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It’s mid-summer. The air above the road and footpaths is doing that hazy, wavy dance which, when combined with the deafening sound of a million chirping cicadas, is a dead giveaway that it’s flaming hot outside.
Your trusty air conditioner has been getting a solid workout for days, if not weeks, now. It’s been purring along through the long summer days, keeping you and the family comfortable and sane despite the soaring temperatures.
READ MORE: Is your noisy air conditioner harming your health?
But wait! What is that? Is that air conditioning unit leaking water down your wall?
What is causing my air conditioner to leak water?
Water leaks from your main air conditioning unit are one of the most common problems that householders can experience over time.
A leak in your air conditioner is a very real warning to act immediately, because they can lead to health hazards and cause damage to your system, causing it to operate less efficiently.
So without further ado, here’s a bit of a guide to help you understand when to urgently get in the experts for professional help, as well as steps you can take yourself.
Air filters need cleaning
Did you know that in an ideal world, you should be cleaning your air conditioner filters monthly during the busy months?
Filters clogged with dirt and grime will hinder the airflow to the evaporator coil and cause the temperature to drop, leading to freezing. This can cause water to start dripping into the drain pan and eventually cause an overflow.
For those with a wall-mounted air conditioner, cleaning the air filters is simple and the instructions will be in your user manual. But for those with ducted, you may need a professional air conditioning technician with the right tool to help you.
Low on refrigerant
When your refrigerant gas levels drop over time, the pressure within your system can also fall – leaving your evaporator coils to freeze over and overflow the drainage pan.
Best you get an expert in to find the leak and replace your gas.
A drain pipe clog
Just like the lower intestines in humans, your system’s drain pipe serves a critical function and when things go wrong here, it can have all kinds of consequences.
Your drain pipe serves to removes condensate from the evaporator coil and, over time, all kinds of gunk, bacteria-laden goop and debris can start to accumulate. When it builds up and compacts into a blockage, condensate can be pushed into the main unit and cause a water leak.
However, in modern air conditioners, an emergency shutdown feature will usually kick in when a clog is detected in the drain pipe. This is good news for householders, because it will prevent any further damage to your system.
If you’re not sure about cleaning your drain pipe by yourself, ask a professional to do it for you.
Condensation pump needs repair
Not every air conditioner has a condensation pump. These are a feature of those air conditioners that have their drainage units located above the main unit.
What this pump does, is help drain the excess water. So when it fails, your drain pan will flood with water and start leaking.
This is definitely one for the experts.
An old, rusty drain pan
After years of use in which it holds so much water, your drain pan can start to deteriorate and rust, leaving it unable to do its job as designed. If you have an air conditioner that’s over 15 years old, this could very likely be the cause of the leak.
For an air conditioning unit leaking water, give Plum Trade Services a call today!
If you have a leaking air conditioner, then you want the peace of mind of knowing that you receive the best-possible service and most trustworthy advice in diagnosing/repairing the problem.
This is where Plum Trade Services steps into the frame, because we’re in the groundbreaking position of being able to offer a full suite of products and services when it comes to your Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Hot Water needs in Melbourne and Geelong.
We’re a one-stop shop, with an unbeatable reputation built over 30 years.
Here at Plum, we live and breathe our 6 core values of trust, reputation, friendly staff, honesty & integrity, responsiveness, and best customer service! Our staff and tradies are highly trained and skilled professionals in their field, who offer superior guidance and exceptional service that we are incredibly of.
And our customers agree. They’ve left more than 1500 five-star reviews on Google – an accomplishment we challenge any of our competitors to match!
Call our friendly team today on 8360-9622 in Melbourne, or 5292-2219 in Geelong.
