Warm air coming from your air conditioner? Is your cooling system leaking water, and emitting a sweet smell? You might have an air condenser coil leak on your hands! A home or car AC condenser leak is a serious yet common problem in air conditioners, particularly on older models with wear and tear.

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Condenser coil leaks happen due to corrosion in the air conditioning system. As the air conditioner coil continues to function, it causes stress on the condenser, causing it to break and eventually leak. Patching up the leak is only a temporary solution. You will need to replace your condenser as it breaks down.

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5 Signs of an AC Condenser Leak

Sign #1 Air Conditioning System Not Cooling Properly

One tell-tale sign of an AC condenser failure is when your AC system blows warm or hot air instead of cool air - this includes any leaks in the AC condenser. The air conditioner will fail to provide enough cooling factor as the coolant leaks out of the condenser.

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In this case, you may need to have your entire AC unit assessed by a technician to find out if the problem lies with the condenser of other parts of the unit. Coil damage is only one of the many issues that may cause your air conditioner to blow lukewarm air instead of cool air.

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Sign #2 Sweet, Chloroform-like Smell

Refrigerant leaks emit a smell to inform homeowners of a gas leak. Refrigerant leaking out of your AC condenser gives off a sweet, almost chloroform-like smell that will instantly indicate a leak in the system. Your AC unit may flash a warning light to alert you of the problem, but our licensed technicians at Luce Aircon will be able to find and fix the leak for you.

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Sign #3 Air Conditioner Overloading

As your air conditioner attempts to function properly without adequate refrigerant levels, it puts stress on the entire system to work. As a result, your air conditioner may overheat and stop working - or worse, start to burn up.

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In cases of an overloading air conditioner, shut off the system and unplug it from the power socket immediately. Contact one of our HVAC technicians for a checkup, diagnostic, and repair of your unit to find out what is causing your air conditioner to overheat. Avoid continuous use of an overloaded air conditioner as it may become a fire hazard.

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Sign #4 Air Conditioning System Freezing Up

Another sign of a leak in the condenser is when your AC unit starts freezing up. Freezing up, coupled with warm air coming from your unit, indicates a refrigerant leak in your air conditioner. As the gas escapes your unit, it freezes any condensate on the evaporator coils, causing your unit to freeze up.

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Sign #5 Air Conditioner Leaking Water

When your frozen AC starts to melt, it leaks water from the vents. A clogged drain line also causes water to leak out of your unit. Both are attributed to a fault in the condenser coil, specifically a leak. A technician will be able to unclog the drain lines, and find the source of the problem for you.

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3 Tips to Prevent an AC Condenser Leak

Tip #1 Keep the Drain Lines Clear

Keep the drain lines clean and clear to prevent them from clogging. Take a long stick or chopstick to clear the clog, and use a hose to clean out the drain lines. This way, you can reduce the stress on your unit, and slow down the wear and tear of the condenser coil.

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Tip #2 Have Your AC Unit Maintained

Having your AC unit maintained by one of our Luce Aircon technicians should be part of your routine in home cleaning. Your air conditioner requires professional cleaning at least once every 4-6 months, and maintenance every 6 months.

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Having your unit maintained will increase the lifespan of your air conditioner, and the technician can apply an anti-corrosive coating to protect your condenser from leaks. They will also be able to find weak points in your unit before they turn into bigger problems. Preventative actions are always better than repairing your unit in the future.

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Tip #3 Fix the Air Conditioner Condenser

Once your condenser coil leaks, have it repaired or replaced immediately. Continuing to use a faulty condenser will damage your entire cooling system, costing you an entirely new air conditioner later on. Our Luce Aircon technicians will be able to fix the leak for you, or find a new condenser for your unit as needed!

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Cool Your Home

Luce Aircon is the leading provider of aircon services in Singapore. Our technicians have decades' worth of experience, and can maintain different models or brands of air conditioners! We'll be able to find the problem, and solve it for you as well.

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Check out our article on signs of leaking evaporator coil.