Water flows from the air conditioner into the room: causes and how to fix it

Most often you cannot do without a split system in the summer. However, in addition to benefits, it also brings unexpected troubles. If condensation flows out into the street, then this is quite normal. Another thing is when a leak appears indoors. Let's look at the reasons why the air conditioner leaks water into the room and how to deal with the situation.

When the air conditioner starts leaking Source diggytech.com

Why does water flow

Several breakdowns lead to the disastrous result of the air conditioner leaking. Let's look at each of them:

In those years when the daytime temperatures do not drop below +30, the cooling system wears out. As a result, the container where the condensate collects becomes overfilled and it flows out.
Don’t think that problems with a split system can only arise in the summer. Problems also occur during cold weather. During freezing, the heat exchanger becomes covered with ice, causing condensation to appear on the housing. Basically, freezing occurs when there is a significant difference between degrees at night and during the day.
The reason why water drips from the air conditioner into the room may also be a broken drainage. As a result, condensate flows in, although it should go out.
A leak may also occur due to the drain hose being positioned incorrectly. Accordingly, the liquid changes direction.
A depressurized circuit can also result in troubles and additional expenses. The result may be weakened pipes through which the liquid functions within the system. In this case, water will not flow in a stream, but condensation will be visible on the body.

The accumulated condensate is immediately visible Source antares-48.ru

And finally, the cause of the leak may be increased pressure inside the circuit. This reason is quite serious, and there is no point in trying to deal with it without the necessary tools and knowledge.

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in engineering systems

How to clean the air conditioner drain yourself?

In the indoor unit of the air conditioner, the drainage system, consisting of a pan and a condensate drain pipe, is the most humid place, which also collects all the dust and dirt that gets inside the device.

On the Internet you can find many recommendations on how to clean the air conditioner drain pipe using a wire or cable. This method will quickly get rid of the plug, but the achieved result will be short-lived, and very soon your air conditioner will start leaking again. To properly clean the drainage, you must:

Turn off the power to the air conditioner by unplugging the power cord from the outlet;
remove the cover of the indoor unit;
remove the coarse filters, rinse them well in water and a non-aggressive cleaning agent, such as soap solution;
removing the main plastic from the indoor unit usually requires unscrewing several screws;
remove the pan located under the fan turbine, first disconnecting the drain pipe and unscrewing the screws holding it. In some air conditioner models, it is quite difficult to disconnect the pan and to do this, you will have to study the instructions or find the answer on the Internet;
thoroughly rinse the pan and clean the condensate drain hole from dirt;
blow out the drainage pipe with a vacuum cleaner; if the blockage is severe, remove it mechanically;
disinfect the drainage system, pan and filters. This can be done with chlorhexidine, which is sold in every pharmacy;
Clean the evaporator and fan turbine from dust with a soft brush and vacuum cleaner.

After cleaning the drainage system, reassemble the air conditioner.

Water flows from the air conditioner into the room - what to do

So, let's look at the causes of leaks from the air conditioner and solutions. Of course, it is best to call a specialist to your home, but you can perform some actions yourself:

If we are talking about the first reason, then a master may not even be needed here. It is enough to pour out the excess liquid from the drive, insert it into its original position, after which the equipment will work properly again. It is important to turn off the power first. In the future, also do not forget to monitor the slightest leak.
One of the reasons why the air conditioner leaks is the result of the appearance of ice - it makes sense to make thermal insulation. For example, to avoid temperature changes, you can use glass wool.
If the cause of the breakdown is the pump, it should be repaired, if possible, or replaced. It is difficult to do this without proper experience, so it is better to turn to the experts.
If the corrugated hose is positioned incorrectly, it is enough to place it at the correct angle.
The pipes can be strengthened if it is better to tighten them with nuts and finally use sealant for processing. It is important to act delicately here so as not to break the thread.

Even if the split system has been repaired, do not forget to monitor it so that there are no unnecessary accumulations in it, and in the future it will no longer leak. Prevention is always very important in the case of air conditioners.

Repair of air conditioners in case of leakage in the apartment Source www.stroiword.ru

Main causes of leakage

Sometimes owners of climate control equipment encounter problems that lead to malfunctions in the functioning of the indoor unit.

Overcrowding of the reservoir for collecting released moisture - this can happen if the equipment operates at maximum power for a long time. This happens in shopping malls and business centers, where air conditioners work non-stop.

Leaks are often preceded by attempts to reduce the cost of installing a system.

The hole was not made correctly - the fact is that it should be made at an angle, then the moisture flows out into the street, and not into the room.

The desire to save money on installation work results in even greater expenses for the owners of the premises: first they will have to pay for the illiterate installation of equipment, and then fix the problem. In some situations, you have to completely remove the equipment and then reattach it - this will cost an order of magnitude more.

Sometimes there is a leak from the outdoor unit. As a rule, this cannot be immediately noticed, since it is from it that water usually flows when the air conditioning system is working properly. At the same time, uncorrected defects can damage the entire air conditioner. Most often the reasons are:

lack of freon;
clogging of the evaporation mechanism;
breakdown of the motion controller;
radiator damage.

The air conditioner leaked into the apartment - what experts advise

Experts say that the most common cause of a leak is a clogged drainage tank. Therefore, if you do not carry out periodic cleaning, then at some point one of the pipes will simply become clogged. Any debris can get into the tubes, especially in summer, from grass to insects. Some of them, attracted by water, even settle inside the split system. Some owners of this equipment even put a special fine mesh on the end of the outlet pipe, but we should not forget that this too can become clogged over time.

Cleaning the air conditioner if it leaks Source mamamoet.ru

Requirements for installation of drainage pipes

Air conditioner manufacturers do not recommend using electrical wiring corrugations or garden hoses in condensate drain lines. The route of the gravity condensate drainage system should not have bends or sharp turns.

Special smooth and corrugated pipes for condensate drainage have the required strength. They are made of polyethylene, polystyrene, and metal-plastic.

The drainage line parameters are as follows:

Horizontal sections have a slope of about 3%, on turns the maximum permissible angle is up to 45o;
The standard inner diameter of pipes is usually 16 mm, hoses cannot be inserted into each other;
Tight connection of the hose to the split system unit is ensured by fitting adapters.

At the bottom of the housing of the external unit of the air conditioner there is a special hole for connecting a flexible drain pipe.

Errors when installing the drainage line are costly for the owner of the air conditioner. Improperly equipped drainage from a split system can cause flooding of the basement and lower floors of the house

To lay connecting cables and a condensate drain hose between the outdoor and indoor units of the split system, a hole is punched in the wall. It must be made with a slope towards the street. Even with a scheme with forced removal of liquid. After all, the pump may fail and for some time the moisture will be removed by gravity.

Air conditioner repair prices - why cheap installation is not profitable

Often, the cause of breakdowns due to which water flows inside is cheap and at the same time poor installation. Thanks to it, the causes of malfunctions can be the following:

The hole made for the tube is not made at an angle, as is customary, but straight, which is why condensation will soon begin to flow inside.
If low-quality materials were used during the installation process, the tube may break. Also, in a hurry, the master himself can break it.
Also, poor rolling can lead to a disastrous result, due to which freon leaks, and then, as a result, the heat exchanger freezes. As a result, when the split system is turned on, melted liquid flows and ice falls out.
The freon line was poorly insulated. This is not only a condensate leak, but also the need for an urgent replacement of freon.

Where to buy a replacement

While repair work is being carried out, a portable air conditioner can be a temporary replacement for a stationary product. It can also come in handy at the dacha, or, for example, when traveling somewhere to visit. The best option in terms of price-quality ratio is to purchase from the AliExpress online store. Mandatory long waits for parcels from China are a thing of the past, because now many goods are in intermediate warehouses in destination countries: for example, when ordering, you can select the “Delivery from the Russian Federation” option:

Content:

Where does water come from in an air conditioner?
What is the cause of the air conditioner “leaking” in your case? 1. Water is dripping from a newly installed air conditioner.
2. The air conditioner leaked after several years of operation.

How to clean the air conditioner drain yourself?

Air conditioner maintenance.

Possible malfunctions and ways to eliminate them

The device requires repair if:

The valve does not shut off the water. The causes of the malfunction may be:
disconnecting the shut-off valve from the spindle;
spindle bend;
contamination of the valve with deposits contained in the water;

If the spindle is bent or the valve is disconnected, the valve box must be replaced.

the valve is leaking or dripping. The main reasons for such a malfunction may be:
absence or insufficient quantity of stuffing box.

Replacing the gasket and cleaning the housing

To repair a valve with your own hands when the gasket is worn out, you will need the following tools and materials:

adjustable wrench;
a piece of plumbing rubber;
scissors;
pliers;
knife;
linen thread or other sealing material.

Rubber and scissors are required to make your own sealing gasket. If you know which gasket is installed on the spindle, you can purchase the finished product at a plumbing store.

The gasket is replaced according to the following scheme:

Using an adjustable wrench, you need to unscrew the valve axle that secures the valve spindle;

Disassembling the valve to replace the gasket

Use pliers to unscrew the nut securing the gasket;
the washer and the failed gasket are removed;
a piece of rubber is cut out, the dimensions of which are slightly larger than the dimensions of the valve;
a hole is made in the center of the cut piece of rubber;
the rubber is placed on the valve and secured with a nut;
Excess rubber is trimmed around the valve using scissors. The finished gasket must completely match the dimensions of the valve;

Attaching a new gasket to the spindle

Using a knife, the valve body is cleaned. It is recommended to carefully remove all deposits not only in the device body, but also in the threaded connection;

If it is not possible to clean the case by mechanical force, you can use kerosene or WD-40 liquid.

the crane-box is mounted on the thread;
The connection is sealed, after which the device can be completely fixed.

Sealing the threaded connection with flax thread

Valve repairs must be carried out when the water supply (heating) is shut off.

Replacing the stuffing box

If a faucet valve is leaking, then in most cases the problem is the absence or excessive sealing of the stuffing box. For repairs you will need:

an adjustable wrench or wrench of the appropriate size;
gland packing;
knife or flat screwdriver for sealing.

In this situation, you can repair the valve yourself according to the following scheme:

shut off the water supply to the system;
remove the rotation handle;
unscrew the fixing nut. When loosening the locking, it is recommended to keep the spindle in one position;
remove the sealing ring securing the packing;
use a knife or screwdriver to remove the old packing;

The process of replacing the stuffing box to eliminate a leak

apply and compact new sealing material;
Reassemble the faucet in reverse order.

The process of replacing the gasket and stuffing box is described in detail in the video.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=r7a44zQX2oo

Repairing cracks

If a valve is leaking and the cause of the leak is a crack in the valve body, then you can:

completely replace the valve;
seal the crack with special materials.

Crack in valve body

Among the materials used to seal cracks, cold welding agent can be distinguished.

Tool for cold welding of metal

Detailed instructions for use of the product are indicated on the packaging. The general usage pattern is as follows:

the place where the crack needs to be repaired is cleaned of dirt and degreased with acetone;
the composition for application is prepared;
the finished mixture is applied to the crack and distributed evenly over the surface;

For welding strength, it is recommended to apply the mixture to a larger area than the crack itself occupies.

The composition is expected to dry completely, after which the welding area can be cleaned and painted.

Method of using cold welding to repair a crack

Thus, you can eliminate the most common valve problems yourself. If the repair work carried out does not help correct the situation, the valve must be replaced.

Freon evaporates in the wrong place

Inside the indoor unit there are copper tubes through which freon circulates. If a crack appears in them, it begins to evaporate. At the same time, its temperature can drop below -40 degrees.

At this temperature, moisture in the air crystallizes and settles on different parts of the indoor unit. Over time, it accumulates, heats up and begins to melt. In this case, drops of water fall past the tray and the air conditioner begins to flow.

It is difficult to determine this problem on your own, it is better not to risk it and call a specialist. If none of the solutions described helped you, contact a specialist. You can find it using a specialized service for selecting craftsmen. He'll definitely figure it out.