DIY Window Air Conditioner Repair A window air conditioner cools the room it's in, so you get relief from the heat without using energy to cool the whole house. If your window AC unit isn't cooling well, don't sweat it—we have common symptoms and troubleshooting solutions for any make or model, as well as window air conditioner repair guides that walk you through repairs step by step. Find the window air conditioner parts you need and browse our free diagrams online to learn how to fix your window air conditioner and restore your cool. Featured Articles and Videos How to Determine the Right Size Window Air Conditioner Troubleshooting a Leaking Room Air Conditioner How to Deice a Window Air Conditioner Video Click one of the common symptoms below for the most common repairs to fix your window air conditioner. Compressor humming but not working Running but not cooling Evaporator fins are iced up Water leaking inside houseQuestion: I just turned my window AC unit ON today and it is leaking water inside my house.

What could be the problem? I had it running for 3 weeks and all of a sudden it started leaking. There is a puddle of water on the window ledge on the inside of the house. Water is on the plastic vent where the cold air blows out. I believe that is where it is leaking but not sure. Can you tell me how to fix this? My carpet is soaking wet, I need this to stop leaking, please help!Window AC Leaking Water Into House – How To FixANSWER: You are going to check a few things to be sure the ac unit is installed properly and there is no water drainage block present – Unplug the window AC unit. – Clean up all the water on the AC unit, on the window ledge, and on the floor of your room. – Check and be sure the AC is tightly sealed in the window. – Do you feel warm air coming into the room around the AC unit? – If you feel warm air coming in you need to seal it correctly. – Seal in the window AC unit to prevent warm air from entering the room. – Check to see if the drain holes on the rear of the ac unit are blocked.

– Clean the drain holes to allow water to drip out. – Make sure the filter is clean and not clogged with massive dirt or dust. – After cleaning up the water and having it turned off for 30 minutes or so, turn it back on and see if the water appears again. – If water appears and starts dripping into your room again, check to see if the AC unit is properly sealed in the window. – If the AC unit is not sealed correctly, the moisture in the air coming in from outside gets condensed by the cold air inside the unit and this extra moisture builds up in AC unit and then leaks. SO BE SURE IT IS SEALED IN THE WINDOW CORRECTLY.AIR LEAK – AIR CONDITIONER NOT PROPERLY SEALED IN WINDOW: If your window air conditioner is not sealed correctly, the warmer air from outside gets inside the air conditioner. When this happens, the moisture that is in the warmer air will be condensed by the colder air inside the air conditioner. When there is excess moisture inside the AC, water will leak. So if this is happening to you, make sure you have a good seal around the window AC.

DRAIN IS BLOCKED – DIRT OR DUST HAS BLOCKED THE DRAIN HOLES: There are drain holes (drip pan) at the rear of window AC units. They can get blocked from dusty conditions or dirt in the air. When this type of blockage happens, the water that would normally drip out will be trapped and water will leak from the front of the AC unit and at both sides of the unit. what's the best ac unitsBe sure to keep the drain holes clean and free of debris. cheapest central air conditioner pricesAlso clean the filters or replace them to prevent any type of blockage that may cause a water leak.how do room ac units workOUTSIDE TEMP IS LOWER – HEAVY MOISTURE IN OUTSIDE AIR: If it is raining or there is heavy moisture in the air outside, water evaporates much less than usual.

This leads to excess water moisture in the air conditioner and this will cause water leaks. This is normal for most window AC units and using a drip pan can solve the issue if there is heavy moisture in the air outside.CONDENSER PUMP NOT WORKING – BROKEN OR CLOGGED PUMP: If the condenser pump in the AC is faulty or clogged, it will cause water to leak. You can check the condenser/pump if you feel confident. Check for any blockage or loose wires. If the pump seems to be okay visually, you will need to test the pump with a meter to see if it is faulty. If so, you may be better off buying a new AC unit.Window AC – How It WorksHave questions about your leaking window AC unit? Please leave a comment below and we can assist.Please Share Our Helpful DIY InformationWhy Does My A/C Smell Bad?Many homeowners take advantage of window air conditioners to save money on electric bills, cool down areas of their homes that the central air unit doesn’t reach, or make their room cold enough to be able to use a blanket at night.

A window air conditioner can be useful for all the reasons listed above, but when dust, water, and heat are combined, they provide the perfect environment for mold and mildew growth if no annual maintenance is performed. Where Did That Mildew Smell Come From?There are several possible reasons for that musty stink: Window air conditioners have a drip tray that is a necessary component of the system. This collection of water, along with heat and dust, allow for some pretty nasty “muck” to collect over time. The smell associated with this stuff is best described as being sour, moldy, or mildewy. If there's a drainage problem, water may have pooled and mildew may have grown on the filter, condenser coil, or somewhere else inside. If the mold is black (Stachybotrys), it's toxic, and you'll want to get rid of it as quickly and thoroughly as possible. I've outlined some steps below that people take to remove the smell, but it’s always best to refer to any literature that came with the window air conditioner at the time of purchase.

WARNING: Most window units are pressurized systems and have a charged capacitor that could cause a shock, so at no time should a homeowner remove anything other than the case, which exposes the internal components of the window air unit. Doing anything other than removing the case may result in personal injury. Seven Steps to Get Your AC Smelling Right Step One: Remove the Case from the UnitOn smaller window air conditioners, remove the outer metal case of the unit. This should expose the coils, fan, and compressor. In a larger unit, after the front plastic and a few screws are removed, the air conditioner will slide out of the case toward the inside of the room. Be careful not to damage the metal fins on the front and rear of the unit. These are made from aluminum and will bend easily. Step Two: Take It OutsideChoose a location outside where a hose can be used, such as a driveway. Place the window air conditioner on something secure such as a couple of saw horses or a secure table of some kind.

The table or saw horses will be exposed to water and bleach, so choose something appropriate for this task. For larger air conditioners, an assistant may be required to lift the unit. Step Three: Remove DustBlow the unit off with compressed air from a distance sufficient to remove dust and debris, but be careful not to damage any components or blow too hard on the aluminum fins. Wipe off any surface dust or debris with a damp cloth. Step Four: Clean the Fins Using a soft brush such as the type used to remove lint from a dryer vent, stroke the fins up and down to remove debris caked on to the front and rear of the air conditioning unit. Step Five: Clean the Vent and BlowerFill a spray bottle approximately ¼ full of bleach and fill the rest with water. Spray directly into the area where the cool air blows out of the air conditioner. Be sure to get plenty of the solution into the blower fan while turning it slowly. Once the bottle is empty, refill with water and spray in the same area.

The goal here is to clean the area with bleach and water, then flush the bleach out with water. Step Six: Flush Tray With WaterUsing a hose, flush all the muck and debris out of the drip tray. Do not spray in the tray. The goal here is to use enough water to flush out the debris, but not to use much pressure. Pressurized water will damage the window air conditioner components. Flushing for several minutes is usually enough to sufficiently clean things up. Step Seven: Let It Dry Allow the unit to dry for a few hours. Inspect it closely for any damage or debris. Wipe up any remaining water with a dry cloth and wipe down any surfaces that still need cleaning. Step Eight: ReassembleReassemble the case in the reverse order and slide unit back into the case that it was removed from. This should be enough to remove the smell from the window air conditioner. These steps should be taken at the end of every warm season. The window unit should be stored in a clean, dry location over the cool fall and winter months.