Most of the time, for most appliances, leaking or dripping water is not a good sign. However, the opposite is true of your air conditioner! It pulls humidity from the air, and all that moisture has to go somewhere! If your air conditioner is not dripping, here are a few reasons why that may happen.
The moisture a window air conditioner collects drains into the bottom of the unit. This water then drips out of the air conditioner. If a window air conditioner is not draining, it could be due to a clogged drain or an improperly positioned air conditioner unit.
Table of Contents
Why a Window Air Conditioner Drips
A dripping air conditioner may seem like a bad sign, but a few drips usually mean the unit is working properly. The air conditioner is designed to cool and condition the air. This means that it pulls humidity from the air, too. Most air conditioners contain a drain to get rid of the water.
How Much Should It Drip?
The amount of liquid that drips out of an air conditioner depends on many factors, including temperature, humidity, and air circulation. It will drip much more on a hot, humid day than on a cool, dry day.
Where Should It Drip?
The air conditioner has drain holes that are located near the back of the unit. If the unit is positioned properly, the water should drip out the back outside of your home. Dripping water in your home could damage walls, floors, and furniture.
Reasons an Air Conditioner Isn’t Draining (and Solutions!)
If your air conditioner is running and you haven’t noticed water draining, here are a few things to check:
Problem: The Condensate Drain Is Blocked
The condensate drain is the hole in the back of the air conditioner that allows water to drain. If it is blocked, then the water can’t drain.
Solution: Clean the Drain
Wipe the base of the unit clean, then use a cotton swab to clean the condensate drain.
Problem: The Air Conditioner Is Tilted Forward
You want your air conditioner to drain outside, towards the back of the unit. An air conditioner unit that is perfectly level or tilted forward may have water pooling at the front, instead of draining out the opening at the back.
Solution: Adjust the Angle
Readjust the air conditioner unit so the backside is slightly lower than the front. You want the entire unit to be slightly angled towards the back, or outside, in order to drain properly.
Problem: Your Unit has a Slinger Ring
Some newer window air conditioner units come outfitted with a slinger ring. The slinger ring dips into the drain pan and flings the collected water back onto the coils. This eliminates dripping and helps cool the coils.
Solution: None Needed!
An air conditioner unit with a slinger ring should not drip unless there is a problem with the unit. You don’t need a solution!
Can I wash the window unit with the water hose the outside of the window unit
my mom’s 3 year old Mainstays window airconditioner would drip like crazy for years. No nothing and it is on the coolest setting-no hole in the back that I can poke at or drill. help me with a tip
My old window Air Conditioner dripped about 5 gallons of water per day. I know this because I have a bucket collecting the water. The air conditioner I have in the window now doesn’t drip any water. I’ve heard about the slinger ring but ….5 gallons of water? Maybe this newer air conditioner isn’t removing the moisture from the air as well? There really should be an excessive quantity of water shouldn’t there?
Hi, thank you for this article. I’m still unsure of what I can do. My Frigidaire window unit is not dripping at all. It has dripped in the past. I am not sure exactly where the drain is. I had to employ a mirror as it is in a window that is only about 10″ from the ground. I poked a Q-tip into all the holes, about 4 of them, that I could find, at the bottom rear of the unit, and there were no blockages. It is currently of course quite hot outside, but today there doesn’t seem to be any humidity, which is odd for here in Arkansas. Also, the unit seems to be tilted backwards just fine. The unit barely fits into my narrow tall window, so to find the model # means I’ll have to uninstall the unit. Since it has dripped in the past, I am assuming it isn’t a slinger.
Thanks in advance for any other tips you can share.
So weird! Mine is doing the same. Its at least 20 years old and has always dripped water. It works perfect, just no water dripping anymore. The drain holes aren’t blocked. I put extra drain holes in it a long time ago because the water would build up to the point it would start splashing on the fan. No water anywhere. I can’t imagine what is going on.