When you live in Texas, your air conditioner is a way of life, right? The best way to preserve life then is to keep your air conditioner working and in good shape. However, a lot of people don’t know much about their air conditioner beyond that it keeps them cool. Here’s what you should know about your air conditioner, and one common problem.
When your air conditioner is operating properly, it doesn’t just cool your house down — it also dehumidifies it. This is a completely natural part of the cooling process, and part of dehumidification creates moisture that drops off the air conditioner’s evaporation coil. When that condensation drips off, it goes into a drip pan which then goes into the drain. This drain leads outside, and ensures that all the extra moisture from dehumidifying evaporates. It sounds complicated, but essentially, an air conditioner also removes moisture from your house — that’s what the air conditioner drain is for.
However, one of the most common problems with air conditioners is the drain getting clogged. What this means is that moisture can’t get out and eventually evaporate — so where does the moisture go if it can’t get out? It doesn’t go anywhere, and because something like a little moisture getting trapped doesn’t get noticed right away, the air conditioner keeps working. Enough moisture builds up, and overflows, causing the air conditioner to leak. If you don’t notice it right away, or it happens overnight, the air conditioner keeps going despite leaking, therefore causing even more leakage, and more permanent damage to your house. And while you might have insurance, it may only cover water damage done by weather or choose not to cover all of it.
What can be done, then, to prevent a clog? One of the best things to do is regular maintenance, whether that be periodically installing a new air filter (in accordance to its lifespan) or having an annual inspection done. In Texas, where the air conditioner is run more often than not, that may mean a bi-annual inspection. It’s worth it when you think about the cost water damage could run you.