Your air conditioner removes humidity from the air inside your home during the cooling process. Thus, central air conditioners incorporate a drain line to funnel excess moisture away from the appliance, which runs from the evaporator unit inside your home to an exit point outside. Problems with this drain line can cause backups and mold growth to occur, affecting your home comfort or leading to water damage near your air conditioner. Thus, it’s important to recognize the signs of a drain line problem so you can act quickly to minimize the damage caused by this common issue.
Standing Water
Moisture is drawn out of your home’s air by the indoor evaporator unit of your central air conditioner. Problems with the unit’s drain line can cause water to back up, leading to standing water around your evaporator unit or your furnace. It’s a good idea to take a look at your HVAC system at least once a month; if you notice standing water, you should begin checking the unit daily to determine its cause. Because central HVAC systems are typically located in areas of the home where other leaks could occur, it’s important to determine whether the standing water is coming from your air conditioner or another source. Regardless of the cause, it’s important to address the source of the water and contact a professional for water cleanup services to prevent further damage to your home.
Water Damage
If your air conditioner’s drain line becomes damaged or completely clogged, it can leak inside your home or cause a backup in your air conditioner. A backed-up air conditioner may stop functioning, thanks to a water sensor that disables the unit when an overflow is detected. Furthermore, excessive backup of moisture can cause signs of water damage in your home, such as soggy floors, walls, or ceilings, a musty smell associated with mold growth, and visible water damage that includes buckling floors and walls or dark streaks on walls and ceilings. Signs of a leak should always be addressed quickly to prevent further damage to your home and belongings.
Full or Moldy Drip Pan
Air conditioning units typically have a drip pan or overflow pan in case a blockage occurs in the drain line or excessive moisture is generated during cooling. Just as it’s important to check your HVAC system periodically, it’s important to check this drip pan as well to see whether it’s consistently full. If your drip pan is always full, it could indicate a problem with drainage from your air conditioner. Furthermore, a consistently-full drip pan can easily harbor mold growth, especially in the hot, muggy conditions that occur during the cooling season. If you notice a musty odor in your home, check your air conditioner’s drip pan for mold. Visible mold or a moldy smell coming from the drip pan definitely indicate a problem that should be addressed before the mold can spread to other areas of your home and cause damage. If you discover a significant mold problem, professional mold mitigation is the best way to protect your home from further mold and mildew growth.
If you do experience an HVAC system leak, fast action can prevent water damage or mold growth from spreading. Our professionals can help with water cleanup and mold mitigation to restore your home and your air conditioner to like-new condition. We invite you to take a look through our website to find out more about our comprehensive disaster remediation services in Wilmington and Fayetteville, including fire restoration, water restoration, and insurance reconstruction.