Are you trying a way to fix water dripping from the AC vent? When water is regularly dripping from your AC unit, it is not a good sign, and you should not ignore it. Waiting to take action can only make the problem worse.
In this article, you will find out the main reasons for water dripping from your air conditioner and what you can do about it. If you still need professional help to get your AC fixed, Hurliman Heating can help you.
What are the reasons for AC vent leaks?
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Unfortunately, there are many reasons for AC vent leaks. However, in general, it is not an ordinary event, and when it is happening, you should figure out what the problem is and what you could do to resolve it.
Here are the common reasons for leaks:
1. Dirty filters
The air filters are the first thing to check when there is a problem with the AC unit. Dirty filters can clog and impede airflow, and when there is little airflow, the AC can freeze. When the frost melts, the water goes through the vent and the clogged filters, causing water to drip.
How to fix it: change the air filters, and the leaking should stop.
2. Refrigerant leaks
When refrigerant leaks from the AC unit, the system doesn’t have enough of it to make the air conditioner work properly and thus decreasing its efficiency.
When the AC unit can’t work efficiently, it is not removing humidity in the air, which remains over the evaporator coil and freezes.
When you switch off the air conditioner, the ice will melt, causing the leak. You can figure that the problem is the low refrigerant level because the air coming out from the air conditioning system is not cold.
How to fix it: to resolve this issue, it is necessary to seal the leaks to prevent the refrigerant from getting to a low level and then refill the refrigerant.
3. Air leaks around the vents
If there are leaks around the vents, air will get through them instead of the grates. When that happens, condensation can build up and form water dripping around the vents.
How to fix it: to fix water dripping from the vents, it is necessary to find the leaks and seal them to stop the condensation from forming.
4. Clogged condensation drain line
The drain line is used to get the condensation out of the system, but if the drain line is clogged or if there is too much condensation, water can overflow and drip. The drain line can be clogged for various reasons. The most common one is dirt and debris accumulation.
How to fix it: to fix a clogged condensation drain line, it is necessary to do a thorough cleaning and remove the blocks.
5. Uninsulated ductwork
When the ducts are not adequately insulated, condensation can build up and leak into the AC vent. This situation usually happens when the ductwork is old or has never been insulated. In general, it is common to assume that the ducts are always insulated, but it might not be the case.
How to fix it: The solution is to get the ductwork adequately insulated, and typically it is better to have a professional doing it.
6. Frozen evaporator coil
The evaporator coil is essential for the proper activity of the AC unit; it allows the refrigerant to change state from liquid to gas and produce cold air in the process.
However, the coil can freeze for various reasons, such as the dirty filters, the AC running for too long, and other reasons. When the ice melts, you will see water leaks.
How to fix it: beside checking the filters, the reason for the frozen evaporator coil needs to be found and resolved.
7. Problems with the sump pump
The sump pump or the condensate pup is there to make water flow from the drain line. If it doesn’t work, there will be an accumulation of water in the drip pan.
The pump activates itself when the water arrives at a certain level, and when it is not functioning, water will keep filling up until it is dripping out—the sump pump has a float switch that can activate it. If you can find it, you can test if the pump is working or not.
How to fix it: One of the first things you can do is clean the bucket with bleach and remove the accumulated dirt and debris.
Then you can test the pump again to see if it is working. If the pump doesn’t work, replacing it with a new one might be necessary. But, if you are not sure if your pump is working or not, you should contact a trained professional to inspect your system.
8. Plumbing leak
If you see water dripping from the ceiling, the leak may be coming from a pipe near or above the ductwork.
How to fix it: the best way to fix it is to follow the water and find the source of the leak. In general, it is necessary to call a technician to resolve the plumbing leak.
9. Improper unit installation
If the unit is installed incorrectly, or if it was mounted off balance, or the drip pan is tilted, the condensation can drip anyway, causing water leaks.
How to fix it: If you spot that the problem is the wrong installation, you could try to remedy it by having a technician come to resolve it. If the entire unit was installed in the wrong way, it is possible to contact the company that did the work and make them fix it.
Conclusion
Water leaks with an AC unit are common, but if the water leaks consistently, you can suspect that there is a more severe problem. Some issues are easy to resolve with simple things like changing the air filters. But, other issues require the assistance of a qualified technician.
If you are not sure about the issue causing the water leak, don’t hesitate to contact a professional for help..
