In the spring, as warmer weather arrives, it’s common for expert heating and air technicians to
respond to calls regarding issues with water leaking from HVAC units. Water leaking from your
HAVC is never a good sign and should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent further
damage to the unit and your home. If you notice a leaky air conditioning system unit, shut it off
from the thermostat immediately. If you notice that water is overflowing from your air conditioner,
it’s important to understand the many different variables that can play a role in causing this to
happen. This could be anything from low refrigerant levels to clogged air filters. These are the
top five causes of water leaking from heating and air conditioning units and how to troubleshoot
them.
Low Refrigerant
Refrigerant is stored in your HVAC unit to keep pressure from plummeting and causing the
evaporator coil to freeze. Some other signs that the refrigerant levels might be low in your air
conditioning system include hissing or bubbling sounds coming from refrigerant lines or the AC
not effectively cooling. If you are under the impression that the coolant in your residential or
commercial cooling system is low, you should call a professional HVAC technician in Nashville
to come out and take a look. FiveStar Plumbing and HVAC professionals will come out
same-day to assess your refrigerant levels and add more refrigerant if need be. Keep in mind
that if you ever do come across a water leak in your refrigerant lines, it should be addressed
and repaired as soon as possible before the unit experiences a full system shutdown.
Clogged Air Filter
Most people know that air filters in your home or business must be replaced regularly for a
number of reasons. The most important reason is to maintain clean air quality in your home,
while another is to avoid overworking your HVAC unit. Dirty or clogged air filters can result in
blocking proper airflow over your system’s evaporator coils. This can cause the coils to become
too cold, and sometimes they even begin to freeze over. When that ice begins to melt from the
frozen evaporator coils, this can quickly cause more water to pool than your air conditioning
drain pan can hold. If the drain pan starts to overflow, this excess water can cause extensive
damage to your home or business if it is not addressed immediately. Based on the type of air
filter that you decide to purchase, they should be changed out anywhere between one and three
months at a time.
Leaky HVAC Drain Pan
Most air conditioning units have a drain pan underneath them that collects water and filters out
into a drain. Since the drain pan is exposed to moisture, it can erode or disintegrate after a while
and will likely need to be replaced eventually. A good indicator of when this replacement is
overdue is when your unit’s drain pan is beginning to leak out. Most times you’ll also notice rust
accumulation in or around the weakened area. A wet vac can be used to remove any excess
water and can help us to more easily examine the drain pan for breaks, cracks or holes. If the
crack or leak in your drain pan is minor, a water sealant solution may be a reasonable,
temporary and cost effective solution. However, it may be time for you to replace the drain pan
entirely. Our expert HVAC technicians suggest that drain pans should be carefully welded into
place to prevent future leaking issues from occurring.
Clogged Drain Line
One of the most common reasons for water to be leaking from an HVAC unit is a blocked
condensate drain. So, an expert technician would assess the drain lines to determine where
exactly the clog is occurring. If you think that your HVAC unit’s condensation drain line is clogged
up, it will need to be addressed and cleaned out before continuing to run your system. Most
times the obstruction can be cleared out using a plumbing snake. As water continues to flow
through your condensation line, mold and mildew can begin to build up over time. As part of
regular HVAC maintenance, you should pour between one and two cups of bleach or vinegar
into your condensation line every few months to prevent mold and mildew build-up.
Broken Condensate Pump
When you are trying to assess the cause of your leaky HVAC unit and you’ve ruled out clogged
drain lines and a cracked or broken drain pan, the next area to examine is the condensate
pump. The condensate pump essentially pushes water out of your home to the outside. When
the condensate pump is broken or not working properly, you will notice water building up or
leaking out of the HVAC unit. A heating and cooling professional from FiveStar Plumbing and
HVAC can test, repair, or replace a broken condensate pump for your Nashville home or
business!
How to Fix Water Leaking from HVAC
If you experience water leaking from your HVAC unit to the inside or outside of your home,
contact FiveStar Plumbing and HVAC immediately to get your heating and air conditioning
system back up and running to the best of its ability. Our professional HVAC repair experts
always provide a transparent cost-estimate before beginning any work in your home or
business. Any issues regarding excess water or your draining system can cause a variety of
expensive damage to your home, as well as health risks from toxic mold growth or poor air
quality. Don’t risk it! FiveStar Plumbing offers 24-hour emergency HVAC services throughout the
greater Nashville area and middle Tennessee. You can rest easy, knowing that our highly-trained
HVAC and Plumbing experts are certified and can fix almost any heating and cooling problems
you may have! Call us at for same-day service today!
