Why Is My Portable Air Conditioner Leaking Water Inside?

Portable air conditioners are a fantastic means to cool a room without having to go through the hassle and cost involved in installing a permanent air conditioning unit. However, they are not without their problems. Some users complain of noise, while others suffer from their unit freezing up.

One of the most common and worrying problems is when you see your portable air conditioner leaking water on the inside. We’re here to answer your question, “Why is my portable air conditioner leaking water inside?” and maybe more importantly, how you can stop it from happening again.

Reasons why a portable air conditioner leaks water

1. Broken drain pan

After a certain amount of time, you may find that your portable air conditioner unit’s drain pan starts to rust. This is particularly common with older units. Pans can also simply become damaged after a long period of wear or tear.

2. Damaged pump

Like a drain pan, a pump can also become ineffective after a long period of time which causes your portable air conditioner to leak water. This is more common in permanent units, but it can happen in portable ones too that pump water outside. When the pump is damaged, it cannot carry the water out of the unit, so instead it leaks on the inside.

3. Air filter needs cleaning

A great deal of the leaking in portable air conditioner units is caused by dirty filters. This is because filters allow for the air to run over the part called the evaporator coil. However, with a dirty air filter, the coil simply gets too cold. It means that it eventually freezes so that when the ice around the coil starts to melt, it leaks inside the unit.

4. Clogged drain line

If your drain line gets blocked up, your portable air conditioner unit will invariably leak. Drain lines can easily get blocked with household dust and dirt as well as mould that may build up due to excess water. As a result, the water cannot leave the unit and therefore flows back into the unit.

How to stop your portable air conditioner leaking water inside

1. Replace parts

If you can identify what part it is that’s causing your portable air conditioner to leak, you can easily find parts online to replace to fix them yourselves. If you still cannot stop your unit from leaking, then you obviously need to seek advice from an HVAC professional. But in general, replacing one of the above parts that often break will resolve the issue.

2. Regular upkeep

For air conditioning units to last, they need some regular upkeep and maintenance on the part of its owners. If done regularly, it shouldn’t take long and can help you make the most of your unit over the longest period of time possible. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is to clean your air filter regularly. Many can be done simply by popping them in the dishwasher. A clogged drain line can be easily sorted by cleaning it with a vacuum hoover and drying it out every so often to prevent mould.

Key takeaways

Stopping a portable air conditioner from leaking water is critical to your unit lasting as long as possible. If it leaks persistently, it will start to mould, break down, and even become hazardous to use on occasion. Regular maintenance is the best preventative measure you can employ to stop your unit from leaking water. Learn how to identify why it’s leaking so that you can better address the problem.