Do About an Air Conditioner Leaking Water - Tips from Your AC Repair Experts

June 27, 2016

Summer is not the time you want to fret about AC repair. You have better things to do—like taking a vacation or relaxing by the pool. When you’re dreaming of the pool this summer, it’s hopefully not a pool of water by your air conditioner. What’s causing it and how can you fix it? Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning can help.

Turn Off Your System

The first thing you should do if you catch water puddling close to your indoor unit is to turn off your system because water could harm its electronic functions. Water pooling around your indoor unit is a sign that something is either leaking or not draining and it’s probably time for an AC repair. Don’t panic. Just call us. It could be a quick solution. The following are a couple of common sources of a dripping air conditioner that are uncomplicated to repair.

Clogged Condensate Drain

Part of your air conditioner’s duty is to consume vapor from the air in your living space. This moisture needs to be cleared away from inside your unit through a condensate drain. One of the most common causes of a leaking air conditioner is when this drain becomes back up. When this transpires, the water will back up into your home.

Change Your Filters

The simplest thing you can do to keep your system operating as it should is exchange the air filter. If your air filter is dirty, it keeps air from moving over the evaporator coil. This can cause the evaporator coil to become coated in debris and dirt. When this occurs, your coil could ice up—which is a sign of trouble.

If your evaporator coil ices over, you’ll have to defrost it by shutting your system off and switching your blower from “auto” to “on.” Hopefully, the ice will melt slow enough that your drain can handle it.

Whenever you see water or ice around your AC unit, your first course of action is to turn it off and call us to come take a look. It’s likely a minor issue, but we’ll take care of it and give you peace of mind. Give us a call at 760-784-9034 if you notice any problems that might require AC repair, or if you’re ready to schedule your annual air conditioner maintenance.