When your air conditioner is running properly, your house will be cool and dry. A leaking air conditioner is frustrating but isn’t necessarily harmful. It depends on whether it’s leaking water or coolant.

Water leaking from your air conditioner isn’t dangerous but can cause a lot of damage to your home. In contrast, a coolant leak is harmful to you and the environment. In either case, fixing a leak will require skilled air conditioning repair.

In most cases, you can stop your air conditioner from leaking by scheduling annual air conditioning maintenance. During your appointment, an HVAC tech will closely inspect your system for problems and clean it. This service helps provide worry-free performance and might even boost energy efficiency.

Learn more about why your air conditioner is leaking and how you can prevent it from happening in the future.

Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Water?

Water is a natural result of the cooling process. Your air conditioner has two systems, one outside and one inside. The indoor unit includes an evaporator coil that cools warm air as it blows over it. Condensation forms as the air cools, drips into a drain pan and goes out of your home through a condensate drain line.

Because of the condensation process, having water back up is a common problem. We often receive calls about an air conditioner leaking water inside or an air conditioner leaking water outside. Here’s why it happens:

Drain Line Is Plugged

As time passes, mold can clog the condensate drain line. This can lead to water leaking inside your house. Our Street Heating and Cooling professionals can break up clogs and get water flowing again smoothly. Reach us at 605-206-3915 for assistance.

Air Filter Is Dirty

We recommend replace flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months.

Replacing your air filter is critical for:

  • Indoor air quality
  • Energy efficiency
  • Reducing breakdowns
  • Lengthening your air conditioner’s life span

A dirty air filter can reduce airflow, make the coil extremely cold and cause it to freeze. As the coil defrosts, it can make the drain pan overflow. We recommend inspecting your air filter if you haven’t replaced it lately and your air conditioner is leaking water indoors.

If this doesn’t resolve the issue, your drain pan may be rusty or have a malfunctioning condensate pump. Getting a new pan or pump requires a professional, so call us at 605-206-3915 for help.

Why Is My Air Conditioner Leaking Freon?

Your air conditioner relies on coolant to transfer heat. If your air conditioner was put in before 2011, it likely has R-22 Freon. As time passes, chemicals in Freon can eat through metal and cause leaks.

It’s important to know about air conditioner Freon leak symptoms in the event your system develops one. They include:

  • Air that feels hotter or more humid than usual
  • Bubbling or hissing noises near the air conditioner
  • Sweet smell by the air conditioner
  • Frozen evaporator coil

Freon is bad for your health if handled improperly, so you’ll need an HVAC pro like Street Heating and Cooling to repair an air conditioner coolant leak. In many instances, it may just be better to request air conditioning installation since Freon is costly. Production of this coolant was halted in 2020 because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, only reduced recycled quantities are available.

Trust Street Heating and Cooling for Fixing Your Air Conditioner Leaks

When it comes to air conditioning repair in Rapid City, go with the company your neighbors and friends trust. We’ve been known for our fast, friendly and reasonable services since {year}. Contact us at 605-206-3915 to request your appointment today!