How to Stop a Drip in a Portable Air Conditioner
Your portable air conditioner can drip for a number of reasons, but the most likely is an improper installation into the window frame. However, it should also be understood that air conditioners will "leak" through condensation and that it is a normal part of their operation. You must first determine that you actually have a leak and that you are not just misdiagnosing condensation. All you will need are a few tools and maybe half an hour of your time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Determine whether the air conditioner is leaking inside or outside of the window. If it is leaking inside of the window then it has been improperly installed. Place a level on the back of the air conditioner and adjust the unit until you have quarter inch of tilt towards the outside ground. You can use a crowbar for additional leverage but be careful not to damage the grills on the unit as that will hinder air flow to the interior of the unit.
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Turn the air conditioner off and unplug it from the wall outlet. Open the back of the air conditioner unit with a Philips headed screw driver. It is advisable that you wear work gloves as the edges of the panel can be extremely sharp.
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Locate where the leak is coming from. The insulated pipes should be dry but the raw metal piping and the vacuum pump itself should be wet. This is the natural process of condensation and is necessary for the unit to function.
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Pry away the insulated covering on the pipe that is leaking and fill the crack with a light covering of caulk. Any caulk will do for this repair. Then wrap the caulk filled crack in the insulation with waterproof tape.
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Reattach the air conditioner panel and turn the unit back on. Now the only drip will be the natural condensation given off by the unit itself.
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References
- Photo Credit window air conditioner image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com
