Air Conditioning - New AC Unit Leaking.

I have my a new central air unit installed about a month agao and for the first time, I ran the unit for almost the whole day last week til I noticed water leaking from the unit onto my ceiling. Checked the unit and noticed water on the overflow pan and water dripping from underneath the trunk connecting to the air hander. The insulation underneath there was also wet.

btw, the unit is American Standard 4 ton with all new duct work.

After almost a week now they are still unable to fix the issue.
They were here twice, first time they tried to relevel the unit with some wood shimms and a couple of strap to lift the trunk up. The second time they readjusted the pan inside the unit.

After numerous phone calls and complains to the company, they told me they have contacted American Standard and now they think the problem has to do with turbulene dued to the size of the trunk or duct being too small.

They will be here this Monday to attempt the fix but I'm not too sure if these guys really know what they are doing.

How could they have used the incorrect size duct or trunk to cause this issue?

What do you think the problem could be?

Thanks for any help in advance.

duct was not right because they wanted to say money!

Holy crap olla anything can and will happen with residential work. What some folks consider to be ductwork is shameful. I bet you dont have a AC unit problem at all, its a INSTALLER PROBLEM. Good Luck on your fix. It sounds like you may need to do some serious documentation if you expect to win out.

Id say you have a lot of IFS IFS here. First the guys that put it in dont know anything about it or how it should be put in. Sounds like
Like said could be the duct work
No P trap on drain line
Coil not turned right in blower box
A baffle not put in right if needed

Id get a lawyer now for sure . to make sure they fix what all the water did to the home.:eek:

ED;)

Ed, what is ISF?

Since they are still reponsive now and am willing to send people over to try and fix the problem, I'm going to give them a bit more time to try and get it resolve.

But again, I'm pretty pissed off now. I have also posted on another site and got a recommendation to call the local American Standard distributor. I did call and spoke with someone there about my situation and they told me they will contact the company that did my installation and that was about it.

I have taken pics of all the damage and plan on documentating it.

what size is the ductwork? metal? flex? what size return?

jtsang Ed, what is ISF?

THats IF'S IF'S like if they put it in right

if the duct work is right

One more "if" here If it had a drain pan under the whole unit like codes call for. All this water should have drained to the outside of the home

ED;)

Isn't the main drain pan on those units plastic now? All it takes is overtightening the adapter to the main drain will crack the pan. And I have seen some new pans crack at the corners.

Look for a cracked drain pan. Or laugh when the finally tell you that is what the problem is...

Tinner, the ducts are of a mixture of flex and sheet metal. Based on my observation most of the ducts coming off the supply trunk to the air vents are flex ducts and the ducts in the closets rning into the 1st floor cieling is metal. I see most of the flex ducts layed on the attic floor (is that the normal, should they be mounted to the attic ceiling?)

Ed, there is a emergency drian pan installed.

jtsang
Ed, there is a emergency drian pan installed.
Does it drain out side??? Most codes now also call for a overflow cutoff switch in the P trap???

ED;)

Update, so the tech came in today and extented the trunk to another 5 feet or so.

I was not home, but he told me he stayed and monitor the unit for leaks for 3 or 4 hours.

I came home turned the unit on. Checked the unit and here's what I noticed.

The insulation under the truck where they extened the truck is wet (the guy must have know this since he stuck a big peice of insulation underneath it to prevent it from leaking to the ceiling).

The insulation on the trunk where it used to leak is also wet but I think that might be residual from previous leak.

I'm really at a lost as what I should do now. The labor is covered for 1 year but I totally lost faith in these guys ever getting the leak fix.

What options do I have. I'm ready to take legal actions. Wahy do you think?

Also, here are photos of the install. Let me know what you think.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jtsang2000/album?.dir=5ce9re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

Without seeing the unit it sounds like the main drain on the unit is not working.

First is there a trap and a vent. On some units the vent is capped, I have found some unit like no cap.

Also when they come to fix it this time make them stay there untill YOU see water comming out of the condensate line.

Also make them put in a pan safty switch, have them put it just about touching the bottom of the pan so it does not scre up your ceiling again.

Rob, don't know if you looked at the pics in my below link. They did install a drain pan and there is a overflow shutoff switch. The problem is not that the water is flowing out of the pan. The water is leaking is coming from near the trunk line that connects to the unit as shown on the pics. It wets the insulation that surrounds the trunk and drips onto the ceiling.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jtsang2000/album?.dir=5ce9re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

Rob, don't know if you looked at the pics in my below link. They did install a drain pan and there is a overflow shutoff switch. The problem is not that the water is flowing out of the pan. The water is leaking is coming from near the trunk line that connects to the unit as shown on the pics. It wets the insulation that surrounds the trunk and drips onto the ceiling.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jtsang2000/album?.dir=5ce9re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

Ok sorry I did not see the pic's.

Put a cap on the vent for the condensate. Then since is it going into a vent line cut the line and see if water comes out.

Get a 3/4 pvc cuppling and pvc cement to tie it together when you see the water.

Also in NY where I am it is agenst code to put it into a vent for sewer.

What it looks like is happening is this (and it all has to do with the vent) The pan in the unit is fillingthe vent is before the trap so when the unit runs it actually sucks air in from the trap and holds the water in the pan, and it overflows and the fan picks it up and pushes it through the duckwork.

As I said put a cap on the vent (3/4PVC cap) and it will be fine.

I am in the ny area .

The tech came in twice already and I told him to check the drain and traps for clogs and time and time again he said it is not clog. Since it is a new unit I don't think that is the case.

I am in the ny area .

The tech came in twice already and I told him to check the drain and traps for clogs and time and time again he said it is not clog. Since it is a new unit I don't think that is the case.


Try this put duck tape on the vent of the condesate.

If anything the vent should be after the trap.

I would definatley install a cap on the vent (above the trap at the unit). Your unit draws air across the coil and is probably pulling the water due to the cap not being there.

The emergency pan really should have encompassed the whole unit. From your pictures it appears to be too short.

I would agree with capping the vent on the drain. It couldn't hurt and it might stop the leak.

I'm having trouble with your term "trunk." I guess we just don't use the same terminology where I tend to hang out. Any chance you could put an arrow on one of the pics where the water is coming from the unit?

I would agree with capping the vent on the drain. It couldn't hurt and it might stop the leak.

I'm having trouble with your term "trunk." I guess we just don't use the same terminology where I tend to hang out. Any chance you could put an arrow on one of the pics where the water is coming from the unit?


The reason your getting water in the trunk is from the condesate vent.

if the unit does not drain then the fan housing gets water in it, then the fan picks it up to toss it into the trunk line.

Like said need a cap on the top of that trap pipe.
Over flow pan not the right size need bigger and have its own drain to out side.

Then there is no way that any "code anywhere" would let anyone run a drain from an AC blower unit in to a sewer line or vent pipe. This can kill you with methane gas from the sewer.
:eek:
This is what I get off the pictures you post here

Did they get a permit from the city to put this unit in?????:thinker: Id call and check

ED;)

Like said need a cap on the top of that trap pipe.
Over flow pan not the right size need bigger and have its own drain to out side.

Then there is no way that any "code anywhere" would let anyone run a drain from an AC blower unit in to a sewer line or vent pipe. This can kill you with methane gas from the sewer.
:eek:
This is what I get off the pictures you post here

Did they get a permit from the city to put this unit in?????:thinker: Id call and check

ED;)


Not just the methane gas. The sew gases can also cause legion airs.


By all rights adding (i know in NY) ac to a house that does not have it will increase your house taxes as it is a capital improvment. (they just want the tax)