Air conditioning is one luxury you can’t afford to do without. So when you see a large puddle of water forming around the base of your central A/C unit or if you notice it’s not cooling as well as it should, have an HVAC professional take a close look at your system. Evaporator leaks don’t happen often, but when they do, it can be a headache to deal with. The following highlights the most common causes of evaporator coil leaks and what you can do to fix them for good. There are two types of leaks you’ll likely deal with when it comes to your A/C: Let’s talk about the first type of leak – the refrigerant leak. One of the most common ways for a copper evaporator coil to lose its cool is through formicary corrosion. This happens when volatile organic compounds (VOC) from ordinary household chemicals react with the copper metal, especially under the particularly humid climate conditions known throughout Mobile and the rest of the Deep South. The end result is formic acid, which promotes formicary corrosion of the copper coils.

This can cause microscopic leaks that allow A/C refrigerant to slowly escape. Tell-tale signs of a refrigerant leak often include: The other type of leak doesn't come from inside the evaporator coil, as is the case with refrigerant. It's leakage that results from coil operation, with the condensate that’s generated as the evaporator coil pulls moisture out of the hot, humid air from the return vent. As it condenses into liquid form, the moisture falls into a sloped condensate pan connected to a drain line that runs to the outside of your home or into an indoor drain. Mold and mildew growth as well as debris can become clogged in the drain line, causing the water in the pan to overflow. A cracked or rusted condensate pan can also allow water to escape the pan. Frost can also play a prominent role in evaporator coil leaks. If the coil freezes over and is subsequently left to defrost, there may be enough melted ice to overwhelm the condensate pan and spill over onto the floor.

If you're dealing with a condensate leak around your evaporator coil, you can address it this way: If you’re dealing with a refrigerant leak, the first thing you should do is take a look at the evaporator coil. Signs of corrosion on the copper lines or around joints and fittings often indicate ideal conditions for a leak. harga ac portable semarangIf you want to be certain, you can perform a “soap test” by applying a mix of water and mild detergent around potentially leaky areas. car ac repair boiseIf there’s a leak, bubbles will form in the presence of escaping refrigerant.lennox air conditioner parts phoenix az At this point, you’ll want to call on your HVAC technician, who can safely remove and store your A/C system’s refrigerant while the coil undergoes replacement or repair.

Here are a few ways you can eliminate the causes of evaporator coil leaks and prevent them from happening in the future: When it comes to tracking down the causes of evaporator coil leaks, you can always count on Air Specialty to get the job done. Contact us at Air Specialty whenever you need air conditioning service for your Mobile, Saraland, or Lucedale area home.If you’ve got an older air conditioning system (and you’re reading this article!) chances are you’re familiar with what happens when you’ve got a refrigerant leak.You begin to notice that your AC is not cooling very well, even though the fans are blowing and the air flow seems fine. Over time, days or even weeks, the problem gradually gets worse, even though the system is running more than usual. Finally, you put your hand up to the register and you feel warm air blowing out. That’s a classic sign of a refrigerant leak. Read on to learn about what causes a refrigerant leak to happen, how to get it fixed right, and options for making sure it doesn’t happen again.

For those of you who have not been through this before, here’s a quick primer about your air conditioner refrigerant.In air-cooled AC systems, refrigerant is the substance inside your air conditioner’s coils that does the job of removing heat from the air in your space. When your system was installed, the proper amount of refrigerant was added. Your air conditioning system does not “use up” refrigerant; if everything is correctly sealed, that refrigerant should stay in the coils and be constantly recirculated.However, sometimes holes and cracks develop in the coils that cause a refrigerant leak. When that happens, your system can’t cool as effectively. As the refrigerant level drops, your space gets increasingly warmer.A refrigerant leak can happen simply due to the age of the system. The metal coils can wear over time and develop small holes or cracks, especially at the joints and connections. Sometimes vibrations can cause the joints to separate slightly and develop a leak.Another possible cause is corrosion on the coils due to exposure to contaminants.

This can happen when maintenance is neglected and the coils get coated with a layer of grime and pollutants.Related article: 5 Reasons Your Home May Need Indoor Air Quality TestingA refrigerant leak is not something you should ignore. If you do, prepare to face these consequences:System damage. When your system has low refrigerant levels, it tries to compensate by running longer as it attempts to cool your space. This causes increased pressure within the system that can damage many other components and eventually cause your compressor to fail.The more your AC runs trying unsuccessfully to reach set temperature, the more energy it consumes. As the temperature in your space increases, so does your electric bill. Your system can use as much as 20 percent more electricity with a 10 percent drop in refrigerant volume due to a refrigerant leak.Refrigerants are dangerous chemicals that are proven to deplete the earth’s ozone layer. That’s why the handling and disposal of refrigerants is controlled by the Environmental Protection Agency.

It’s fine when it stays where it belongs: in your AC coils. When you have a refrigerant leak, on the other hand, the chemical evaporates and ends up in the atmosphere where it contributes to global warming.This doesn’t happen frequently, but if you have a large enough refrigerant leak, breathing evaporated refrigerant can damage your lungs. You should also know that contact with skin can cause burns, so if you suspect a leak, don’t touch your AC coils. Leave the inspection to the professionals that are trained in safe refrigerant handling practices.Let’s start with how you should NOT fix a slow refrigerant leak: by simply adding more refrigerant to the system to get you through the rest of the summer.This may be the course of action recommended by some unscrupulous HVAC companies, since it’s quick and relatively inexpensive. This is a shortsighted solution, due to all the reasons mentioned above, and also because of the rising cost of refrigerant. If you need to keep recharging it, in the end you pay just as much as fixing the refrigerant leak properly the first time.

Another ill-advised fix is using leak sealants, which can temporarily stop a small refrigerant leak. The problem is, the fix won’t last and the sealants can sometimes cause blockages in the system that result in further damage.So how do you fix a refrigerant leak the right way? There are two options:Here’s an important fact you should be aware of: refrigerant leaks are one of the most common causes of air conditioning problems, and in many cases they are entirely preventable with regular system maintenance.Related article: Air Conditioning Maintenance Doesn’t Cost. It Pays.At least once or twice a year, typically at the beginning and end of the cooling season, invest in maintenance to keep your air conditioning system in good condition. The service typically includes a detailed inspection of all parts, cleaning fans and coils, clearing drain lines and pans, changing filters, and repairing wiring or electrical parts that may be worn.It’s also important to know that all service contracts are not the same.