My Air Conditioner is Dripping—What Do I Do?

It can be difficult to discern when a dripping air conditioner is actually a problem. Sometimes, on excruciatingly hot days, an air conditioner will drip from normal condensation. When it becomes a problem, however, is when noticeable puddles begin to form. Understanding the problem behind a dripping AC will help you get straightforward insight and effective repair. 

Need air conditioning repair? Strittmatter Plumbing, Heating and AC is here to do it. Give us a call at 940-246-2075 for premier plumbing service. 

Continue reading to learn more about why your air conditioner is dripping and what you can do about it. 

Causes of a Dripping Air Conditioner

There are many possible culprits behind a dripping air conditioner. Fortunately, there are also a few things that you can attempt to fix these issues. Even if you don’t feel comfortable fixing a dripping air conditioner yourself, understanding why your unit is dripping in the first place can be incredibly helpful. Here are some common causes of a dripping air conditioner:

Frozen Evaporator Coil

The evaporator coil holds the refrigerant in your air conditioner. When the blower moves air over the coils, the refrigerant removes heat from the air. The result is cool air blowing through your ducts and into your home. Evaporator coils freeze when airflow is blocked.

This can occur for a variety of reasons, but the most common is a dirty air filter. When filters become clogged, air cannot pass over the evaporator coil. This can cause it to freeze over. When the evaporator coil begins to thaw, it will start to drip – this is the cause of the small puddles or dripping water you may see. 

The best thing that you can do when you see a frozen evaporator coil is to turn your unit off. This will allow the coil to thaw as necessary. Then, you should replace the air filter and be sure that nothing is blocking the unit or the vents around your home. Set a reminder to replace your filter once every one to three months. 

If the issue continues to occur, you’ll need to call a professional for AC repair . 

Overflowing or Leaking Drain Pan

The drain pan is situated underneath the air conditioner to catch any leaking condensation. Condensation is completely normal for an air conditioner. However, if the drain pan starts to overflow or leak, it can cause puddles on the ground and serious damage to your unit.

Drain pans leak when they are old. If your unit is over 15 years old, the drain pain has probably developed rust or cracks. You can order a replacement drain pan through your AC services specialist. 

If your drain pan is overflowing, this could mean a problem with the condensate line. Read further to learn how to fix this problem. 

Clogged Condensate Line

The condensate line leads from the drain pan to outside of your unit. If the condensate line becomes clogged with dust and debris, then the pan will begin to overflow. While not everyone feels comfortable fixing this problem themselves, anyone handy should be able to figure it out. 

Here are the steps for clearing a clogged condensate drain line:

1. Gather the necessary supplies: thin wire brush, wet/dry vacuum, bleach, rubber gloves, bucket and duct tape.
2. Turn off the HVAC unit.
3. Locate the drain line, located near the outdoor condenser unit. This typically looks like a small white pipe sticking out of the wall. 
4. Insert the thin wire brush into the drain line to loosen any clogs.
5. Attach the hose of your wet/dry vacuum to the condensate line using duct tape. Turn it on and wait for about a minute. This should remove most, if not all, of the debris causing the clog.
6. Remove the vacuum, place a bucket under the line and bring the supplies to the indoor unit.
7. Locate the drain line. It will be the same pipe, only connected to the drain pan under the unit.
8. Once you have found the drain pan and drain line, check if the pan is overflowed. If it is, vacuum the water out and clean the pan using soap.
9. Find the vent tee – a T-shaped pipe connecting the condensate line to the drain pipe.
10. Insert the wire brush into the vent tee to remove any clogs located near this section of piping. 
11. Put on your gloves and pour a 1:1 ratio of bleach and water down the line. Wait 30 minutes. 
12. Pour water into the vent tee.
13. Head outside to see if the bucket has collected the water. If it has, you’ve successfully cleared the condensate drain line.

If all of this seems too overwhelming, don’t be afraid to call for AC repair. 

Low Refrigerant

Similar to a dirty air filter, low refrigerant can cause the evaporator coils to freeze over. This happens because the low refrigerant levels cause a drop in pressure. Don’t attempt to refill the refrigerant yourself. During AC maintenance, technicians will replace refrigerant for you. 

Technicians will also look for a refrigerant leak. If there is a crack or break, you’ll need to get your evaporator coils replaced. Once this is taken care of, there will be no more dripping or puddles coming from your air conditioner. 

Air Conditioning Repair in Flower Mound, TX

Searching for HVAC repair Flower Mound, TX? Choose Strittmatter Plumbing, Heating and AC. A dripping air conditioner can be worrisome, but it’s nothing that can’t be taken care of by the best in the business. Our team of professional technicians is ready to handle any problem. 

From broken blowers to leaking refrigerant, Strittmatter is here to help. We provide services for a variety of heating and cooling equipment, including ductless mini-splits, central units and heat pumps. Trust Strittmatter Plumbing, Heating and AC for all of your HVAC maintenance, repair and replacement needs.

To schedule an appointment with a quality AC repair team, give us a call at 940-246-2075 or contact usonline.