Is your AC dripping water into your room? What is the problem?

There are times when we have noticed water around the base of the air conditioner. The bet is that most of us do not bother about this type of water leakage. We consider it quite normal. But it is not so. Air conditioners should not leak water. If they do, it means that there is a block in the drain pipe or there is a permanent clog that has stopped it from functioning.

Reasons for water leakage 

1. The drain line needs cleaning: When your periodic cleaning takes place, the drain pipes may be left clogged a little. Over a period of time, this clog becomes bigger and bigger and finally results in a complete drain pipe block. Ensure that this does not happen.

The remedy is to use the pills available for dissolving particulate accumulation. These pills are usually put in the pan under the frame. You could also use a 50/50 water bleach solution to prevent dust and particle accumulation. 

2. Air conditioner tubes may be leaking: Air conditioners have tubes that tend to leak. The water puddle you find under or around the air conditioner may be due to a simple leakage in the tubes. 

If you find a tube leakage, replace the leaking tube with another one. 

3. The condensate pump may not be working properly: To detect any error in the pump, you need to pour water into the pump and check if it begins working. If the condensate pump does not start up, there could be a block in the electrical power or the pump is no more operational. 

It is better to call over an electrician than meddle with the electrical connections. 

4. Improper installation: Incorrect installation can also cause water leakage or accumulation around your air conditioner.

You need to ensure that while installing, your technician places the window unit in such a way that the rear side of the unit is slightly lower than the front. This ensures proper water drainage, which in turn results in no leakage. 

5. Ice formation: Water that is de-humidified can crystallize into ice if your air conditioner ran into a problem. You can check for ice formation by removing the front grille, but only when the air conditioner is running. If you see ice present on the cooling coils, the water leakage could be from this ice.

You will need to call the technician to clean up your machine.

6. Water pool around the air conditioner in the morning: Usually, this occurs when you are nearing the end of the cooling season. It is seen that when the temperature outside drops below 60°F during the night, the cooling coil within the air conditioner may ice up.

Selecting the fan mode alternatively can help in preventing this type of leakage. 

Sealing the tubes can be done by reinsulation of the air conditioner. You could try to fix this problem by cutting the line near the drain pan and blowing it to remove clogged matter. For blowing, you will need high pressure air. A water hose will also suffice. You could also try connecting the vacuum cleaner to the outlet of the drain line. 

Air conditioners have some type of condensate management. In window units, there is a removable catch pan which can be emptied manually to drain out the water. Central units usually have an active draining system as there are large amounts of condensate generated. 

These tips will help you understand the working of your air conditioners and avoid that small puddle of water around your precious air conditioning units.