How To Repair A Leaking Air Conditioner
Posted on: 19 January 2017
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If a leaking central air conditioner is not repaired promptly, it can lead to hundreds or thousands of dollars in water damage repairs. Fortunately, some leaks are caused by simple problems that the homeowner can remedy on their own without calling a technician. Here are a few tips to help you repair common causes of air conditioner leaks.
Patch or Replace the Drain Pan
In a standard split-system central air conditioner, the evaporator coils will be located above the furnace blower inside your home. As the evaporator coils cool the air, condensation builds up on the coils. This condensation drips into an overflow pan beneath the coils so that it can be removed from your home through the condensate drain line.
A cracked overflow pan will prevent water from draining correctly and cause it to leak out around the furnace. You can use a flashlight to inspect your drain pan and detect most cracks. Be sure to check around the edges of the pan, as this is where cracks most often occur. Small cracks can be patched with epoxy glue, but in most cases this is a temporary solution, and you should consider replacing the drain pan.
Unclog the Condensate Drain Line
In some cases, you may see that water is spilling over the edges of the drain pan instead of leaking through cracks. This is caused by a clog that prevents the water from flowing into the condensate drain line. Dust and dirt that builds up on the evaporator coils will run off with the condensation, eventually causing a clog.
The first step to unclog your condensate drain line is locating the outdoor drain pipe that connects to the drain line. Usually the outdoor pipe will be found near the foundation on the outer wall, next to where your furnace is installed inside. You can use a wet/dry vacuum with a hose attachment to suck the clog out of the outdoor pipe. It is important to check your condensate drain pan when you use your air conditioner for the first time after removing the clog to make sure that all of the debris was removed and the pan is draining correctly.
Solving the simple problems that can cause your central air conditioner to leak is not difficult if you know how to locate the source of the problem. Keep these tips in mind so you can repair air conditioner leaks as soon as possible and avoid costly water damage repairs. Contact a local HVAC service for more information.