We all love our air conditioners on those sultry summer days. We can go inside and sit in the coolness and feel better. However, problems can happen with our air conditioners. One problem is an Air Conditioner that starts leaking. It will leave water on the floor if it isn’t fixed. You can fix those leaks if you know where it originated and the prerequisites involved. The air conditioner though an advanced technology can leak for a number of reasons.
It is usually because it was put in wrong. It has to be put in with the rear lower than the front or the water will not drain properly. You need a one inch difference. It could also leak because the base has a hole that lets water out. If it is clogged the water flows back. The small pipes may be clogged. You should fix your air conditioner on a sunny day. All you need is a cordless drill, screwdriver and wrench. Here are the steps involved:
- open the access panel where the evaporator coil sits and look at the drain pan. The coil is the cooling coil on top of the unit.
- vacuum the drain and around the outlet port
- check the drain pan for holes. If you find any replace the drain pan or evaporator coil
- take the drain hose off and clean it. Use compressed air or nitrogen to blow it out.
- put everything back and turn on the unit. It should drain water through the hose properly.
Be extremely careful when you take the air conditioner out. Never put it on dirt or grass. The outer housing can be removed with a screw driver. The drain tray takes water from the cooking coil to the drain; it can get clogged from dirt. Just get rid of it by washing it in bleach and clean the tray. After you clean the air conditioner and dried it you can re-install it in the window and put the cover back on.
Just remember that air conditioner frequently leak because of wear and problems that come up. You don’t have to hire a professional if you know what to do. You can save yourself some money. You will want to check the weather at night to monitor if the temperatures drop below 60 Fahrenheit. This can cause leaks. If it is dropping turn off the air conditioner and get an automatic timer for cool times at night.