Air conditioning systems serve many purposes, making them an essential appliance in the home or workplace.
Your air conditioner takes in warm air from your home and blows it over an evaporator coil that contains refrigerant. As the liquid circulates and absorbs heat, condensation will begin to form. Here is what you should know about your AC sounding like running water.
A Dripping Noise is Normal
No need to fret! A healthy and functioning air conditioning unit creates a little condensation. The way an AC unit works is by taking the humidity from the air and getting rid of it. Once the water is taken out of the air, it needs somewhere to go.
If you hear a dripping sound coming from your unit, it’s most likely this condensation splashing into a drip pan. However, this noise can be as annoying as a squeaky ceiling fan.
If the dripping has become a frustrating sound to deal with, you can look into emptying out the drip pan.
Running Water Noise
If your central AC is making running water sounds, then there might be a problem. The problem is likely caused by the condensate line or drip pan and may require professional ac repair.
Your AC unit may not be properly managing the humidity – causing the water to build up. This can happen when a drain line becomes clogged, causing the condensate line not to drain properly or when the drip pan becomes full and needs to be dumped. A clogged drain line can cause a domino effect of problems.
If the drip pan overflows, it can create excess water in your home. Excess water can then lead to mold, which is toxic to air quality and can create water damage inside your home.
My AC Is Making a Hissing Sound
Your air conditioner could also be producing a continuous hissing sound. This strange noise is a warning that something is amiss. Hissing AC sound could point to:
- Refrigerant leaks. This happens if the copper refrigerant lines have holes or cracks, hence letting out the pressurized gaseous refrigerant.
- Internal valve leak: when the compressor valve that controls the pressurization of the refrigerant leaks, you might start noticing a strange hissing sound.
- Compressor problems: A malfunctioning compressor is also likely to start hissing if the pressure inside is too high.
How This Water Removal Might Go Wrong
The condensate system can encounter problems like any part of the AC. Two common problems that crop up are a cracked condensate pan and a clogged drain. The condensate drain is usually made from plastic, which can crack through age. It can also crack because of years of exposure to heat from the furnace (if the furnace is positioned below the air conditioner).
You’ll need repairs to replace a cracked pan. The drain can become clogged because of algal growth, and this will cause the pan to overflow. A limit shuts off the AC in this case, which is a warning to call for repairs to clean the drain.
Contact Us For Help!
At Freedom Air Repair, we’re a locally-owned and operated air conditioning and heating company serving San Antonio, Tx, and the surrounding areas. We offer San Antonio 24 hour ac repair, ac installation & replacement, ac maintenance, heating repairs, furnace repair & replacement, and more!
With over 20 years of experience in the HVAC industry, we have the know-how to provide superior customer service while maintaining competitive prices. Contact us to learn more and get started.
