When your air conditioner is working properly, your home will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is frustrating but isn’t necessarily dangerous. It depends on whether it’s leaking water or coolant.

Water leaking from your air conditioner isn’t dangerous but can cause a lot of damage to your home. In contrast, a coolant leak is dangerous for you and the environment. In either situation, fixing a leak will require professional air conditioning repair.

In most instances, you can stop your air conditioner from leaking by requesting yearly air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC technician will closely inspect your system for issues and clean it. This service helps ensure worry-free cooling and may even boost energy efficiency.

Learn more about why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can stop it from happening in the future.

Why Does My AC Unit Leak Water?

Water is a natural byproduct of air conditioning. Your air conditioner has two systems, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit includes an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it moves over it. Condensation occurs as the air cools, flows into a drain pan and drains out of your home through a condensate drain line.

Due to the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We often receive calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it happens:

Drain Line Is Plugged

Over time, mold can clog the condensate drain line. This can result in water leaking inside your home. Our 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning professionals can eliminate clogs and get water draining again smoothly. Give us a call at 949-204-0859 for assistance.

Air Filter Is Dirty

We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.

Replacing your air filter is critical for:

  • Indoor air quality
  • Energy efficiency
  • Decreasing breakdowns
  • Lengthening your air conditioner’s life span

A dirty air filter can reduce airflow, make the coil extremely cold and freeze it. As the coil melts, it can make the drain pan overflow. We recommend inspecting your air filter if you haven’t changed it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.

If this doesn’t fix the issue, your drain pan might be rusty or have a broken condensate pump. Getting a new pan or pump requires a pro, so contact us at 949-204-0859 for assistance.

Why Won’t My Air Conditioning Stop Leaking Freon?

Your air conditioner needs coolant to move heat. If your air conditioner was installed before 2011, it likely uses R-22 Freon. Over time, chemicals in Freon can eat through metal and create leaks.

It’s important to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in the event your system has one. They include:

  • Air that feels warmer or more humid than usual
  • Bubbling or hissing noises by the air conditioner
  • Sweet odor near the air conditioner
  • Frozen evaporator coil

Freon is hazardous to your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC professional like 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning to fix an air conditioner coolant leak. In many instances, it may just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is costly. Production of this coolant was halted in 2020 due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, just reduced recycled quantities are available.

Contact 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning to Repair Your Leaky Air Conditioner

When it comes to air conditioning repair in Mission Viejo, go with the company your neighbors and friends trust. We’ve been known for our quick, friendly and affordable services since {year}. Call us at 949-204-0859 to schedule your appointment now!