Why Is My Air Conditioner Blowing Out Water?

An air conditioner is an excellent way to keep your home or office cool during the summer months. However, problems arise, and if you’re facing one, you’re not alone. In that regard, why is your air conditioner blowing out water?

An AC unit that’s blowing out water can be a sign that there’s something wrong with your air conditioner. In most cases, it’s caused by one of the following problems: a clogged air filter, low refrigerant levels, low-temperature weather, or an incorrect AC installation.

If you’re asking yourself, “why is my air conditioner blowing out water?” then you’re not alone. If you’re struggling to figure it out, I’ve got answers for you! Here I’ll clear up some of the most common causes as to why your AC unit may be spewing water and what you can do to fix it.

Possible Reasons Why Your Air Conditioner Is Blowing Out Water

It’s not normal for an air conditioner to blow out water. If yours is doing so, there might be a problem with it. Typically, AC units pull hot air and pass it through an evaporator coil where it’s stripped off the heat, and in the process, moisture is condensed out of it. This water gets blown out, but that should be the case.

An air conditioner has a drain pan that collects the condensate, and then there is a drain line to drain out the condensate water. So, there shouldn’t be water blown out. But, if you’re facing this problem, here are the three main reasons it’s happening:

1) Clogged Condensate Drain Line

When the air conditioner is running, its evaporator coil takes heat out of the air. That makes the air cool, which you notice as a breeze if it’s blowing out of your registers. As the evaporator takes out the heat from the air, it condenses excess moisture to form a condensate collected in a condensate pan.

The condensed water then runs through a drain line system to where it’s collected and eventually drained outside or into the sewer by gravity flow. And since the condensate pan stays all open inside the unit to accept as much water as possible, dust and other small particles could accumulate inside it.

And guess what, it can all start to flow out through the drain line, and before you know it, the passage is clogged. The condensate water can begin to accumulate until the water is blown out of the vent or registers by the AC fan.

The same can happen if the drain line is damaged. If the drain line becomes crushed or kinked for any reason, the water will not flow correctly and will back up until the AC fan blows it out.

2) Freezing Evaporator Coil

The evaporator coil is one of two coils in your air conditioner. It’s the one inside the house, and it’s what cools the air. The other coil, called the condenser coil, is outside. It’s what collects the heat from the air and turns it back into a liquid.

The evaporator coil works by blowing cold air over a set of pipes filled with refrigerant gas. This makes the gas very cold and turns it into a liquid. That liquid then flows through the condenser coil and turns back into a gas. This gas absorbs all the heat from the air inside your house, making it cool.

One problem with this system is that the evaporator coil can occasionally freeze over. The air conditioner will stop working and blow out cold air when that happens. You’ll know it’s frozen because you’ll see frost or ice on the coil.

There are several things that can cause the evaporator coil to freeze:

a) Clogged Air Filter

The air filter is a small part of your AC unit, but it plays an important role in keeping your system running smoothly. The filter is designed to catch all the dust and dirt that comes into your house through the air. It does this by sitting between the indoor and outdoor coils.

As the air passes through the filter, it collects dirt and dust. This keeps the coils free of any built-up debris, and it also helps to keep your energy bills down. But over time, the air filter can become clogged with all that dirt and dust. When that happens, the airflow through the unit will be reduced. That causes the evaporator coil not to cool down properly, leading to freezing.

b) Low Refrigerant Levels

The air conditioner unit has a refrigerant to cool the indoor evaporator coil. The same gas is used in all air conditioners and refrigerators, but the name of the gas differs depending on what brand you have.

Your AC’s refrigerant circulates through your system and absorbs heat from the evaporator coil. Then it transfers that heat outside before it becomes cold again.

When there isn’t enough refrigerant in your system, it won’t be able to do its job of keeping everything cool properly. That can cause the evaporator coil to freeze up. It can even get worse when there is a refrigerant leak.

c) Low-temperature weather

Air conditioners take heat indoors and dump it outdoors. However, during the cold weather, things can get tricky. Instead of the outdoor unit damping heat, it could be making the refrigerant colder than normal. That means, as the evaporator coil tries to take more heat indoors, it gets too cold, than the air warmth isn’t enough to defrost it.

3) Incorrect AC installation

When the unit is installed properly, the drain pan inside an air conditioner slats towards the drain line; if it slants away from the drain line, the condensate won’t be able to drain out and instead will start to accumulate leaks from the wrong areas. As the blower fan is spinning and pushing air out, it can blow out some water droplets. And if you look at the floor or surfaces near the AC unit, you might see some water. Get a level and check how to level the unit is.

How to Fix an Air Conditioner Blowing Out Water

If you’re seeing water coming out of your air conditioner, there are a few things you can do to try and fix the problem.

1) Clean or Replace the Air Filter

The first thing you should do is check and see if the air filter needs to be replaced. If it’s clogged with dirt and dust, that will restrict the airflow through the unit, which can cause the evaporator coil to freeze up.

You can usually tell if the air filter needs to be replaced when dirty and covered in dust. If it’s not too dirty, you can give it a good cleaning instead of replacing it. Just make sure you let it dry completely before putting it back in place.

2) Add Refrigerant to the System

If you think low refrigerant levels might cause the problem, you can add more to the system. You’ll need to call a professional to do this, and it usually isn’t a cheap fix.

3) Check the Temperature Settings

If you’re in a colder climate and your air conditioner is trying to cool the house down too much, you can adjust the temperature settings. This will make it so the AC isn’t working as hard and won’t freeze over. Invest in a thermostat that can help you regulate the air conditioner settings and control when to or not run it.

4) Inspect Your AC Unit for Leaks

If you think there might be a refrigerant leak, you can have a professional inspect your AC unit for leaks. If there is a leak, it will need to be fixed before the unit can start working properly again.

5) Have Your AC Unit Serviced

If you’ve tried all of these things and the air conditioner is still blowing out water, you might need to have it serviced. There could be something wrong with the unit that needs to be fixed.

Related Questions

Can an air conditioner dehumidifier a room?

An air conditioner can dehumidify a room, but it’s not their main purpose. Dehumidifiers are specifically designed to remove moisture from the air, while ACs are meant to cool the air. Additionally, dehumidifiers are typically used in smaller rooms, while ACs can cool larger areas.

Can an air conditioner cause black mold?

An air conditioner can cause black mold if water leaks from the unit and it’s not getting dried properly. If black mold starts growing, it can be dangerous to your health. It’s important to address any leaks as soon as possible and ensure the area is dried thoroughly after the AC unit has been running.

Can you run an air conditioner and a dehumidifier at the same time?

You can run an air conditioner and a dehumidifier simultaneously, but it’s not recommended. The two appliances will compete for the same amount of energy and use more power than necessary. What’s more, running both appliances simultaneously could decrease the efficiency of both.