AC leaking water

[xzochye]

Anyone know anything about ac units? My indoor unit is leaking a small amount of water whenever it turns off. I took the cover off and the coils have some slimy mush on the very bottom and top but that's it. Otherwise there are pretty clean. I had this same problem last year except it was also freezing up outside and all the repairman did was clean the coils and it worked fine afterwards. I am thinking of running to Lowes and buy a steel brush and some spray to clean it. Any other suggestions? I am really trying to avoid calling someone to fix it. Finances are tight right now and payday is still a week away.

I am attaching some pics. The first is the top of the coils and the 2nd is the underside of them.163016311632

[joyohjoy]

I know nothing about AC's but our's did the same thing. My husband took our shop vac outside and attached it to the drain pipe and pulled out alot of junk, dead crickets etc. That has helped and we don't have that problem now. He also poured bleach down the pipe from the inside to sort of clean it out.

[xzochye]

I have heard of pouring bleach into the pipe but an opening to the pipe is not visible. I am so challenged when it comes to any type of home maintenance and it SUCKS!!!

[dragonfly]

We had that happening too. I was filling up an underbed rubbermaid container every day. We had a friend show us how he blew (with his mouth) on the pvc pipe that comes from the coils that goes outside. I stood outside and told him when I could hear air blowing (on my cell phone). A LOT of crap came out before I could hear the air. It totally stopped leaking underneath after that. I WILL NOT put my mouth on that pipe, so I will have to find another way to clean it from now on. I think we poured vinegar down the pipe to really clean it after my friend left.
Good luck!!

[xzochye]

We had that happening too. I was filling up an underbed rubbermaid container every day. We had a friend show us how he blew (with his mouth) on the pvc pipe that comes from the coils that goes outside. I stood outside and told him when I could hear air blowing (on my cell phone). A LOT of crap came out before I could hear the air. It totally stopped leaking underneath after that. I WILL NOT put my mouth on that pipe, so I will have to find another way to clean it from now on. I think we poured vinegar down the pipe to really clean it after my friend left.
Good luck!!

Can you send your friend to me house please? lol

[ithoughtso]

Yes, it sounds like the drain is clogged. A burst of air thru the tube should solve it.

[JoAnn Purser]

You can buy a small air compressor at your local hardware store and use the provided fitting to blow the drain free of bugs, mildew and whatever is causing the drain to clog from the inside of your home. Pouring a cup of bleach once or twice a year especially when the unit is running a lot will keep the pipe clear of build up too. (Beginning of spring and mid summer)

The air compressor is compact and can come in handy to get you to the repair shop if you discover a low or flat tire.

[dragonfly]

What a better idea of using an air compressor, than your mouth!! I'm putting that on my shopping list now!

[FieryPrincess]

All houses should have a primary and secondary drain. The secondary drain is usually in an easy to spot location (ours is right above our front door) and designed to get your attention when it starts to drain. You suck the clog out of the primary drain and the secondary drain dries up again.

There's a video on the internet that shows you how to do it with a shop vac. With some slight modifications (read duct tape and screwdriver) I was able to cobble something together to get my carpet cleaner to do the same job.

And once the drain is clear of teh clog you can prevent future clogs by pouring a cup of bleach (give or take) into the drain once a month. Note to self: do that when I get home...

From what it sounds like (condensation on the coils) you may have a freon leak. That's what it was when my coils froze over.

[xzochye]

I went to Lowes and bought a steel brush, cleaned my coils and it hasn't leaked since. I had someone from work come to look at it and I do not have a secondary drain pipe so he drew me a diagram of how I can put one in myself. Not sure if I am up for that though.... He also noted that I do not have a place to pour bleach either.

[FieryPrincess]

how old is your house? I guess I thought that was standard on an AC install these days.

[xzochye]

My house is only 8 years old.

[FieryPrincess]

I am surprised. Our house is the same age and those things are there. And believe me when I say that everything on our current rent house was done as cheaply as legally possible when it was built.

Reminds me of a neighbor in my HH neighborhood who had INSANE heating bills when compared to the cooling bills. She was having an alarm installed and the guy came down and asked why there wasn't any installation in the attic. They were putting up the houses so quickly in my neighborhood that someone didn't check on it and it didn't go in.

I was missing a couple of electrical plugs (which I discovered when I wandered through some of the similar plans being built) and I made them come and put then in. The electrical had been wired, but the sheetrock guys covered them up and didn't leave a little hole to put the outlet cover on.

[CenTexDave]

Remember, these units suck in air from your house. It most likely has a small filter right behind the air inlet duct. Clean it. And the suggestion about blowing out the drain pipe is right on the money. If the condensation has nowhere to drain it backs up into your house.

[kantwin]

If you can't find where to blow out the drain, go to the end of the drain outside, and use a wet/dry shop vac to vacuum it out.