With all that can go wrong with your air conditioner, leaking may not be at the top of your list. However, with the humidity level in our area, your air conditioner pulls a great deal of moisture out of the air as it cools your home. This is partly how your air conditioner helps cool your home: by dehumidifying the air. This moisture has to go somewhere, and it does, with the help of your condensate array. But if something is off with your condensate array, you are likely to find your AC in Orlando, FL, leaking.
What Is the Condensate Array?
The condensate array consists of the condensate tray (or pan) and the condensate drain pipe. The two pieces are connected, and the condensate tray is slanted so that water dripping through the evaporator coils lands in the tray and then runs easily into the condensate drain. The drain is connected to your home’s sewer or septic pipe for removal.
What Kinds of Problems Develop?
There are a few common problems that can develop with the condensate array, although all of them can usually be alleviated and even avoided by scheduling annual maintenance:
- Tray has corroded – the condensate tray can, over time, develop holes or cracks; if this happens, the water dripping into the tray will fall through these openings and onto your floor.
- The tray and drain line have become disconnected – do to varying circumstances, the drain or tray can shift position, causing a disconnection between the two. If this happens, the water in the tray will continue to run toward the slant, but the askew drain pipe won’t be able to capture it all. This, too, will result in water falling directly onto your floor.
- The drain line is clogged – your condensate drain line can become clogged if debris falls into the line or if mold, algae and mildew are allowed to flourish there.
Your condensate array is very important to the removal of moisture in your home, and at this time of year, it is working hard due to the excess humidity in the air. If you have noticed leaking from your air conditioner, don’t wait to call the experts at Downtown Air & Heat for AC repair help.
