Celebrate Air Conditioning Appreciation Week with this gallery  from Magnum Photos. Ever wonder about the water that drips down from air conditioners as an unwelcome sidewalk surprise when you’re walking to work? In 2011, Forrest Wickman looked into the reason why ACs are so leaky, and if there’s anything unsanitary about the water that’s dripping down on you. The original article is reprinted below. Walk down any city sidewalk on a hot summer day, and you're bound to get wet—and not just when it's raining. Water drips from window AC units, especially on muggy days, and this unpleasant drizzle can fall into your hair or even onto the lip of your morning coffee cup. Is all that dripping water sanitary? Yes, as a general rule. Most of the dripping from air conditioners is just condensed water vapor that comes from the air inside the building. Window air conditioners are designed to drain this water from the back, raining it down on any unsuspecting pedestrians below.

In most ways this water is exactly like rain (which also forms from condensed water vapor) or the moisture that collects on a cool can of soda, and it's typically no more harmful. However, in rare cases small amounts of water can be left to stagnate inside the air conditioner, making it a breeding ground for bacteria. On a hot and humid day, a window unit can drip up to 2 gallons of water, which accumulates on its evaporator coil as it cools and dehumidifies the air. (Very little condensation gathers on the exterior side of an AC, which tends to be warmer than the air around it.) This coil, like many plumbing pipes used for drinking water, is made of copper (which is also what makes air conditioners so heavy), and it's much cleaner than you might expect from looking at a dusty AC filter. While copper can be unhealthy in high doses, the condensate from air conditioners seems to be low in minerals and dissolved solids. In a properly functioning air conditioner, the water drips down from the coil into a condensate pan and then exits the unit through a drain or tube.

However, a clog in this drain or tube can leave a puddle to accumulate inside, which is an ideal environment for many types of harmful bacteria. In particular, a 1976 outbreak of Legionnaires' disease was caused by bacteria that spread out of the air conditioning system at Philadelphia's Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. (That's how the disease got its name: Many of the victims were attending an American Legion convention.) While Legionella is known to thrive in the cooling towers of large air conditioning systems like the one at that Philadelphia hotel, it does not seem to grow in smaller units. Furthermore, dripping water isn't really stagnant, so it's extremely unlikely that the water raining down on pedestrians would be infected. The water that drips from air conditioners is probably even safe for drinking. (It's certainly more potable than the drinking water in many countries.) Still, for the reasons mentioned above, it's best not to tilt your head back for a draft. If you're looking for a better use for your air conditioner's condensate, the Explainer recommends using it to water your plants.

Got a question about today's news? Explainer thanks Douglas T. Reindl of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Mark Sobsey of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Echo Beach Patio Furniture Click Here To Have A Part Looked Up.Blue Yellow Plaid Quilt Window Air Conditioner / Window AC Trouble Diagnosis ChartPatio Furniture Michigan City Is there anything I need to do to my window AC before I start it for the summer? Yes, Check and make sure the condenser and evaporator coilsYou can use a garden hose to wash them out. it and remove it from the window to do this. Also take special care not to get the switches and the fan motor wet. Be sure to let everything dry out before plugging it back in.

Also oiling the fan motor if it has oil ports is required. Note: not all fan motors have oil ports. Some are sealed from the factory and cannot be oiled. Check/Clean the Air Filter. Oil Ports on the Fan Motor Zoom Spout Fan Oiler Great for oiling the fan motor Email our parts dept. for zoom spout oilers Great for straightening out those bent fins dept. for fin comb kits How do I oil the fan? Remove the oil port caps, some are plastic, some are metal. few drops of oil. The oil is a light weight turbine type oil. How do I check the compressor? Using a ohm meter, and the compressor is cool to the touch, and the ac is unplugged, Disconnect the wiring to the compressor and mark where the wires went. Ohm out the terminals from common to start andYou should have continuity across both. Check from each terminal, (with the wires disconnected) to ground or a piece of tubing coming out of the compressor.

You should have no continuity. you have continuity to ground the compressor is shorted to ground and will If the compressor has failed and the A/C  compressor is not under warranty, then it's probably not worth repairing as compressors go for How do I check the overload? With it disconnected check it for continuity. A/C wont come on Check the house fuses or the house breaker. Check the selector switch. Air for the unit does not feel cold enough Fan selector set to "Fan Only" position Thermostat set at too warm a setting Exhaust vent control set at "Open" position. Thermostat Sensing bulb not properly located Unit low on refrigerant Air Conditioner cooling but room too warm Air directional louvers improperly positioned Init front is blocked by draperies, furniture, etc. Outside louvers blocked by bricks, siding etc. Insufficient cooling capacity for room size Improper installation - Make sure unit is slightly tipped towards

Blockage in drain - clean drain - remove unit from the window - disconnect power and wash out with garden hose - let dry thoroughly before re- applying power. Water dripping outside at the back of the unit Unit operating in a humid environment - Normal operation Water hitting condenser fan blade.Most window ac's have what they call a slinger ringIt's a ring that runs around the outer edge of the condenser fan blade and slings water up on the condenser coil to help it cool I drilled holes in the bottom of my air conditioner to make it drain and cool better You should not drill holes in the ac base. Most window ac's have what they call a slinger ring . It's a ring that runs around the outer edge of the condenser fan blade and slings water up on the condenser coil to help it cool better. If you drill holes in the bottom , then the a/c will not hold enough water to sling up on the coil. How big of an AC do I need to cool my space?

We recommend 1 Ton, (12,000 BTU) for each 500 sq. ft in a normal house and 1 Ton, (12,000 BTU) for each 400 sq. ft in a manufactured The coil on the front of the AC keeps freezing up or thermostat not cycling properly A sign of low on charge is part of the coil frosting or freezing up and the unit not cooling well. What type of refrigerant do window AC's use? Most units use R-22 Freon. Look on the model and serial tag toIt will usually show how much refrigerant it holds also. A special license is required to handle and purchase refrigerant The fins on my coils are all smashed The fins can be straighten using a fin comb. not effect the unit operation, major fin damage will. Didn't Find Your Answer Here? Or If You Prefer  The Service Dept. All of the information is provided FREE OF CHARGE. No liability is assumed by American A/C & Appliance, any of it's employees, or it's provider for the accuracy of the contents or damages caused by the use of these procedures.

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