Tired of that annoying “drip, drip, drip” from your air conditioning unit that’s keeping you awake all night?

Concerned that an air conditioner leaking water will damage your carpets and hardwood flooring?

If your AC is leaking, there are many different reasons why — and we’re willing to bet that a few of them will surprise you.

In this post, we’ll fill you in on the real reasons why your AC unit is leaking. Then, we’ll let you know what you can do to fix it.

1. Your Air Filter Is Dirty

You probably know that a dirty air filter can cause your airflow to weaken, increasing the level of allergens in your home, and wear down your entire AC unit much faster than normal.

But did you also know that an air filter that needs to be cleaned or replaced could be the reason why you have an air conditioner leaking water?

This happens because the airflow in the unit can’t properly reach the evaporator coils. So, they freeze over — and then eventually, they melt. This water collects in your unit’s condensate pan, and eventually, it overflows.

This post serves as a great guide for how often you should change all the different kinds of filters in your home.

2. You Have a Clog in the Condensate Drain

Just like the filter, the condensate drain holes in your AC unit can also get clogged up with dirt, debris, and even algae and other gunk.

In addition to being gross — and potentially harming your respiratory health — a clogged condensate drain could be why your AC is leaking. After all, the moisture has nowhere to drain out the back because of the block.

This is just one of the many reasons why regular HVAC cleaning and maintenance services are so essential.

In some cases, an AC leak can happen because of a crack in the condensate drain. This is especially common with older units and is usually the result of normal wear and tear.

The condensate pan rusts and eventually cracks, meaning that water leaks out of the unit and onto your floors.

3. Your Unit Needs More Refrigerant

Luckily, not all of the reasons why you have an air conditioner leaking water inside the house are quite as serious as you might think.

In some cases, you may just have low refrigerant levels in the unit. This makes it tough for your AC to create the pressure levels it needs to, so once again, your evaporator coils will freeze.

Check your refrigerant levels before you start to panic.

4. Your AC Wasn’t Installed the Right Way

Looking for one more reason why you shouldn’t try to install your AC unit on your own?

It’s not just about potentially buying the wrong unit or having it fall out of your wall or window in the middle of the night.

Improper installation can also cause serious leaks and puddles surrounding the unit. This is because more DIYers aren’t aware that the front end of the unit should be about one inch higher than the back end.

In this case, that inch makes all the difference.

So, if you have a new AC unit, we suggest you leave the installation process to the experts.

5. Your AC Unit Isn’t Sealed Correctly

One more reason why your AC is leaking?

Because it’s not completely sealed from the outside.

First of all, this is a quick way to watch your energy bills go through the roof — something no one wants to deal with. Plus, you likely won’t get much relief from your unit, since the cool air is leaking out of the back.

Warm air can easily get through into the unit, and become condensed inside of it. After a time, moisture will build up, leading to annoying leaks.

6. It’s Just Cold

That AC leak could also happen because of the temperature outside.

Even if your unit is healthy and installed correctly, you should resist the temptation to run it when it’s getting a bit colder outside. In general, aim to stop excessive use of your AC unit when the weather gets to anywhere below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is because cool weather makes it easy for your coils to ice, melt, and then leak.

7. Your Drain Pan Is Damaged

Sometimes, an old or rusted drain pain is the reason that your AC is dripping water or leaving puddles on the floor. This, like cracks in your condensate drain, is usually just a result of normal wear and tear.

Still, you should have the issue fixed by an expert as soon as you can, especially since different units require different shapes and sizes of drain pans.

Who Should You Call When Your AC Is Leaking?
As you can see from this post, there are all kinds of reasons why your AC is leaking.

However, we suggest that you don’t try to diagnose or fix the problem on your own. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can end up making the situation much worse — and the repairs much more expensive than if you’d just called in the professionals in the first place.

Rely on our incredible team of HVAC specialists at R.J. Groner to do it right the first time.

In addition to helping you with any repairs that your HVAC system needs, we can set you up with your own maintenance plan.

Routine, proactive testing and inspections will extend the life of your unit, and ensure that you don’t have to suffer in either hot or cold weather.

Get in touch with us today to book our services. We’d love to help.