Is your split air conditioner leaking water? It means you have a problem but don’t panic as the problem is easy to fix. In fact, you can fix it by yourself but if you don’t have confidence in your skills, let an experienced air conditioner repair services provider help you out.
How you fix the AC leak depends on the cause.
To help you understand how to fix the unit, here are some of the most common causes of a leaking split AC and how to fix it:
Blocked drain line
Your drain line will block now and then due to poor maintenance. When you go for a long time without paying attention to the line, sludge, debris, mold, fungi, and dirt are bound to block it, and due to the blockage, water accumulates inside the drain lines, and without proper drainage, the water begins to spill inside the house.
As you can guess, to bring this issue to a stop, you need to unclog the drain lines. One of the best appliances to use for this is a vacuum with a long hose attachment.
Begin with opening the front section of the unit and remove the filters. You should then remove the unit’s front panel and identify the pipe used to drain the water.
Carefully disconnect the pipe while ensuring that all the excess water inside the pipe collects in the bucket. After draining all the water, use a vacuum cleaner to suck out the blockage. Finally, pour a small amount of chlorine bleach or vinegar down the drain to eliminate any present fungi or bacteria.
Improper installation
If you recently installed an AC, but it’s leaking, it could be due to poor installation. What is the reputation of the AC contractors you hired? Are they experienced?
Although any contractor, regardless of their experience level can make a mistake, new and inexperienced contractors often make the most mistakes.
Since the AC is leaking, chances are they didn’t place the AC and the drainage pipes proportionally, and as a result, the water flows out of the drainage pan and into the outlet.
To fix this problem, contact the contractor to install the split AC properly. For a proper flow, the pipe should be at a lower height than the main unit so that water flows downwards towards the drainage outlet.
Dirty air filters
As harmless as they might look, dirty air filters can cause your split AC to leak. When the air filters are dirty, they don’t allow the air to pass as well as it’s supposed to, which might lead to the freezing of the evaporator coils.
If it has been long since you cleaned your air conditioner, clean them. The beauty of it is you don’t need to hire a contractor to help with the cleaning as you can easily do it by yourself.
If the air filter is replaceable, clean it using a brush and some water. If the filter is too dirty or damaged, replace it with a new and better unit.
To prevent a blockage in the future due to dirty filters, make it a habit to change the filters once every 4-6 weeks.
Low refrigerant levels
When you go for a long time without paying attention to your air conditioner, the refrigerant levels can go down, and when this happens, the evaporator coils freeze, and the water seeps through.
The refrigerant is sensitive, and you can easily mess it up, so ensure that it’s only handled by a professional. This means that if the leakage is due to low refrigerant levels, let a professional refill it. Don’t try to do it by yourself.
Disconnected drain line
This is how your AC works. The AC sucks humidity from the air, and it collects in the drip pan. The water in the drip pan then drains out through the drain line. If the drain line isn’t properly connected or is completely disconnected, the drip pan overflows leading to water leaking in the house.
Fixing this problem is easy, and you can even fix it without an AC repair services Fairfax provider, as you only need to ensure that the drainpipe is properly connected to the drip pan. If the leaking doesn’t stop even after connecting the drainpipe, consider replacing the pipe to prevent the issue from coming about in the future.
