Your air conditioner is starting to look like Niagara Falls. It’s leaking water all over your floor, and, quite frankly, you’re tired of dealing with it. That’s why you’re reading this article: your AC is leaking water and you need help!

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. We know everything there is to know about air conditioner repair and are going to help you to stop your Petaluma air conditioner from leaking. Let’s go!

What Causes an AC to Leak Water?

First, we’ll discuss the reasons why an AC would leak water in the first place. Some factors are more common than others. We’ll get into the most common reasons below.

A Clogged Drain Line

An air conditioner functions through the use of coils. On the outside unit of an air conditioner, you’ll find condenser coils. On the inside unit, you’ll find evaporator coils.

The condenser coils receive hot air from outside and transfer it to the evaporator coils. Once it reaches the evaporator coils, it’s transformed into cold air.

This is where water comes into the picture. See, because the air is hot as it reaches the evaporator coils, it creates condensation. This condensation rolls off of the coils and drips down into a drain pan below.

From there, it slides down a drain line, where it eventually evacuates outside of the home. Unfortunately, over time, this drain line can become clogged.

What happens when the drain line becomes clogged? It causes water to back up into the air conditioning system. This water then starts to drip continuously over time.

If you’re dealing with this problem, you should know that the solution is fairly simple. You just need to clean out the drain line. This can typically be achieved with a wet/dry vacuum.

Note, though, that in more extreme cases, you might need the assistance of a professional HVAC technician. They have the tools and resources needed to ensure that a drain line is cleaned thoroughly.

Low Refrigerant Levels

In order to create cold air, your air conditioner makes use of a substance called refrigerant. While this refrigerant is meant to remain in the system in perpetuity, problems can occur in which the refrigerant leaks out. If this occurs, it can result in water dripping out of your AC as well.

What’s the connection here? Well, low refrigerant levels can cause the pressure in the air conditioner to drop. When it drops, the evaporator coil can become exceedingly cold, resulting in increased condensation, and increased water leakage.

How do you fix this problem? By finding the source of the refrigerant leak, patching it up, and then adding fresh refrigerant to the AC system.

While you could attempt to do this on your own, you would be better off putting it in the hands of a trained professional. They’ll be able to locate the source of the leak and will have all of the materials needed to facilitate the repair.

An Unchanged Air Filter

HVAC air filters should be replaced every 2 to 3 months. When they’re not changed on this timetable, they affect the performance and efficiency of their corresponding air conditioners.

If not changed for several months or years, air filters can greatly restrict the flow of air into the air conditioner. This can cause the evaporator coils to freeze up, thus resulting in increased condensation.

Of course, increased condensation can easily lead to water drippage. So, if you want to prevent water from dripping out of your air conditioner, be sure to change its air filter religiously, every 2 to 3 months.

A Cracked Drain Pan

You could also just have a cracked drain pan. The drain pan can deteriorate over time as it’s exposed to more and more water. This can result in corrosion, cracking, and, of course, leakage.

The only way to repair this problem is to replace the drain pan. This may or may not be worth it, depending on how old your AC is. If your AC is over 15 years of age, you should probably just replace it in its entirety.

An Impaired Condensate Pump

To help send water to the drain line, air conditioners are equipped with condensate pumps. These pumps kick into action on a regular basis, ensuring that all water is forced outside of the home.

Unfortunately, condensate pumps can become impaired over time. This can cause them to stop working, and can, therefore, cause water to back up into the AC system. At that point, leakage is inevitable.

Want to fix the problem? You have to replace that condensate pump. An HVAC technician can help you with your home AC unit, putting your problem of a leaky air conditioner to rest.

Why You Should Call a Licensed HVAC Technician

While you can attempt to fix the above-reviewed problems on your own, in general, you’re advised to utilize the services of a licensed HVAC technician. HVAC technicians have encountered these problems many times, and know exactly how to solve them. They’ll facilitate a repair that is long-lasting and that won’t affect the functionality of your AC.

Yes, you might be able to get the job done. However, because you don’t have the same level of experience in these matters, you could very well make a mistake that impairs the operation of your AC. This could cost you both money and time.

AC Is Leaking Water in Petaluma?

AC is leaking water currently? Need help from a Petaluma AC repair company? Look no further than Milano Mechanical.

We’re highly experienced in repairing air conditioners and will have yours back to normal in no time. Our skilled and friendly team looks forward to helping you.

Contact us now to schedule an appointment!

Petaluma Roseville