Updating Your HVAC Unit

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Updating Your HVAC Unit

Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my paternal grandmother’s home during the hot summer months. I grew up in the southern United States where the temperatures routinely soared to the triple digits on some summer days. Unfortunately, my grandmother only had one small window air conditioning unit in her sprawling farmhouse. On particularly hot days, my grandmother, my numerous cousins, and I would hover around this tiny air conditioning system all day long. Sadly, my dear grandmother died before she had the opportunity to update her HVAC unit. If you’re tired of using inadequate window air conditioners, consider replacing them with a central heating and air conditioning unit. On this blog, you will discover the many benefits of choosing a central heating and air conditioning system.

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What Is Causing Your HVAC to Leak?

A leaky HVAC system is not just an inconvenience, it could be a sign that your system is not operating as efficiently as it should. Water leaks should not be ignored because a bigger problem could be on the horizon. If your HVAC system is leaking, here are some troubleshooting steps you can take before calling for help. 

Check the Overflow Pan

The overflow pan is designed to catch condensation from your HVAC system. Condensation is normal, but leaking is problematic. If you are unsure whether or not the condensation that your system is experiencing is normal, check the outside unit. If there are puddles around it that do not dry up after a particularly warm day, chances are there is too much condensation coming from the unit.  

The overflow pan is easy to spot. Use a flashlight to check inside your interior unit. You can drain the pan, but make note of its condition. If the pan is cracked or otherwise in bad condition, it will need to be repaired. Monitor the pan over the next few days to see if it refills. If it does, it is time to look at the filter.  

Change the Filter

Most people know that the filter needs to be changed, but they might not do it in a timely manner. When the filter is dirty, several things occur that lead to the development of excessive condensation. One of those things is that the clogged filter pushes back the cool air that is flowing from the system. The cooled air then impacts the evaporator coils, which start to freeze. As the ice melts, water leaks.  

Simply changing the filter can help prevent this and keep your HVAC system from working harder to keep your home cooled. It is imperative that you change the filter with one that is the recommended size for your system. A filter that is too small will not be enough to properly filter the air as it is pushed through the unit. 

Check the Evaporator Coils

Low refrigerant levels can cause the unit to leak. One of the easiest ways to possibly determine if the refrigerant is low is to look at the coils on the unit. When the levels are low, the evaporator coils will freeze over. If the coils are still frozen after you have changed the filter, the refrigerant levels are probably low.  

Do not attempt to charge the refrigerant yourself. You could inadvertently damage the system and hurt yourself. Your HVAC professional can safely charge the unit and check for other possible causes of the leaking system. 


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