While walking around your home's central air conditioning unit, you may have noticed a few puddles that have formed on the ground around its perimeter. Since the amount is more than typical condensation that you may expect when the air is highly humid, you may be concerned about the source of the puddles. If so, there are a couple of possible causes of the puddles that are forming around your home's A/C unit.

1.  Condensation Drain Tube Is Clogged Up

One possible reason why puddles are appearing around your air conditioning unit is that the condensation drain tube is clogged up. As the condenser processes the humid air to make it more comfortable for your house's air, the excess moisture is drained out of this tube. Over time, however, dirt, mold, and mildew can clog up this tube. If the moisture is unable to drain through its opening, it will start to accumulate elsewhere in and around the A/C unit.

To check the drain tube, turn off the power to the air conditioner, and remove the access panel. The tube will be a flexible, opaque attachment near the bottom of the compressor. If you find that it is clogged up, remove the tube and soak it in bleach water for about an hour. Then, rinse it thoroughly before reattaching it to the unit.

2.  Coolant Is Leaking out of the Lines or Compressor

If the drainage tube is clear of blockages and you still find puddles of liquid, there is a good chance that the unit has a coolant leak somewhere in the lines or compressor. Since the coolant runs through a closed system, its presence always indicates a crack or hole within the unit.

Since coolant is both odorless and colorless, it can be hard to differentiate between it and water. However, it is harmful to the environment as well as to you and your household's health. Finding puddles of coolant around the unit warrants an immediate repair service call.

If you suspect that there are puddles around your home's A/C unit, do not attempt to find and fix the leak yourself or try to refill the coolant, as a professional is required for this task. Instead, choose to contact an HVAC contractor who offers air conditioning repair services to have them locate the source of the leak so that the necessary actions can be taken to fix it.