Window air conditioners dump hot air and condensation through drains and vents on the underside of the unit. Sears window air conditioners, sometimes manufactured under the brand name Kenmore, can suffer from issues with their condensation pans. This is not a problem specific to Sears air conditioners, but is a maintenance issue eventually faced by any homeowner with a window unit. As a byproduct of the cooling process, all air conditioners produce condensation. When this condensation is not drained from the system properly, leaks from the unit can occur. Most of the time, the leak can be stopped with a few simple fixes. Ensure Proper Installation To function properly, a window air conditioner must be installed properly. This means following the manufacturer's instructions and ensuring the air conditioner is mounted correctly to the windowsill. Window air conditioners are designed to sit with a slight pitch toward the outside of the home. This enables condensation, drained from the coils to the condensation pan, to flow to the back of the unit and drip outside.

If a window air conditioner is installed improperly, water can back up and drip from the front of the unit, inside the home. carrier heat ac unitsCheck the Filter All window air conditioners have filters located in the front panel, inside the home. how much is a motor for an air conditioning unitThis panel, or grille, can be removed and the filter cleaned or replaced. how to seal a window ac unitA clogged filter can prevent the proper flow of air through the unit and reduce efficiency, decrease the lifespan of the unit, and cause condensation issues. Clean or replace the filter as needed, and reinstall the grille before running the unit to ensure the problem is solved. Clean Coils If your Sears window air conditioner has been running for a prolonged period of time with a dirty filter, or without a filter at all, the copper coils that contain the refrigerant may have gathered dirt and debris.

These coils need to be clean in order to efficiently exchange heat and enable the proper draining of the condensation that forms on them. Unplug the unit and remove the front grille and filter. Wipe down the coils using a solution of warm water and mild soap, removing any lint or dust that has gathered. Reassemble the grille and run the unit to ensure the problem is solved. Condensation Drain Beneath the copper coils filled with refrigerant, there is a condensation drain pan. This condensation pan collects the water droplets that fall from the cold coils, and drains the accumulated water out of the bottom of the air conditioner case. Over time, these condensation pans and their drains can become clogged and cause overflows. Wipe down the drain pan with a damp cloth, and pour a solution of warm water and vinegar down the drain to ensure the drain is clear and moving freely. References Environmental Air Force: Keeping the Condensate Drain CleanAppliance411: Window AC Is Leaking WaterApartment Therapy: What Should I Do About the AC Drip?

All room air conditioners drip — or at least they should. However, drips in the wrong place or the wrong volume of dripping water may be a sign of a problem with the air conditioner.Why air conditioners dripAs the name suggests, air conditioners do more than simply cool the air. They help condition the air and increase comfort by reducing humidity. The basic concept is similar to the condensation that collects on an iced drink. The air conditioner’s cooling coil or evaporator absorbs moisture from the room. The airborne water vapor cools into liquid form and then collects on cold surfaces in the air conditioning unit.How much air conditioners dripThe volume of dripping condensation from an air conditioner varies widely depending on humidity levels and temperature, as well as several details regarding the size, efficiency and installation of the air conditioner.On a summer day in a hot, humid climate, each window air conditioner can drip up to two gallons of water per day. Keep in mind that this water can be collected for use in landscape irrigation.

Central air conditioning systems can collect 20 gallons of water per day, and some homeowners collect and divert that water for irrigation. On the other hand, air conditioner condensation should not be collected for drinking water because of the risk of lead exposure and other contaminants.Where air conditioners drip The condensed water should leak from the back of the air conditioner unit whenever the unit is running. The water drips from the cooling coil into channels that should be angled toward the back of the unit. Some of the water is used to cool heating coils in the machine, but most will drip out of the unit.If an air conditioner is not dripping, it may not properly be doing its job of dehumidifying the room. If it is dripping from locations other than the back of the unit, you may have a problem. Troubleshooting dripping air conditionersPerhaps the most common problem with air conditioner condensation is water dripping out the front of the unit, caused by installation errors.

Such drips can ruin furniture or flooring, and may lead to mold concerns. The back of the air conditioner should be slightly lower than the front to encourage proper drainage.Water dripping from the sides or front of the air conditioner could also be caused by air leaks. If the air conditioner is not properly sealed in place, hot outside air could turn into dripping condensation when it hits the cool air conditioning surfaces. You may need to caulk and insulate around the air conditioner to reduce such condensation. This will also boost efficiency and could reduce energy bills.If the water freezes into ice rather than dripping out, the air conditioner likely needs servicing. If there is no water dripping out, the drains may be blocked, which also likely requires professional service.Question: 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. Be sure to keep the drain holes clean and free of debris. Also clean the filters or replace them to prevent any type of blockage that may cause a water leak.OUTSIDE 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.