When your air conditioner is running properly, your home will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is frustrating but isn’t necessarily dangerous. It depends on whether it’s leaking water or coolant.

Water leaking from your air conditioner isn’t dangerous but can cause a lot of damage to your home. In contrast, a coolant leak is dangerous for you and the environment. In either situation, repairing a leak will require skilled air conditioning repair.

In most cases, you can stop your air conditioner from leaking by requesting yearly air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC tech will closely inspect your system for issues and clean it. This service helps provide worry-free performance and may even boost energy efficiency.

Learn more about why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can stop it from happening in the future.

Why Does My AC Unit Leak Water?

Water is a natural byproduct of air conditioning. Your air conditioner has two systems, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit has an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it blows over it. Condensation forms as the air cools, flows into a drain pan and drains out of your home through a condensate drain line.

Because of the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We regularly get calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it occurs:

Drain Line Is Clogged

As time passes, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can result in water backing up inside your house. Our Precision Mechanical pros can break up clogs and get water flowing again smoothly. Give us a call at 605-206-3766 for help.

Air Filter Needs to Be Changed

We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.

Replacing your air filter is crucial for:

  • Indoor air quality
  • Energy efficiency
  • Reducing breakdowns
  • Lengthening your air conditioner’s lifetime

A dirty air filter can restrict airflow, make the coil very cold and freeze it. As the coil melts, it can make the drain pan overflow. We suggest inspecting your air filter if you haven’t changed it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.

If this doesn’t resolve the issue, your drain pan might be rusty or have a broken condensate pump. Replacing your pan or pump requires a professional, so call us at 605-206-3766 for assistance.

Why Is the Air Conditioning Leaking Freon?

Your air conditioner relies on coolant to move heat. If your air conditioner was put in before 2011, it likely uses R-22 Freon. Over time, chemicals in Freon can eat through metal and cause leaks.

It’s good to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in case your system develops one. They include:

  • Air that feels warmer or more humid than normal
  • Bubbling or hissing noises near the air conditioner
  • Sweet smell near the air conditioner
  • Frozen evaporator coil

Freon is hazardous to your health if handled improperly, so you’ll want an HVAC pro like Precision Mechanical to fix an air conditioner coolant leak. In many situations, it might just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is costly. Production of this coolant was halted in 2020 because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a result, just reduced recycled quantities are available.

Contact Precision Mechanical to Repair Your Air Conditioner Leaks

When it comes to air conditioning repair in Rapid City, go with the company your neighbors and friends depend on. We’ve been known for our quick, friendly and reasonable services since year. Call us at 605-206-3766 to schedule your appointment now!