Tilt your window unit slightly lower outside to aid draining. Not only does air conditioning lower the temperature inside your home no matter how hot the day, but it also removes humidity from the air. As the cold refrigerant inside your window air conditioner circulates through the evaporator (an indoor cooling coil) the warm air inside your home creates condensation -- like steam on a bathroom window during a shower. Newer units are designed to hold much of this water in the pan, where the fan slings it across the condenser (the outdoor coil) to lower the unit's temperature and increase its efficiency. Some units drain continuously, however. To help either drain better, take whichever measures you find necessary. Unplug the window air conditioner, and ensure it is stable. Have an assistant help you during your work; she can steady the air conditioner and help remove it from the window if it becomes necessary. Check the window unit to determine if it's level or slanted toward the ground outside.

To aid proper drainage, the rear of the unit should drop about an inch lower than the front. "Eyeball" the air conditioner, working from outside; if it's slanted enough, it should appear obvious. If it's difficult to tell, lay a carpenter's level across the top. Drop the rear of the unit lower than the front to increase the unit's angle and encourage good drainage. Even newer units that don't drain continuously generally have an overflow drain in case the water level gets too high. To lower the unit's rear, consider the installation method. If the unit sits unsupported in the window, it's generally a matter of pulling it slightly forward to allow the rear to drop. Braces of various kinds may need to be cut and reattached or otherwise lowered to allow the rear to drop. Find the drain hole or plug designed to expel excess water. On constantly draining units (usually older or very large units) the hole is generally underneath the exterior portion of the unit and may be very small. Window air conditioners designed to retain water may have a hole on the side instead, so when the water reaches a given level it drains away.

Alternatively, you may find a cap underneath the unit that allows you to pour off water before recapping. Unplug the drain hole if you see or suspect it's clogged at or near the entrance. Poke a long, thin wire or even a baby bottle nipple cleaner through the hole, and work it back and forth like you're brushing your teeth. Often this is enough to encourage the water to drain. Pull the unit from the window, remove the outer casing if necessary and set the unit on a clean surface. ac unit has no filterLay a thick cloth over the switches and fan motor, and tilt the air conditioner slightly to encourage water to flow away from these electrical parts. central air conditioner best ratingsSpray the unit, using a low-pressure stream, directing the flow from the inside of the coils out to remove excess dirt and debris. best air conditioning units brands

Remove the base pan, into which the condensation drains, to clean the pan or the internal drain system. Unscrew or pull to unclip the base pan (sometimes called a drip tray) from the bottom of the unit. Scrub with a rag and water from the hose. Alternatively, replace the tray with a new one; if it's rusted or extremely damaged, it may be preventing proper drainage. Look for small tubes -- typically two -- running from the front pan, under the evaporator, to the rear where it releases condensation into the base pan. Run a small brush or wire through these hoses with a swabbing, scrubbing motion to work free any clogs. Enlarge or add another weep hole in the base pan only if one already exists or the product literature indicates it is appropriate. With the pan removed, use a drill and small bit to bore a hole toward the outermost edge of the pan or enlarge an existing hole. Reassemble the air conditioner, attaching the base pan first and following with the casing as appropriate. Reinstall in the window, allowing the proper tilt, and secure.

Avoid running the air for a day or two to ensure everything is dry. Celebrate Air Conditioning Appreciation Week with this gallery  from Magnum Photos. Ever wonder about the water that drips down from air conditioners as an unwelcome sidewalk surprise when you’re walking to work? In 2011, Forrest Wickman looked into the reason why ACs are so leaky, and if there’s anything unsanitary about the water that’s dripping down on you. The original article is reprinted below. Walk down any city sidewalk on a hot summer day, and you're bound to get wet—and not just when it's raining. Water drips from window AC units, especially on muggy days, and this unpleasant drizzle can fall into your hair or even onto the lip of your morning coffee cup. Is all that dripping water sanitary? Yes, as a general rule. Most of the dripping from air conditioners is just condensed water vapor that comes from the air inside the building. Window air conditioners are designed to drain this water from the back, raining it down on any unsuspecting pedestrians below.

In most ways this water is exactly like rain (which also forms from condensed water vapor) or the moisture that collects on a cool can of soda, and it's typically no more harmful. However, in rare cases small amounts of water can be left to stagnate inside the air conditioner, making it a breeding ground for bacteria. On a hot and humid day, a window unit can drip up to 2 gallons of water, which accumulates on its evaporator coil as it cools and dehumidifies the air. (Very little condensation gathers on the exterior side of an AC, which tends to be warmer than the air around it.) This coil, like many plumbing pipes used for drinking water, is made of copper (which is also what makes air conditioners so heavy), and it's much cleaner than you might expect from looking at a dusty AC filter. While copper can be unhealthy in high doses, the condensate from air conditioners seems to be low in minerals and dissolved solids. In a properly functioning air conditioner, the water drips down from the coil into a condensate pan and then exits the unit through a drain or tube.

However, a clog in this drain or tube can leave a puddle to accumulate inside, which is an ideal environment for many types of harmful bacteria. In particular, a 1976 outbreak of Legionnaires' disease was caused by bacteria that spread out of the air conditioning system at Philadelphia's Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. (That's how the disease got its name: Many of the victims were attending an American Legion convention.) While Legionella is known to thrive in the cooling towers of large air conditioning systems like the one at that Philadelphia hotel, it does not seem to grow in smaller units. Furthermore, dripping water isn't really stagnant, so it's extremely unlikely that the water raining down on pedestrians would be infected. The water that drips from air conditioners is probably even safe for drinking. (It's certainly more potable than the drinking water in many countries.) Still, for the reasons mentioned above, it's best not to tilt your head back for a draft. If you're looking for a better use for your air conditioner's condensate, the Explainer recommends using it to water your plants.