Roof Air Conditioner Water Leaks A fairly common complaint is that of water leaks from the rooftop air conditioner. These do not have to be nearly as hard to find or fix as people often make them- they simply need to be dealt with in a systematic method. The first question when dealing with this type of leak is- does it leak when it's raining or when the air conditioner is running (or, more rarely, both)? To deal with either, we need to look closely at how the air conditioner is mounted, and how it deals with the condensation generated while running. The main thing to keep in mind, is that the air conditioner is sealed to the roof using a sponge rubber gasket- this gasket is compressable, and really is a long term maintenance item (they can last years, but not forever). This gasket is compressed by 3 or 4 bolts running from the inside assembly up to the top. For either "rain only" or "while A/C is running" leaks, first make certain there is at least 1/2 inch of gasket left (it is not tightened right down to the roof), then check the bolt for tightness- just make sure they are all snug, but don't over tighten- there must be the gap between the bottom of the A/C and the roof.

The reason for this gap is that on most roof top A/C/ units, the condensation drains out the bottom of the unit- between the base of the air conditioner and the roof. For this reason, never, ever seal around the perimeter of the air conditioner- I cannot say how many times I have had to deal with a unit where someone slopped goop around the base of the air conditioner, trapping water in where it has to leak inside. The "inside"coils of the air conditioner sit in a drain pan, to collect the condensation, which then runs out a small hole in the side, and out the bottom.my air conditioning unit is loud If the leak is both while raining, and while running, and the gasket is still thick enough and tight, odds are there is some roof deterioration underneath the air conditioner- as long as the roof isn't sagging, causing water to puddle up around the air conditioner, which can be checked by pulling a string across the roof, from side to side. uv filter for ac unit

If there is significant sag, the air conditioner needs to be raised, either by installing 2 gaskets or by removing the air conditioner and putting shimmed between the roof material and roof frame- this is the method I usually use, building up with strips of 1/4" plywood, until the air conditioner is high enough that water cannot run in. Of course, roof sag may be an indication of a larger problem, but quite often it is just age, and other than a bit of sag, there are really no structural problems.home ac unit coils If the leak is only while the unit is operating, first check all of the above, if everything checks out, odds are that the drain holes are simply plugged up, or that the evaporator coil is very dirty, which will cause enough suction to keep the water from draining properly. To deal with this, we have to get up on the roof, and do some disassembly. You have to remove the plastic shroud, and then the front evaporator cover, which is usually held on by a number of screws.

This will get you in to the evaporator and drain pan- it is usually fairly obvious if the drains are clogged, and they are easily cleaned, but if you are going this far, it is a good time to check the evaporator coils for dirt, and clean them if needed (if they haven't been cleaned in a while, it really wouldn't hurt to clean them. Coleman recommends "Formula 409" cleaner, which works well- I use "VoomRV", but most mild degreaser type cleaners should do fine. I don't like to use the standard coil cleaner products for this, as most of them are acidic, and while they would be fine in a large house air conditioner, I don't like the idea of these products running down the outside of an RV. Another great cleaner that I don't like for this application is "Simple Green"- it has some issues with aluminum. The hardest part of cleaning the coils is rinsing them off without flooding the inside of the RV- being very careful with the water, putting rags in the opening from the top, and putting down a protective cover inside should keep everything A-OK.

While you are up there with all these items, cleaning the outside condenser coils is a great idea- on air conditioners only a few years old, I can usually lower the amperage draw by 1 to 2 amps, simply by cleaning these coils (letting them get rid of the heat more easily). So- understanding what kind of leak you have, and where the water is supposed to go in a properly operating system, we can see that solving roof air conditioner leaks really isn't a hard job, as long as you have a bit of knowledge. Website © 1998-2013 by Christopher D. Bryant, Bryant Services, LLC   This website was built with HTML KickStartHow to Remove RV Air Conditioners If you find your RV air conditioner doesn't work, rather than call a professional to come out and diagnose the problem it can be much cheaper to remove it yourself. This makes it easy to take it in for repairs or to replace it with a new one. Park the RV on a flat location away from trees or other overhanging obstacles. Turn off all RV power.

Remove the controls from the air conditioning unit inside the RV. The on/off switch and the temperature control will slide from their posts. Remove the faceplate of the unit using a screwdriver. It will be attached to the unit by four or more screws depending on the manufacturer. Using the socket wrenches, loosen the four bolts that extend through the unit to the RV roof. These bolts secure the air conditioning unit to the top of the RV. They will later be removed from the top of the unit. Remove the black wiring harness from the air conditioning unit by separating the connection that attaches the RV wiring to the air conditioning wiring. Climb the ladder to the top of the RV. Take care to avoid stepping on any places that appear to be sagging. Remove debris from around the air conditioner. Remove any sealant where the air conditioning unit is attached to the roof with a utility knife. Remove the sealant even if it looks serviceable, because it must be replaced when a new air conditioner is installed.

Remove the bolts that were loosened in Step 3 using a socket wrench. This may require help from someone inside the RV to hold the nuts during removal. Lift the old unit out of the opening and put it on the cardboard. Slide the cardboard to the edge of the RV to prevent scratching the roof. With help, lower the air conditioning unit to the ground. If the unit requires more electrical work than simply removing a connection, contact an electrician to ensure local codes are followed. Only persons weighing 200 pounds or less should work on top of the RV. An air conditioner in a RV uses refrigerant to chill air passing over an evaporator coil. RV Air conditioning systems with low... Air conditioners in RVs operate according to the same principles that guide a window-mounted RV in a regular home. Air conditioners provide much needed relief from the sweltering summer heat, but they have limited use once the weather cools off. Like all appliances, RV refrigerators can get old, overused and break over years of use.

Chances are that you'll need to replace... An air conditioner installed on an RV typically sits on top of the RV unit. When a new unit has been installed,... Few things are more uncomfortable during the summer heat than an RV whose air conditioner fan is broken. You might as well... In order for the air conditioner in an RV to operate effectively, it must be recharged when necessary. According to the HubPages... Many recreational vehicles, or RVs, were offered with the option of a second roof air conditioner, or AC. Buyers might not have... Roof-top air conditioners used on motor homes and recreational vehicles are installed into the roof's vent holes with sealants and foam gaskets.... If it's hot and humid outside, you like to come home to a nice cool house. But it's hardly relieving to open... 10 Delicious Game Day Eats That Rival the Game How to Seal an RV Air Conditioner Travel Trailer Air Conditioner Problems How to Fix an RV Air Conditioner Fan