At Bosque Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we know it’s alarming when any aspect of your home is leaking. This is just as true when it comes to your air conditioning. You might not have even realized there was anything in an AC to leak! Never fear. At Bosque, our experienced technicians can get your AC in working order again in no time!

What causes an AC leak?

Most commonly, customers report leaking from the HVAC components on the inside of their homes. The condenser is the unit that’s outside your home, and the air handler is one of the components inside the home, and the piece most likely to leak.

This most often happens when there is a clog in the condensate line or pan. Again, the layperson may didn’t even know there was water involved in the AC, especially inside the home. Here’s how it gets there. When hot or warm air passes over the cool evaporator coils, condensation tends to build up. It drips off the coils and gets collected in the condensate pan. The pan connects to a pipe that either dumps the water outside or into a drain on the floor.

When that pipe, or the pan, gets blocked by algae, dust, mold, or any other buildup, it can cause the water to back up which is commonly what people report seeing when their AC is leaking.

How can you fix a leaking AC unit?

The savvy homeowner might be able to clear the clogged line on their own if they have access to a plumber’s snake or shop vac. You may be able to suck or clear out any blockages that way. If not, or if you just don’t have the time or desire to do it yourself, you can always give us a call at Bosque Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. 

While this type of leak is rarely urgent, we can come out as soon as possible to get the line cleared and make sure water is draining where it needs to drain. Or, it could be that if the line itself isn’t clogged but the drain pan has a crack, that’s the cause of the leaking. If that’s the case, the drain pan can either be repaired or replaced.

Other causes of water/liquid on or around an AC unit

While the most common problem we see is a clog in the condensate line or crack in the condensate pan, there are a few other things that can go wrong that lead to a leaking AC.

• Frozen evaporator coil: If an evaporator coil freezes, when it thaws it can cause more condensation than normal and an overflowing evaporate pan. This is usually a result of a leak in the refrigerant line. However, this is certainly something your HVAC specialist can repair.

• Clogged air filter: If the air filter is too clogged to let much air through, the pressure in the system can be below what’s needed. When this happens, the evaporator coils freeze, and we’re right back to the first point.

• Dirty evaporator coil: If the evaporator coil is covered in dust and dirt, that can insulate the coil, keeping it from working correctly and again, causing an excess of condensation. This can easily be prevented with regular maintenance.

Bosque Heating, Cooling & Plumbing Can Help!

The moral of the story is, that if you see moisture in your utility closet that looks like it’s coming from the AC, don’t panic. It’s usually one of a few easy fixes. You may be able to troubleshoot a few of the problems yourself. But, if you want the help of a professional, our experienced techs at Bosque Heating, Cooling & Plumbing are just a call away! Give us a call at (505)444-7200 to schedule an appointment.