Don’t let the water sweep you away! A modern air conditioner can produce nearly 20 gallons of water in condensation during just one day. Condensation can allow mold to spread through your home, while water can leak into your exterior unit or inside your walls and damage the integrity of your home.
When people encounter condensation in their AC ducts, they panic and assume they need an AC and heating tune-up. In reality, you can take a few small steps today to reduce your condensation, improve your AC system, and save yourself time and money. Here’s what you must do about AC condensation.
Understand Why Condensation Occurs
Condensation on AC ducts can occur for a few different reasons. The biggest reason is the temperature difference between the air outside your vent and inside.
Warm air tends to hold more moisture than cold air, and when wet and warm air comes into contact with cold air, the hot air can deposit its moisture onto any surface. The bigger the temperature difference is, the more condensation can form, creating puddles inside your AC ducts.
You should expect to encounter small amounts of condensation on very hot days, so don’t panic if you find a little water on your vents or inside your ducts. You can clean the condensation with a paper towel or a dry rag, and you can remove mold spores with vinegar.
However, if you have a stream of water dripping out of your Atascocita AC, you may have other AC issues you are dealing with. Turn off your system, unscrew your vent, and take a look inside your duct to see where exactly the water is coming from.
Clean Your Ducts
Dirty air filters and blocked ducts are two other major contributors to condensation. When the air becomes trapped inside your ducts, it can get colder and contact with hot air to create significant condensation. After you’ve wiped up the condensation you see, you should clean your filters to remove anything clogged in them.
You can use a vacuum cleaner to suck out dust, hair, and small pieces of debris. You can also use a brush or your fingers to remove items, but use gentle force so you don’t rip your filters apart.
You should swap out your filters every 90 days, even if they seem clean. You must install identical replicas of your old ones, as different products can allow debris to pass through.
Improve Your Home’s Insulation
Insulation can reduce contact between very hot and cold air, preventing condensation. It can also help you save money, as insulation traps cold air in your Atascocita home for longer periods.
Place tight weather seals around the windows in the rooms near your vents, preferably ones made of fiberglass. You should also install fiberglass panels inside your walls with air barriers between the panels. The air barriers act as extra layers of insulation and make it harder for cold air to escape.
If your ducts are underneath your home, you should cover the soil so the cold air cannot escape. You can place plants over your ducts as an additional barrier, but make sure their roots do not break the ducts.
Heat rises and cold air sinks, so you may want to add additional types of insulation to your attic and basement. In addition to fiberglass, you can install loose-fill cellulose panels and foam boards inside your floors and hard-to-reach places in your attic.
Dehumidify the Air
The less humidity in your air, the less condensation you will have. Insulating your windows, walls, and floors can prevent moisture in the air from entering your home. If you still notice a humidity problem after insulating each room, you can purchase dehumidifiers that will take out moisture inside your house.
Baking soda can absorb moisture, so you can place plates or bowls with baking soda out in your humid rooms. If you don’t have baking soda, you can use rock salt or activated charcoal.
Exhaust fans in your kitchen can take moisture outside, so leave your fans running if you notice condensation. You can also vent your dryer to the outside, removing moist air in your laundry room.
Plants can create moisture, so move your houseplants into a greenhouse or a patio. When you’re watering your plants, use a long hose that will carry water several feet away from your home and prevent water from puddling on your floor.
Repair or Replace Your Ducts
If you’ve tried several steps to stop condensation and you still notice AC problems, you should talk to an Atascocita AC maintenance professional. Tell them where you’ve noticed condensation and what other steps you’ve taken to mitigate the problem. Then ask them to come in and inspect your unit from top to bottom, including the exterior unit.
Your professional may recommend repairing your vents, which they can do in a day. Condensation may be dripping between two panels, and your professional may need to tighten and seal them. However, major problems may require replacing your ducts or repairing your entire unit.
Order an AC and Heating Tune-up
AC condensation occurs when humid air touches cold air and drops its moisture. If condensation becomes a problem, you should clean your vents and ducts, replace your filters, and improve insulation. You can also remove moisture from your air with a dehumidifier or baking soda.
Call an AC professional if your condensation becomes severe. They should conduct a full inspection and give you advice on what you should do to repair your unit.
Do not wait for an AC and heating tune-up. Guy’s Air Conditioning and Heating has served Atascocita residents for nearly 40 years. Contact us today.
