How to Stop a Portable Air Conditioner From Leaking

The portable air conditioner is a luxury many homes cannot do without. It can help when you do not have a central air system, or when your central air does not blow enough cold air. It can also act as a dehumidifier in damp conditioners.

A problem is sometimes caused when the water collects and spills over onto your floor; there are ways you can prevent this. Knowing how to stop a portable air conditioner from leaking will help you to enjoy your unit more and save money on repair bills.

Step 1 - Install A Drainage pipe

Often, in order to stop leaking, you simply need to give the water somewhere to go. A lot of window air conditioners will have the option to install a drain pipe. This will allow the water which has been collected by the machine to easily be carried away and disposed of for you.

In order to connect the pipe, you need to find where the water drains from. You should be able to easily attach the flexible tubing to the drain. The other end of the tubing should go into a sink or out a window. The next time the machine goes through a drain cycle, it will go through the tubing and be out of your life.

Step 2 - Prevent Clogs

Often, water leaking is a result of water in the drainpipe building up instead of being dispersed by the condenser. This happens when the drip hole at the end of the condensate tray gets clogged.

To prevent this, simply add a tablespoon of bleach twice a year to the tray. This will help to prevent fungus from growing in the tray, but also in the system itself.

Step 3 - Unstick Clogs

If you already have a clog in the drainage system or in the drip hole on the condensate tray, you will need to address the problem in order to keep the water in the system. The best way to do this is to use a wire. You can easily insert the wire into the system in order to dislodge anything which might be clogged there.

Simply insert the wire until you feel resistance and then twist the wire as you push further. If there is no give, you may be up against a kink in the line instead of a clog. Using the wire should get rid of any clogs you have. Using bleach will keep the clogs from coming back.

Step 4 - Seal Any Cracks

In order to stop leaking, you should check over the entire system for any cracks. This can happen from dropping the system or from the unit freezing up. Good places to check include the condensate pan and the condenser area. These are the points which see the highest fluctuation in temperatures.

If you see a crack, make sure you dry the area completely and then use a resin poly sealant, seal the crack. Allow the resin at least four hours to completely cure before turning the machine back on again.