Tag: condensation

Tips and Tricks for Dealing with Air Handler Condensation

Your air handler is essentially the indoor component of your central air conditioner. If condensation is forming on the air handler, it can cause some serious problems in your home. It can discolor the concrete upon which it is mounted or even destroy your crawlspace. Here are some excellent tips for stopping this condensation in its tracks.

Check the Duct Insulation

Any time warm, humid air comes into contact with a cold metal surface (such as the ductwork protruding from your air handler), there is going to be condensation. As such, your first and simplest step is to check that your ducts are all completely and properly insulated. Even an inch of exposed ductwork can create enough condensation to create a problem.

Seal the Crawlspace

If the air handler itself is mounted at the crawlspace, then it is important to ensure that the crawlspace is correctly sealed. Otherwise, in the summer months, the warm air that is under your home will rise up through the floors and cause your air handler to ‘sweat’. There are many different ways to seal this crawlspace including plastic sheeting, the application of foam insulation to the foundation walls on the inside of the crawlspace, and more.

Check Your Airflow

If you have blockages in your ducts or a dirty filter, this can also cause a significant condensation issue. What happens is that the temperature of the air dips below the dew point (or the point at which condensation can form on surfaces) allowing significant sweating to occur on the exposed parts of your air handler. To fix this, you may only need to change your filter or check the ducts in your air handler.

Remove Drain Blockages

There is a drainage system within your air handler that is designed to remove any condensation from the inside of the unit. However, if this drain becomes clogged for any reason, or even if your air handler is off-level, the cold water will remain inside of your unit for a longer period of time. This can also add to condensation since it cools the temperature of the entire air handler significantly. You may be able to simply clear the blockage and remedy the issue within minutes.

Check the Temperature Setting

Again, this has a lot to do with the dew point. Essentially, when there is relative humidity in the air, there is a temperature at which condensation will begin; this is known as the dew point. In some cases, solving the issue may be as simple as raising the temperature in the home by one or two degrees so that condensation can no longer form. In others, the installation of a dehumidifier may be necessary.

Install a Larger Unitjimypic

Finally, significant condensation can occur if the central air conditioner itself is simply not large enough to cool your home. The purpose of the unit is to remove the humidity from the air so that the air can be cooled, but if the unit is too small to properly do that, the level of humidity in the home will stay higher, your home will stay warmer, but the air handler itself will be very cold. This causes large amounts of condensation that can truly cause damage in the home.

If you are experiencing condensation on your air handler and you cannot find the cause with these tips and tricks, please give the friendly agents at A Superior Air Conditioning a call. We will be happy to schedule an appointment to stop the condensation in its tracks.

Dealing with Condensation on Ductwork

When it’s hot outside and your air conditioner is working overtime, you may notice some condensation on your ductwork. This can pose a problem for your home since this damp, cool environment is a breeding ground for mold and other harmful bacteria.

condensationWhy Condensation Occurs

Condensation occurs when air is cooled below its ‘dew point’ temperature. Essentially, air can only hold so much moisture depending upon its temperature. The cooler the air, the less moisture it can hold. Thus, when your air conditioner works to cool the air in your home (essentially by removing the humidity, or moisture), the air becomes completely saturated with moisture and cannot hold any more. Any extra moisture in the air comes out in the form of condensation, and your ductwork is a very common place to notice it.

Why Ducts ‘Sweat’

Now, it is important to understand how condensation forms on your actual ductwork. Think of it like this: cold air is being forced through the ducts in your home, whether they are located in your attic, basement or otherwise. The air that is inside the ducts is much cooler than the air outside the ducts, and as the outside surface of the ducts is cooled, the humidity that is in the air outside of the ducts will start to form condensation. This is essentially water that is being taken out of the air and collecting on the ducts; leaving this problem unsolved can cause some serious issues since the water can drip onto the floor of the basement or, worse, onto your ceilings if the ducts are located in the attic.

Handling Sweaty Ducts

There are two different solutions for handling ducts that are prone to condensation. First, the surface of the ducts themselves can be warmed in order to prevent the condensation from forming. Second, the air that surrounds the ducts can be ‘dried’, and this essentially removes the humidity that causes the condensation to form in the first place. To keep the ducts warm, homeowners can add insulation to them. However, it is important to enclose the insulation in a vapor barrier in order to prevent mold growth on the insulation itself. To dry the air, homeowners can install whole-home dehumidifiers.

When the Air Conditioner Unit is the Problem

The air conditioner unit itself is very rarely the cause of condensation on ducts, but there are a few situations in which this should be considered. Some of the newer air conditioners actually make the air that flows through the ducts colder in an effort to remove more humidity from the home in a more efficient manner, but this only adds to condensation issues. Another thing to consider if you are noticing condensation on your ducts is the filter in your AC unit. If the filter is dirty, it restricts the airflow and results in air that is much colder than it should be.

If you are experiencing condensation on your ducts, then professional help is only a phone call away! Here at A Superior Air Conditioning, we can quickly pinpoint the cause, provide you with a solution and potentially save you thousands of dollars in the long run.