It’s getting hotter outside and air conditioners are of great importance for your comfort and your health. If you notice that there is water leaking from your central air conditioner there may be an issue that needs to be resolved.
Why is My A/C Unit Leaking Water on the Floor?
If water has started to pool around your central air conditioner, the first thing you need to do is turn off your air conditioner because this water could harm the electronic parts of your AC and cause water damage to your home. One of the jobs your AC unit has is to pull humidity from the air. The inside unit’s blower pulls in hot, humid air through the return and over the inside unit’s cold evaporator coil to cool the air down. Condensation forms on the evaporator coil like when water droplets bead up on a glass of ice cold water on a hot summer day. That water on the evaporator coil falls into a sloped drain pan down a condensate drain line like a slip n slide. The drain line either exits out of the home or into your plumbing. If there’s an issue with any of these parts, the water can form around the inside unit and must be addressed by calling a professional air conditioning contractor for emergency repairs.
Broken or Clogged Condensate Pump May Need Cleaning & Repair
A broken condensate pump prevents the water from being pumped outside. If there’s a clogged condensate drain line it will need to be fixed. If the drain gets clogged by dirt, insects, mold, or anything else, the water has nowhere to go but back into the house. If the pump is plugged in and there is still an issue it could be the float switch. Some units have a condensate pump that is not integrated directly into the AC unit which means that it needs to be plugged into the power in order to function. The problem may be as simple as the hoses that collect the condensation are in need of replacement. This may depend on the age of your unit. Locate the lines that pump the water from the unit to the drain to see if there is water collecting on them due to a leak or a hole.
Causes of Frozen Evaporator Coil; Dirty Air Filters or Low Refrigerant
If you open the blower door and see that the evaporator coil is covered in ice it’s a problem. When the frozen evaporator coil melts there may be so much water that it flows over the drain pan and then into the floor. The two main causes of this are a dirty air filter that blocks air flow over the evaporator coil, causing the temp to drop below freezing and ice up OR low refrigerant causes the evaporator coil to become much colder than normal, causing it to freeze up. Similar to a dirty air filter, low refrigerant will lower pressure in the AC system, causing the evaporator coil to freeze over. You’ll notice you’re low on refrigerant when the air conditioner isn’t cooling well or you hear a hissing or bubbling noise that indicates a refrigerant leak. Depending on how severe the leak is you’ll either need a repair or a replacement of the whole AC unit.
Residential & Commercial Air Conditioning & Heating Services in Manhattan, New York
You air conditioning is essential in keeping you comfortable in the hot summer months. It may be a good idea to have your air conditioning unit inspected to endure smooth operation before the weather gets too hot. Call the professionals at NY NJ A/C Connection for assistance.