Is water leaking from air conditioner dangerous | how to stop water leakage from ac?
Do you know Air conditioners produce water while working?
You might have observed that in your day-to-day life. Now the question comes water leaking from an air conditioner dangerous?
If you ask me if your air conditioner leaks water, it is not a big deal, but you can take some precautions and even call the technician if the water is leaking excessively.
There are some questions related to water leaking from your air conditioner are –
- What are the reasons for water dripping from the split ac indoor unit?
- How to stop water leakage from ac?
- Is it normal for AC to leak water?
- Can we use split AC when water is leaking?
If you are dealing with the same doubts regarding the air conditioner leaking water inside, read this guide completely.
Common Reasons For AC Leaks.
Please note that all the Air Conditioners leak some water, so you should not worry about it. But if your Ac is leaking more excessive water than usual, there might be some reason behind that. There are some reasons behind water leak in Air conditioner, mentioned below. Please read them and find out which one is your issue.
Dirty Air Filter.
Do you know the Air conditioner needs to pull air into the air handler for its working? In such a process, an Air filter is included from which air passes.
Hence, if your installed air filter in your HVAC system gets clogged, it will restrict the flow of warm air, resulting in the frozen evaporator coil.
As the evaporator coil freezes and thaws, it leaks excessive water than your condensate pan can accommodate.
Low Refrigerant Levels.
As we all know, air conditioners operate over refrigerants, so these refrigerant levels must be at the optimum levels to operate efficiently.
The water leak in your AC might have low Freon levels, which can cause the evaporator coil to freeze.
You might think about the link between the Freon levels and the water leak, and then I must say that when you check your AC, you will ice on the indoor unit and the line connecting the outdoor unit to your home.
Disconnected Or Clogged Condensate Drain.
Do you know that your AC creates condensation to cool the pulled air into the air handler by the evaporator coil? An air conditioning system includes a condensate pan and under the evaporator coil that catches water.
When you check your appliance’s condensate drain line, you might get clogged so that the drip pan can leak water. If this does not happen in your case, then it might be possible that your condensate drain pipe got disconnected from the AC unit.
Broken Condensate Pump.
Air conditioners include a pump that moves water from the condensate plate. If that pump gets broken or gets clogged, the pump will not work, and it will cause the drip pan to overflow and ultimately cause a water leak.
What Are The Dangers Of Water Leaking From Your HVAC?
Generally, an air conditioner pulls the air inside and cools it with the help of the condensation process, while some of the water is produced, which does not cause any harm for us.
But when your pumps are broken and the drain is clogged, the water levels might rise and overflow. Which might cause several complications, some of which are mentioned below.
Mold and Mildew ( Fungus and Microbes Growth).
The main issue you might face was when your drain line got clogged, which caused the drip pan to overflow. The water could go into your insulation.
Apart from that, the hot air and moisture are good for microbial growth, which can affect the body of your Air conditioner.
Sheetrock and Insulation Damage.
An air conditioner is made up of various materials in which. Some of them are tough, and some are delicate such as Sheetrock.
In cases of water leakage, the Sheetrock gets wet and can damage it. Hence, as a result, it might even reduce the lifespan of your Air conditioner.
Electrical Complications.
We all know that water leaks and the electrical components can’t be together, whatever you do. In case of a water leak, the main issue is the short circuit of your electrical system and damage to your Air conditioner.
I highly recommend you ask for an electrician to deal with it when you find something like that.
How to stop water leakage from ac?
Air conditioners all go through condensation processes and cooling for air, which produces water. Hence it does not affect much, but when you find out the excessive water leakage from your AC, I recommend you contact the technician, but you can also deal with it by yourself if the mess is not much.
Follow the steps mentioned to stop water leakage from ac-
- Turn Your AC Off.
- Check For Ice.
- Address Water Leaks and clean them.
- Change Your Air Filters.
- Clean Your Condensate Drain Pipe.
- Do Not Use Your AC When It Is Cold.
- Ask for a Technician.
1. Turn Your AC Off.
As I told you above, that water leak and the electrical appliances can’t be together and what might happen in such cases. Hence the first thing you have to do is turn off your appliance.
After turning off your appliance, you have to find out the reason behind the water leak, and if possible, try to solve it.
If your evaporator coil is frozen, I recommend you keep your AC turned OFF until the technician comes to check your AC.
Turning OFF your AC is the Best Solution in cases of Water Leakage.
2. Check For Ice
As our Air conditioner cools the air, there might be some cases of building ice. Hence you might find some of the ice at-
- Outside of your Unit.
- Evaporator coil.
Check your evaporator coils in the air handler and whether they have ice. In case you find ice outside your unit or evaporator coil, it is recommended that you should not use it as it can damage your appliance very much and does not cool your home much.
3. Address Water Leaks and clean them.
In case of water overflow or water leak, I highly recommend you to turn off your Air conditioner immediately. Hence without wasting any time, clean the leaked water.
Whatever means you want, you can use it. All you need to do is clean the leaked water, as it can-
- Cause electrical complications.
- Produce microbial growth, which can harm your unit.
4. Change Your Air Filters.
Air passes through the air filters in your Air conditioners, and hence it is an important part of your air conditioner.
It would be best if you changed your air filters every three months, and in case you have pets in your home, then change the air filters every two months.
Your air filters are clean and unclogged while the Air conditioner is working.
5. Clean Your Condensate Drain Pipe
From the Drain pipe, you can understand that it will drain the waste from your AC. Hence it might include a lot of waste particles such as dust or debris, or any other condensed constituents. Hence, as a result, it can clog the Drain pipe quickly.
In case of a water leak in your AC, the Drain pipe is one of the primary reasons in most cases.
Keep your drain pipe clean and clear for the most efficient usage and avoid water leaks.
6. Do Not Use Your AC When It Is Cold.
When the temperature is too low in your room, we generally do not use our Air conditioner. But sometimes, we use our AC even if the temperature is moderate, whatever might be why.
It is recommended that you avoid using the Air conditioner in such conditions.
7. Ask for a Technician.
The last approach I have to suggest is to contact an expert to repair AC. Because sometimes, we create even more mess while dealing with the small stuff we don’t know about.
Verdict: is water leaking from air conditioner dangerous?
We talked about some important questions regarding water leaking from your air conditioner and how to stop water leakage from ac, but you might have some more questions, such as Can a leaking air-conditioner make you sick? Or Can we use split AC when water is leaking?
Let me tell you about the first question-Can a leaking air-conditioner make you sick?
The answer is- No Leaking of air conditioner can’t make you sick as it is just leaking water, not the harmful gaseous refrigerant. If so, turn off your Ac and contact your technician immediately.
The next question is Can we use split AC when water is leaking?
Some AC, such as Panasonic split ac, Daikin, and Hitachi ac (Inverter Split AC), also leak water as it operates over the condensation processes to cool the air. Still, I don’t recommend you to use it if it is leaking water.
I hope you have liked our detailed post on- is water leaking from air conditioner dangerous. If you have any doubts about whether water leaking from the air conditioner is dangerous, know me in the comments.
Also, share this detailed guide with your friends and family who have an Air conditioner.