Are you wondering what causes condensation on air conditioner vents? To answer that, there are plenty of things that cause condensation or sweats in your AC vents: a dirty filter, clogged condensate drain, improper installation, and many more.
And during summer, the time of year when your air conditioner needs to work overtime to keep your home cool. You may observe water droplets accumulating on your visible air ducts on hot days and question if this is typical. Condensation, often known as ductwork sweating, is what you observe.
It does not necessarily imply that your A/C system is in trouble, but it needs to be addressed. In this article, we explain each reason and how they can cause your AC to sweat. However, it is a common problem, and this article will help you sort it out. So read on!
What Causes Condensation On Air Conditioner Vents
There are many causes for condensation, and before you call your mechanic, you should figure the cause by yourself. Some of the causes of condensation can be fixed by any person. So before you overpay for a dirty filter, try doing it yourself first. We have gathered some information on what causes condensation on air conditioner vents. And here they are:
Reason #1. Dirty air filters
The air conditioner works, sucking the humidity of the air in your home. The condensation falls into the drip pan and then empties from your home through condensed pipes. When your air filter is obstructed, dust and fragments avoid air movement.
The thin layer of ice melts for summer. Instead of dropping the condensed droplets into drip panels, the water freezes through the air conditioner evaporator coil, producing a thin ice layer and, therefore, causes water to drip.
As a result, you must regularly change your air filter. The frequency you have to make depends on various factors. For example, you need your house size; you should consider your house size if you have a pet.
If there is slight frost, you can replace the air filter and allow the unit to resume regular operation. However, if the situation is considered too much to handle, you must replace the filter.
Reason #2. Condensate line blockage
Condensation in the vents can cause water to drip from the air conditioning vents. A blocked condensate drain often causes this. There are many reasons why the condensate drain pipe is clogged. Nevertheless, it is more common if your air conditioner is located in your home’s attic or upper floor. The condensate drain is outside your residence.
Like an air filter, over time, it can become clogged with dust, dirt, debris, mold, algae, and even rats or insects that decide to use the drain as a home.
When the system is placed in these locations, condensate drainage problems can cause water to overflow from the drip tray into the air duct or vent.
Reason #3. Inadequate insulation around the air ducts
As mentioned earlier, air conditioners sweat too, and you might ask, “Why do air conditioning vents sweat?” Well, this one can be the culprit too. Keep in mind that many attics have poor insulation. And because many attic areas are not insulated, they will accumulate extra moisture if your ducts pass through the attic.
Due to improper insulation, condensation will accumulate inside your system and leak through AC vents. If you are not installing it yourself, please do not assume that there is an insulating material. It occurs when hot and humid air from the outside of the pipe escapes to the inside and contacts the cold wall of the tube.
Since your air conditioner pumps cold air into your area through ducts, it is evident that it is cold inside. Fortunately, it is assumed that you can enter the attic safely. In this case, you can quickly place a duct insulation material around the pipe to solve this problem.
Reason #4. Refrigerant leak
The refrigerant is the refrigerant in the air conditioner. Unlike a car, it does not need to be replaced or covered until there is a problem with the equipment, such as a Freon leak. Generally speaking, refrigerant leakage causes less water leakage than condensate drain pipe clogging.
Refrigerant leaks can cause water to flow through air conditioning vents, just like dirty air filters. When the refrigerant content is low, your air conditioner cannot effectively remove the moisture in the indoor air.
If your air conditioning vent is leaking and the air is not circulating well or cold, it may be a refrigerant leak. Low coolant levels are never expected, and contact with coolant can be dangerous. Therefore, it is recommended to call in a licensed HVAC technician to locate and repair the leak.
Reason #5. Frozen evaporator cold
As mentioned above, your air conditioner will freeze. In this situation, you may observe that the system is not adequately cooling. That very little air is escaping from the vents. If you shut down the system to investigate and see water, the coil may be frozen. The ice on the ring will begin to melt and seep into the air-conditioning vent through the pipe.
Wrapping Up!
That ends the topic, what causes condensation on air conditioner vents? First, remember to check what the problem is. If you don’t, you are more likely to overpay a mechanic for something so simple you can take care of it yourself. Regardless, you might need to turn off or restart your AC unit after fixing it during this process, so make sure you know how to restart an air conditioner beforehand.