“Why is my AC leaking water?” This short and to-the-point guide from our Master Tradesman will walk you through the first steps to finding and solving the problem.
Little known fact: It’s very common in Wisconsin HVAC systems for the AC coils to sit directly on top of a home’s furnace. That means that during the cooling season (spring/summer), AC leaks can often look like furnace leaks.
Note: If you find yourself reading this blog during the heating season (fall/winter), you may find this blog more helpful.
For reasons like this, it’s a good idea to make sure you know what you’re looking at before throwing out the whole air conditioner and dropping thousands on a new one.
1) Perform a basic process of elimination.
What if your “AC leak” isn’t an AC leak at all? For example, high-efficiency furnaces can leak due to condensation buildup, or while pulling in cold-yet-humid air as a part of the combustion process.
What’s more, because furnaces are normally central to the home’s mechanical room, there are likely other potential sources of leakage near your air conditioning system. Southeast Wisconsin homeowners should make a habit of checking the following:
- Any water conditioning equipment. That means your water softener, iron filter, and drinking water systems, including their connected supply and drain piping.
- Your water heater. Give the water heater a quick look. Does it look like it may be the cause of the water leaking near your AC or furnace? If it does, see how to troubleshoot water heater leaks.
- Possible plumbing leaks. Check the nearby plumbing pipes and valves for signs of potential leaks, drips, or anything else that might cause water to pool around the AC system.
2) Replace the AC filter (also called the furnace filter).
Can your air filter leak water? No. But when a filter gets clogged, it can cause a number of other issues—like frozen AC coils—which will result in leaks. (For help changing your HVAC filter, follow our step-by-step filter replacement guide.) For now, a few rules of thumb:
- 1” AC filters should be replaced every 30 days.
- 4” AC filters should be replaced every 4 months (or 3 times per year).
- If a brand-new filter does not stop the leak, continue with the steps below.
3) Check and clear AC/furnace drain.
A plugged-up drain might actually be the leading cause of air conditioner leaks, including AC coil leaks. The fix for this involves a pretty simple cleaning process that you can perform yourself.
Wait—where does all that water even come from?!
Ok, first things first. It’s totally normal for a central air conditioner to generate some water as a byproduct of the cooling process, which is why they have a built-in drain system. As warm, humid air from your home passes through the evaporator coil, that air gets cooled by having the humidity removed from it. As a result, condensation forms on the AC coil; from there, it drips into the drain pan and flows into the home drainage system. All according to design!
This is why you should always make sure your central HVAC system is draining properly before panicking over a little spilled water!
Step 1: Disconnect the external AC drain hose from the air conditioner drain fitting and flush with hot water under good pressure.
Step 2: Remove the drain fitting from the air conditioner coil itself and flush with water, carefully removing any dirt/debris buildup from the fitting.
Step 3: Inspect the coil connection and make sure to remove any visible buildup from the coil itself.
Step 4: Reinstall the drain fitting, ensuring a watertight seal, and refasten the drain hose to the drain port on the fitting.
4) Still have a leaking AC system? Call the most trusted AC repair company in the state.
Sometimes a leaking AC takes more than a simple fix, because it’s stemming from a more serious underlying issue. When that’s the case, the best choice you can make is to reach out to Team Austin. Once our AC gurus get eyes on your leaking air conditioning system, we’ll be able to diagnose the root cause and guide you through potential repair options. (We can also give a definitive answer whether a total AC replacement is necessary.)
Call (262) 367-3808 today for same-day repairs, expert service, and a tradition of world-class HVAC service that’s almost a century old!
