Is your ac leaking water from the indoor unit? There can be several causes for this common problem. In this article we will try to find out what you can do about it yourself and what possible remedies and solutions there are.
The air conditioner has become an almost indispensable household appliance in its daily use, but we rarely ask ourselves what happens inside the split from which fresh air comes.
This system, among other things, has considerable water circulation inside it, and sometimes a leakage can occur from the split itself, making us think that the air conditioner has broken down. Is this really the case?
Index:
- What to do if your AC is leaking
- Find out the causes
- Leaky AC: solutions
– Clogged drain line
– Problem with the drain pan
– Dirty fan or run out refrigerant - Maintenance
What to do if your AC is leaking
It is clear that, faced with a water leak under the unit, there is a problem that should not worry us too much, as it can be solved, in most cases, with a few simple steps.
The important thing, when faced with such a situation, is to identify the cause of the leak as soon as possible, so that action can be taken as quickly as possible, and before the system can seriously fail.
So don’t panic. By following the directions below, you can act on the unit to stop the annoying leakage.
Find out the causes
What can cause water to leak under the unit? Let us focus, first of all, on the exact area from which we see the droplet coming down. If it is located on the fan, the problem – although very rare – will be right there.
There will, therefore, be a need to clean it thoroughly, after disassembling it. This is a problem that, as mentioned, can happen very rarely, and after many years of using the air conditioner.
What can cause water to leak under the unit? Let us focus, first of all, on the exact area from which we see the droplet coming down. If it is located on the fan, the problem – although very rare – will be right there. There will, therefore, be a need to clean it thoroughly, after disassembling it. This is a problem that, as mentioned, can happen very rarely, and after many years of using the air conditioner.
We mentioned the pan (made of plastic) for collecting condensation water. The problem of water leakage can also depend on this. It is located underneath the split, on the inside. Once it is filled with water, it then flows down into the pipe to which it is connected.
But if the pan is damaged, due to, for example, an accidental shock or vibration of the wall, the water will seep in from the bottom, and then come out of the split. The same thing will happen if it is particularly dirty.
A further cause may be refrigerant gas that has run out, or is about to run out. In this case, you will notice this by the formation of ice inside the unit, or on the fins. The ice, as it melts, will give rise to water leakage. If this is the problem, then a refrigerant refill must be carried out.
Leaky AC: solutions
We have therefore listed four possible causes why the air-conditioning indoor split may leak. Let us see in which cases it is possible to intervene on ourselves and when, on the other hand, it is necessary to contact a technician.
Clogged drain line
If we have identified the clogged drain line as the cause of the leak, we can easily clean it ourselves, removing the obstructions (dirt, dust, insects, small animals) that have settled inside it. Just use a piece of wire, running it from one end to the other, and rinse the pipe with distilled water.
Problem with the drain pan
If the pan is damaged, water will come out of the bottom of it. If it is dirty, it may overflow because it cannot contain it.
In the first case, the optimal solution is to replace it. In the second case, it needs to be thoroughly cleaned, so that the water can drain properly to the pipe and not flow out.
To reach the drain pan, the outer panel of the split simply needs to be gently disassembled, proceeding in an intuitive manner, depending on the model. Usually, however, there are screws to unscrew and clips to unhook.
Dirty fan or run out refrigerant
These are the two cases where an installer must be called in to carry out the relevant operations. The internal fan is indeed difficult to reach, to disassemble, clean and finally reassemble.
Refrigerant refill, likewise, is a special maintenance task.
Maintenance
In conclusion, you will have understood that there can be several causes behind a water leak in the air-conditioning indoor unit. Identifying them in time is the first and fundamental step in order not to worsen the situation, and to understand whether it is possible to intervene on one’s own, or whether a technician is needed to solve the problem.
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