If your aircon is leaking or condensing too much, you’ll need to take action immediately.

If it’s delayed too long, you might end up needing to replace the aircon unit which costs a few thousand dollars.

There are many possibilities as to why your air conditioner might be leaking water and you need to know what these reasons are. Once you know the possibilities, it’ll be easier to take steps in managing the problem.

Quick Overview

In general, here are the 6 common reasons:

1. Your aircon drain line is clogged
2. The aircon’s overflow pan is damaged
3. Aircon filter is too clogged up with dust
4. Poor Installation Materials
5. A Broken Pump
6. You aircon condenser coil is leaking

So, what’s next?

The best and hassle-free way is to immediately contact an aircon repair specialist or professional immediately,

Or you can try to:

Clean your aircon filter on your own.

Then, let it run for one hour to verify if the problem is solved.

If the leaking doesn’t stop, contact us.

Let’s go through some of the common problems related to a leaking airconditioner mentioned.

1. A Clogged Drain Line

The most common reason for air conditioners to leak water is a clogged drain line.

The drain line is the pipe that links the overflow pan to the outside or the drainpipe depending on the setup of your air conditioner.

There are a few reasons why this line might become clogged and a few things that you can do to solve this problem.

Firstly, you need to trace to the source of the leak.

• If the water leak is from the front of the aircon unit, it is possible that the unit was poorly installed or the materials used were of poor quality. In this case, the unit will need to be taken out and re-installed to stop the leak.
• If the water is not coming from the front, you should check the tube or trunking leading from the unit to the toilet. Sometimes due to some debris blockage, the water can’t flow. Many modern units have an emergency shutoff feature which will protect the device when there is a clog in the drain line.
• If your aircon unit suddenly turned off for no reason, you should look at the drain line.

2. The Overflow Pan Is Damaged

While you are checking the drain line, you should also look at the overflow pan in the aircon unit.

This pan is located underneath the aircon unit and could be the cause of your water leaks.

If this pan is damaged,water will spill out of it.

When trying to inspect the pan, look at each corner carefully. Look along the edges for any holes, cracks or notches. Any small of slight issue can cause water to leak.

Small holes in the pan can be easily fixed with epoxy, but you might want to replace the entire pan for the best and longest lasting results.

3. The Air Filter Is Dirty

Many people who do not realise that a dirty air filter can cause a water leak.

The air filter in your air conditioner will need to be cleaned regularly and leaving a filter for too long will impede the air flow in the unit.

When this happens, the air around the evaporator coils will become too cold and this will cause the coils to freeze over.

When the coils freeze, ice will form inside the unit. The heat from the outside air will then cause the ice to melt and this will lead to a leak.

When you have a water leak, do a check your filters to see if they’re too dirty.

Do check your servicing history if any replacement had been done before.

4. Poor Installation Materials

If your air conditioner is new, the drain lines and filters should not be the cause of the water leak. Poor installation material could be to blame for your sudden water problem.

Most companies offer premium materials for installation. You need to check and compare the premium and non-premium materials. Using good installation material can prolong the lifespan of your aircon system.

Next is poor workmanship. Many smaller aircon companies do not have enough installation experience resulting in a shorter aircon lifespan and leakages. Things as simple as broken seals can cause leakages. This is when having a company that has been in the industry for over 30 years and a listed company is definitely the best and safest option.

5. A Broken Pump

When your air conditioner has a broken pump, the water from the overflow pan will not be drawn into the drain line. This will cause the pan to overflow and the excess water to start leaking.

You will only be able to determine if this is the problem after you have determined that the drain line is clear of any blockages.

To test if you have a broken pump, you will need to pour some water into the overflow pan.

If the water does not drain, the pump could be the cause. If you have a broken pump, you will need to call a professional to assess the pump and replace it.

When you have water leakage from your air conditioner, there are a number of causes that you need to investigate.

The most common cause will be a blocked drain line or a dirty filter. These problems can be dealt with easily, but if the pump is broken you will have to call a professional.

6. Leakage in The Condenser Coil

The condenser unit of your air conditioner is usually located outside of your house. For this, please call a professional to come over to solve the problem. It is highly dangerous for anyone to go on to the aircon ledge and do some works. Professionals are trained to do these kind of jobs.

In any case, the unit comprises of a blower fan, the compressor, and the condenser coil.

Outdoor condenser units are more likely to accumulate dust, dirt, and grime, as they are exposed to the external environment.

Any leakage in the condenser coil and aircon pipe are also common.

If you notice any leaks in the condenser coil, pipe leaking or leaking water in front part, you should immediately seek professional help for aircon servicing in Singapore.

5 Steps to Take to Determine if the Aircon Condenser Coil is Leaking

(Please do not attempt to do this on your own as it is unsafe without the proper tools.)

If you’re on a servicing package, this shouldn’t be a problem as the professional would have maintained everything well and good.

If you notice any severe damage in the coil, you should get it replaced by aircon servicing company.

However, before you contact an aircon servicing specialist, you may take the following steps to determine if the coil is leaking.

A. Unplug the air conditioner

The first thing to do is to turn off the Aircon and unplug it. You may need to turn off the circuit breaker or fuse controlling the power supply to the Aircon.

B. Remove the back of the outdoor unit

You need to use a screwdriver to take the screws off from the back of the condenser unit located outside of your home. Now pull off the back vent, so that you can view the inside of the unit.

C. Clean the inside compartment

The next step is to clean the inside of the aircon unit with a brush.

If you want to clean hard-to-reach parts of the aircon, you should use a blower or a vacuum cleaner.

Once you clean the outdoor unit inside out, you should be able to see through the condenser coil connected to blower assembly.

You can use a flashlight to check for any leakage in the condenser coils.

D. Perform the test

Now you need to roll a dry tissue paper and run it through the condenser coils.

After some time, pull the paper out and check it for any traces of liquid.

If you notice that the dry paper has soaked in any liquid, you can consider this a clear sign of leakage from your condenser coil.

E. Attach the parts in their former position

Reattach the back vent with screws.

You will need to use the screwdriver again for the job. Keep the Aircon unplugged till an expert technician comes and checks it.

Call  6454 1771 if you need our help.

It is always a good idea to call a qualified Aircon technician for repair a leaking aircon.

Make sure you do a proper background check before choosing an air conditioner repair service provider for the job who are familiar with the type of aircon you have. The common aircon brand is Mitsubishi, Panasonic and Daikin.