If you live in Florida, it’s vital your air conditioning is working properly. A poorly performing air conditioner can cost you a lot of money, for one thing.

An inefficient air conditioning unit can get expensive. Consider the fact that running an air conditioner at 70 degrees costs almost double one running at 78. Excessive energy consumption can rack up huge energy bills fast.

If your AC is leaking, it can also make your home unbearable when it’s hot outside. This is not at all uncommon in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or St. James City, Fla.

It’s no wonder that HVAC contractors make up almost $9 billion industry in Florida alone!

If your AC is leaking, it’s a sign your air conditioner might be in need of servicing or repair. In some dire circumstances, an air conditioner leaking can even be a sign it needs to be replaced.

To help you decide on a course of action, here are some things to help you troubleshoot if your AC is leaking.

1. Blocked Condensate Drain

The first and most obvious reason your AC is leaking might be a blocked condensate drain. Dust, dirt, and mold can accumulate in an air conditioner, eventually becoming severe enough that the condensation is no longer able to be diverted outside. Instead of going down the condensate drain, it backs up and pools inside your home instead.

Luckily, there are numerous ways you can prevent this. It’s also often not that hard to fix.

Installing a float switch on your air conditioner is one way to ensure that this won’t happen. This shuts down the system before any real damage can happen.

If your AC unit is already leaking, the first thing you should do is treat the condensate drain with a wet/dry vac. This often removes any blockages and resolves the issue. If you try the wet/dry treatment and the water is still backing up inside your home, you might need to contact a Cape Coral air conditioner repair company.

2. Clogged Filter

If you’ve tried clearing the condensate drain with a wet/dry vac and water is still leaking from your AC unit, the next thing to check is the air filter. Dirty air filters are some of the most common causes of leaking AC units. This is especially true in homes with questionable air quality due to dust, pet hair, dander, or other contaminants.

In an ideal world, air filters would be changed on an AC unit every 90 days. If your home has a lot of pet hair, dander, or dust, you might need to increase that to every 30 days.

A dirty air filter can cause your AC unit to work excessively hard, putting unnecessary wear and tear on your air conditioner. It can also restrict air from flowing properly over the evaporator coil, which can cause freezing. When this freezing melts, it can pool and puddle inside your home.

3. Low Refrigerant Levels

When your AC unit is low on refrigerant, it struggles to generate enough pressure. This lack of pressure can cause a freeze inside the evaporator coil, just like a clogged air filter. A hissing sound or the sound of bubbling can also indicate a leak in the refrigerant system.

If you’ve tried vacuuming out the condensate drain and checked the air filter and you’re still experiencing leakage from your AC unit, you might need to check the refrigerant levels.

If you do discover a refrigerant leak in time, it’s often not that difficult to fix. If you look up “AC repair near me” and find a trusted AC repair service, they can quickly and easily recharge the Freon.

If you do suspect you’ve got a leak in your AC’s refrigerant system, it’s important to address it as early as possible. If you catch the leak early, it’s easy and inexpensive to fix.

Failing to address the issue can lead to problems with mold, needing to replace your AC unit, or even structural damage to your home if left unattended for too long.

4. Broken Drip Pan

Older AC units’ drip pans can sometimes get damaged or broken. This can lead to leakage, as well, when the condensation overflows or leaks through the cracks.

If you’ve got an older air conditioner, it’s well worth checking the drip pan if you’re having problems with leaking. Make sure to add it to your AC repair troubleshooting list, if replacing the air filter, vacuuming out the condensation hose, or recharging the refrigerant doesn’t work.

5. Damaged Condensate Pump

The drain isn’t the only thing that can go wrong with an AC’s condensate system. If vacuuming out the condensate drain doesn’t help, and you’re still experiencing flooding in your home, this could be a sign your air conditioner’s condensate pump is either faltering or outright broken.

This can lead to water pooling and gathering inside your home as well. This can cause major problems if left unchecked, ranging from black mold infestation to rotten floorboards. It also means your AC’s not working as well as it’s supposed to, making your home hot, stuffy, and unenjoyable.

A leaking AC can be a sign of a very serious problem, but it doesn’t have to be. Addressing the leak as soon as you notice it, by contacting a North Fort Myers AC repair company, will make your leak a mere inconvenience instead of a major problem!

Wondering What To Do When Your AC is Leaking?

It’s understandable! Noticing that your AC is leaking can be disturbing. At best, it means your home isn’t as comfortable as it should be.

At worst, it could lead to expensive damages and repairs.

If your AC is leaking, don’t worry! Contact a Cape Coral AC repair company today and let us fix it for you! We’ll make what could be a major catastrophe a minor inconvenience.