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Water Damage Restoration From a Leaking Air Conditioner in Greenwich, Connecticut
In the hot and humid Connecticut summers, air conditioning (AC) is critical to keeping your home comfortable. Air conditioners work by blowing hot and humid air over a cold coil called the evaporator coil. As cold refrigerant moves through the evaporator coil, it removes heat and humidity from the air. This produces cold air, and causes any moisture in the air to condense, or collect, along the coil. Condensation produces water that is collected and pumped through hoses and pipes out of your home.
A typical air conditioner can produce anywhere from 5 to 20 gallons of water per day. The amount of water an air conditioner produces depends on several factors. First, the larger and more powerful air conditioning units condense more moisture - producing more water. And no matter what size air conditioner you have, the more it is used, the more condensation it produces. Plus, air conditioners produce more water in hot and humid weather.
The system that collects and removes this water from your home is critical. If any parts of the system fail, you can be faced with leaks that can lead to complicated water damage in your home. Here are two of the most common reasons that your air conditioner might be leaking.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
One of the most common causes of leaks from air conditioning units is clogged or dirty air filters. This may sound confusing, but dirty air filters can restrict the airflow over the evaporator coil, causing the coil to freeze over. When the ice on the coil begins to melt, it can produce a lot of water at once, overwhelming your drainage system. Several other issues can cause the coil to freeze, including low refrigerant levels, malfunctioning blower fans, or simply working your system too hard for too long.
Clogged, Damaged or Disconnected Drain Lines
Issues with drain lines are another common source of water leaks from air conditioning units. These drain lines can get clogged with mildew, mold, dirt, and other debris, preventing water from draining. They can also get damaged due to age or renovation projects, or just be installed incorrectly. When these lines fail, water backs up and overflows, causing your AC to leak inside your home.
How To Get Water Damage Restoration Help For An Air Conditioner Leak
These leaks can cause serious water damage, including mold growth and even structural damage. What is worse is that these leaks can often go undetected for long periods of time. They may start very small, and in hidden places where you don’t notice them until the damage has spread and starts to smell moldy and musty.
At one of our recent projects, we helped a Greenwich, Connecticut homeowner with water damage from an air conditioning unit leak. These problems are very common in the spring and summer months when units are running a lot and the weather is hot and humid. In this situation, the drain hose line leaked from a condensate water pump connecting to an air conditioning unit in the lower level of a finished basement.
The result was a flooded basement and a considerable amount of water damage to the building materials, as well as to the home owner’s furniture and possessions. The hose line from the condensate pump leaked onto the foundation, and major mold damage was found throughout the impacted area, including lots of mold growth on the back of the drywall.
One of the keys to preventing water leaks from your air conditioning systems is to have them serviced annually. Air conditioning professionals can clean and clear all of your drain lines, hoses, and pipes, and check their connections. They can also repair any other issues that could lead to your evaporator coil freezing.
Even with preventative maintenance, there is still a chance that your air conditioning system can leak, whether due to heavy use or an unexpected problem. If you are faced with water damage to your Greenwich home, contact Riverside Restoration for help. We have the expert knowledge and advanced tools needed to safely and completely restore your home. Don’t take chances with scary situations like hidden mold - call us today to get the specialized help you need to get life back to normal.
Location: Greenwich, CT
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