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 refrigerant.

Water leaking from your air conditioner isn’t bad but can cause a lot of damage to your home. On the other hand, a coolant leak is harmful to you and the environment. In either situation, repairing a leak will require professional air conditioning repair.

In most cases, you can prevent your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling yearly air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC technician will closely check your system for issues and clean it. This service helps ensure worry-free performance and may even improve energy efficiency.

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

Why Is the Air Conditioning Leaking Water?

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

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

Drain Line Is Plugged

As time passes, mold can block the condensate drain line. This can lead to water leaking inside your house. Our 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning professionals can eliminate clogs and get water draining again smoothly. Reach us at 949-204-0859 for help.

Air Filter Is Dirty

We recommend changing flat filters monthly and pleated filters every three months.

Replacing your air filter is crucial for:

  • Indoor air quality
  • Energy efficiency
  • Reducing breakdowns
  • Extending your air conditioner’s lifetime

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

If this doesn’t resolve the problem, your drain pan may be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Replacing your pan or pump requires a professional, so contact us at 949-204-0859 for help.

Why Does My AC Unit Leak Freon?

Your air conditioner relies on coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was put in before 2011, it probably uses R-22 Freon. As time passes, chemicals in Freon can eat through metal and cause leaks.

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

  • Air that seems warmer or more humid than normal
  • Bubbling or hissing sounds near the air conditioner
  • Sweet odor by the air conditioner
  • Frozen evaporator coil

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

Rely on 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning for Fixing Your Air Conditioner Leaks

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