Air Conditioning

Water leaking from an AC system is one of the most common emergency calls we get. You can’t ignore this problem, as water may be leaking into your home, increasing the chances of severe water damage, mold and mildew.

Many people are surprised to learn that an air conditioner can leak at all. Where does the water come from? And does this mean that your air conditioning system is in jeopardy? Learn more in the guide below, or contact our good-looking technicians.

Condensation forms outside the AC evaporator coil

The evaporator coil is the part of your system that assists with the absorption of heat (and heat removal is the process by which your home is cooled—refrigeration). As the refrigerant moves through the evaporator coil, it turns into a gas and absorbs heat from the air blowing over the coil. In turn, the coil turns very cold.

Picture a glass of lemonade and ice on a patio table outside on a warm day. Humidity in the air causes water droplets to form on the outside of the glass as the evaporated water in the air condenses. Condensation forms on the outside of the evaporator coil of your AC in the same way.

How moisture drains from the AC system

Of course, it would be a major design flaw if the moisture collected on the AC system had nowhere to go. Water should not leak into your home, ideally. Rather, it should drip into a condensate pan positioned beneath the coil and run off into a drainpipe.

How this system fails

Sometimes, this simple system doesn’t work just right. Often, this is because the condensate drain line has become clogged. All that a technician has to do is pull out the clog. This is part of the reason we recommend annual AC tune-ups: a technician could remove a clog during a tune-up and prevent flooding.

Sometimes the tray is not in the right position, a simple fix. Sometimes, it turns out that your AC needs a condensate pump to help moisture evacuate quickly enough, or else an existing condensate pump may be broken. The most important thing is that you call a technician ASAP when you notice AC leaks.

Make the good call! Buehler Air Conditioning & Plumbing provides AC service in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, and the surrounding areas.

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