Air Conditioner Trouble

[Dr. Burrito]

Hi,

We have two of our air conditioners are suddenly leaking water profusely inside the house. Is this due to some kind of icing inside? If so, what causes it and what should we do. It's leaking all over our hardwood floors which hardly seems like a good idea.

Thanks for any advice and tips in advance.

Dr. Burrito

[Marksamui]

Maybe a dumb question but when did you last have them serviced?

If you have not had them cleaned regular, say every 3 months, then its only a matter of time before they start to leak. They just build up with a mixture of dust, dirt and water and clog up the drainage pipe.

You will need to get a man out to do a service and he will probably want to do a chemical flush on them (at least that is what I would recommend) and that should sort them back out.

After that have them serviced every 3 months and flushed every 9/12 months and you will be alright.

If of course you have all that done anyway, then I ain't got a clue, sorry

[Dr. Burrito]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the suggestion. I thought the wife was pretty regular about that sort of thing, as it is her domain, her domicile for that matter too, but I'll check.

Thanks,

Dr. Buritto

[lopburi3]

In the meantime find the drain hose outside and see if water is coming out - probably very little - you can often clean it with a good puff or two - or if you have something to blow air into the pipe even better - if flow starts it will probably work OK until you have have time to have the inside water tray cleaned out.

It could be icing, as you mention, but you should see the white ice in that case if you remove the filter. In that case they will have to recharge the compressor (and check for leaks).

[InterestedObserver]

If the air conditioners are actually 'icing up', it could indicate that they are low on freon (gas) or have a dirty air filter.

[trogers]

Cleaning the cooling coils with just a jet of water will not solve the problem in the longer term, esp. if there is a smoker in the house. Best is to call in the ac guy to do a chemical cleaning of the coils.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Hello,

Do you know what kind of chemical product they use to clean aircon pipe where the water is leaving ?

Isn't it possible to clean it easily by using a liquid though the place there air is blowed ?

Thanks.

[trogers]

Hello,

Do you know what kind of chemical product they use to clean aircon pipe where the water is leaving ?

Isn't it possible to clean it easily by using a liquid though the place there air is blowed ?

Thanks.

There are some cleaning foam in spray can selling at Tesco Lotus. But you will need a pressure water spray and a means to prevent water splashing all over the room during cleaning. I rather pay the air-con tech to dismantle the cooling coils and cleaning them at the balcony.

[Pooklook]

In case you decide to maintain it yourself here are some tips that might help

TURN OFF THE POWER TO THE UNIT INSIDE AND OUT!

If you follow the pipe out of the inside unit it is usually stopped up at the first bend.

Many times you can get to it with a coat hanger and then once you get it flowing

flush it out real good with a water hose. If it’s too far down for that you'll need a small

tank of compressed air and hold the nozzle flush against the inside pipe and turn on

the air. The blast of air should unstop it. Then flush thoroughly with water until the

water flows strong and clear outside. Check car or bicycle repair shops for the compressed air.

Clean the coils inside and out and wash or change the filter on the inside depending

on the type. Be careful not to damage the fins that surround the coils as you are cleaning them.

There are many types of household cleaning agents that can be sprayed on the coils and

left for a few minutes that will soften the dirt and allow it to be easily removed.

Check the coils once a month if the AC is used regularly. Hope this helps

[stgrhe]

It is common on certain brands of air conditioners to have a rubber bushing to the drainage pipe. I have experienced that these bushings crack and that usually results in huge water leakage in the way you describe.

[Pooklook]

It is common on certain brands of air conditioners to have a rubber bushing to the drainage pipe. I have experienced that these bushings crack and that usually results in huge water leakage in the way you describe.

What usually happens is the filters don’t get changed

they get dirty. The air gets forced around the edges and

the coil gets dirty. The dirt from the coil clogs up the drain

and it begins to leak. The pressure rises in the compressor

because no air is flowing over the inside coils

and the limit switch on top of the compressor goes if you

are lucky, if not the compressor goes. The rubber bushing

can crack and leak but it’s usually an easier repair.

Just keep the inside and outside coils clean. I clean mine

often and just spray them with household cleaner and

rinse. If you notice your AC not cooling dirty coils is

usually the problem. If you keep them clean you’ll

have years of trouble free use. An older unit or

an improperly installed unit may develop a refrigerant leak.

You can check for this by holding your hand over the fan

on the outside unit. If the air coming out it cool then you

are probably low on refrigerant. This can also cause

the inside coils to totally freeze up. If this happens turn

off the unit and let them thaw. Clean the coils and start

it again. If the air is still cool on the outside unit and you

hear the compressor running you are low on refrigerant.

Edited July 31, 2009 by Pooklook