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In a tropical country like Singapore, the air conditioner is an essential home appliance. You need to run it all the time to keep the home well-ventilated and comfortable for day-to-day activities. However, your air conditioner is likely to develop issues over time because of reasons such as lack of proper maintenance, constant usage, and changing weather — all resulting in the malfunction of the cooling appliance. Of all these problems that afflict an air conditioner, the most common one is the problem of leaking and dripping water.
If an aircon conditioner is leaking, it results in added stress because the appliance fails to work properly and thus, fails to give you and your family the proper cooling that you need to withstand the heat.
This problem, a bane to the existence of many air conditioner owners, can be attributed to several factors. In this article, we will discuss the reasons why air conditioner units leaking and drip water and the steps that you can follow to fix it.
There are several causes that cause the leaking and dripping of an aircon. Here are a number of possible culprits:
1. Air Leak
Air leak is one of the most common reasons that may lead to the air conditioner leaking and dripping water. For optimal function, the air reaching the air conditioner should pass through the vent. Faulty reasons may lead to leakage of air. The air does not pass through the vent as it should. If this doesn't happen, probably the air is leaking which leads to suboptimal functionality.
To confirm whether you're experiencing an air leak, you should do basic troubleshooting by examining the equipment to see if there is leakage of air through the grates around the vent. If there is an air leak, you will need to take measures to fix the issue and prevent additional leaks from happening in the future.
2. Blocked aircon filter
This is yet another common reason for an air conditioner leaking and dripping water. When the air filter becomes blocked, it inhibits the flow of air through the system. This will lead to freezing of the air, and when you turn off the aircon or when the desired air temperature is reached, ice formed on the filter starts melting. The water finds its way out and the aircon starts leaking.
3. Dirty Aircon Filter
If the air filter is clogged or dirty, air flow to the evaporator gets obstructed, thus leading to a drop in temperature. If the coil becomes too cold, it freezes. When the aircon is turned off, the indoor unit will stop sucking air to the interior, which then leads to warming and results in the melting of accumulated ice. If this melting ice fills the capacity of the drip tray, it leads to the leakage of the water.
4. Broken pump
The condensation pump is a device located below the cooling coil. The function of the pump is to drain out water thoroughly so that leakage is prevented. When the pump is broken or is malfunctioning because of the accumulation of dust and dirt, it results in water dripping — a clear indication that the pump is not working properly.
5. Aircon condenser coil is leaking
The condenser unit of your air conditioning unit is situated outside your home. The unit comprises the condenser's coil, a compressor, and the blower motor. As the unit is located outside, it is more likely to accumulate debris and dirt, resulting in blockage. It is one of the most common problems experienced by many homeowners and aircon owners in Singapore.
6. Clogging of the drain line
Clogging in the drain line makes your air conditioning unit dysfunctional. This problem happens because there is an overaccumulation of debris, mold, and certain species of fungi. When these substances accumulate in the drain, it leads to a delay in water flow out of the aircon. This may lead to excess inwater stock and spillage.
Statistical estimates show that because of the tropical nature of the climate of Singapore, the inflow of water into air conditioning units is slower than average. Thus, when the drain line gets clogged, it leads to little to no flow of water. This can result in your aircon leaking and dripping water.
7. Improper installation
If the air conditioning unit is not installed properly, it could be a major reason for water leaking. While you get the aircon installed, make sure that the front part is cooler than the rear part. By ensuring this, the water will be drained properly so that it will not leak.
In many cases, the leakage is brought about by cases of improper installation. To avoid this, your air conditioning should be installed with a proper inclination to prevent leakage. Improper inclination of the unit may lead to the failure to properly drain water.
8. Poor maintenance
As is the case for any other home appliance, your aircon also needs proper and timely maintenance. Ensure you clean the unit as many times as you can. Seek professional help if needed. You may also check if the evaporator coil is working properly and ensure it is not in the early stages of rusting. If not done regularly, the problems of an aircon leaking water might come to plague you more often.
9. Rusting of the drain pan
Whenever there is an involvement of iron, it results in rusting because of the action of water and air (oxygen). As the drain pan is made of metal, it easily rusts. Persistent rusting in the drain pan is likely to make the unit clogged, giving way to the obstruction of the flow of water outside. This ultimately leads to spilling and results in air conditioning leakage.
10. Frozen aircon coil
The evaporator coil is situated in the interior of the aircon. If you open the door to your aircon and find the coil gathered inside, it implies the pace of melting is slower and this leads to water spilling over the drain pan.
An important cause of a frozen aircon is an air filter that has gone dirty. The filter is supposed to prevent the flow of air over the coil. When the filter is clogged up with dirt, the warm current cannot pass and the temperature will fall. As a consequence, the accumulation of ice happens because of freezing.
11. Outside temperature too chilly
When the outside temperature is too cool, your aircon freezes. This happens especially at nights when the temperature goes below 60 degrees Fahrenheit because it affects the cooling coil.
12. Clogged condensation line
An aircon sucks humid and warm air from indoors and blows it over frozen pipes. The coils are colder than the air because it is filled with cold refrigerant. The vapor of moisture that is in the air condenses on the cold coil and becomes liquid water. Unless the water does not get collected and drained off properly, it causes the aircon drip.
A drain line lets the flow of water accumulate in the aircon. The drain line causes the water to pass without dripping outside. If you see the drip pan is full or overflowing, it is a cause of concern. Furthermore, if the area is already rusted, it is serious and you should seek professional help urgently.
To fix the issue of air conditioners that are leaking and dripping liquid, it’s important to take measures such as cleaning and dusting the condensate drain, the interior, and the exterior coils. Here are some specific tips and steps to follow:
1. Cleaning and dusting of condensate drain
The condenser sucks the hot air from your room, cools the air, and releases the cool air into the room. The hot air is condensed and becomes water.
The water gets drained via the condensate drain pan and condensate pipe of the unit. It's important to note that lack of regular maintenance and accumulation of dirt and dust result in the choking of the drain lines.
You can do the following steps:
Use a wet vacuum cleaner. This will help get rid of the clog in the drain line. It's good to start using the cleaning machine from the endpoint of the drain opening located outside the house. That way, you can clean up all the debris, dirt and mold in the drain. You can also eliminate the chance of sending the dirt back to the drainpipe.
You can use the high-pressure suction pump if need be. While tidying up the debris and dirt is a little time-consuming, you should it is worth spending the time necessary to clear it.
The next thing you need to do is:
Now, using clean water, flush out the drain pipe. Use your garden shoe for the task. Flush water starting from the top of the pipe — this will ensure water flow throughout the pipe.
However, in order to ensure the proper process, the ideal way is to still seek professional help for the task. It’ll help save you time and alleviate the stress associated with the task.
2. Cleaning of interior and exterior coils
The interior coils include the evaporator and fan coils and the exterior coils include the condenser coil. Detailed below are methods for cleaning each of these coils.
3. Evaporator
To clean this part, follow these steps:
4. Fan
This part serves the aim to blow cool air out of the aircon in the specific direction.
5. Condenser coils
To clean the coils:
The methods and techniques discussed in this article often require a great amount of care and expertise. Thus, the next and final step is to hire a professional aircon servicing expert to repair and fix the problem that is giving you the pain of a leaky aircon. In order to get the proper care for your aircon unit and prevent potential leaks, be sure to choose a leading and reputable service provider. Today, there are many service providers in Singapore that offer a wide range of services and affordable packages. The quality and prices of the services vary widely. To get the most bang for your buck, you need to choose an expert that does the job best and checks all your requirements for efficiency, performance, and overall credibility.
In order to choose a quality professional service to fix your leaks and repair dripping issues in the air conditioner, remember these tips:
Check out online
You can check for services to fix air conditioners that are leaking and dripping water and other issues. Use your computer, smartphone or any other smart device to access the Internet.
Use word of mouth
Friends, family members or colleagues could give quality tips on the services available in your location for your aircon leaking or dripping water.
Visiting in person
Once you start to notice that your air conditioner is leaking, the best thing to do is to start taking preventive measures like regular checking, maintenance, and replacing faulty parts. Doing basic troubleshooting tips can help in prolonging your aircon's lifespan as it will not only help and save you from the pain of water leaks and avoidable expenses, but it will also ensure a longer lifespan for your air conditioner.
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