Water is Leaking from the Air Conditioner, What Do I Do?

One of the most common occurrences with older air conditioners is unexpected leakage around the unit. If this is the case for you, make sure to turn off the air conditioner or the electronic parts in the system could be harmed.

So, Why is There Water Near My Air Conditioner?

One of the core functions of the air conditioner is to remove humidity from the air. Inside the unit is a blower that pulls in that sticky air, returns it to the grille and then over the cold evaporator coil.

Condensation droplets will then form on the coil which fall into a sloped drain pan. After this, the water goes down a condensate drain line which is generally outside the home or in the plumbing.

When any of these parts are damaged, that’s when water forms around the air conditioner.

Water Formed Due to a Frozen Evaporator Coil

If you take a look inside the blower door and the evaporator coil is frozen this means that water could overflow onto the floor.

Reasons for a Frozen Evaporator Include:

• Dirty air filter blocking airflow leading to temperatures hitting below freezing
• Evaporator coil becomes cold due to the low refrigerant

In order to sufficiently defrost the evaporator coil, you must first turn the air conditioner off. The blower should then be set to “on.” By doing this, the fan will melt the ice very slowly, allowing the drain pan to take in all the water.

Notice water around your air conditioner? Contact Winters® Home Services at 617-221-5899 and we will be at your home in no time. We offer emergency services, including weekends and holidays!