Introduction to Aircon condensation
As mentioned in another article regarding Aircon leaking water. Your Aircon could be leaking water from the Aircon piping itself. That is a sign of Aircon condensation. However it could also be due to damaged water pipe or loose joint from water pipe. So how do you really know if there is condensation at your Aircon gas pipe? Read on to find out more.
What is Aircon condensation
Aircon Condensation is defined as the inability for Aircon insulation to absorb condensation from the copper pipe. What is condensation? Condensation is the process in which water vapor becomes liquid. It is only normal for condensation to occur at the Aircon copper pipe. As the cold air passes through the Aircon gas pipe into the fancoil unit, heat from the surrounding sources will cause condensation to occur at the copper pipe. However, the insulation surrounding the copper should prevent it from happening excessively. It should have the ability to absorb the condensation caused by the Aircon copper pipe.
What causes Aircon condensation
Do you know, Aircon condensation is not under workmanship warranty for Aircon installation. That is because there is so many uncertainty surrounding it. Such that even major retailers do not give warranty that is caused by Aircon condensation. The only thing that Aircon technicians can do is to ensure that the best materials are used for Aircon installation
Improper sealing of Aircon trunking
Any opening of the Aircon trunking should be properly sealed by silicon or other materials. This is to prevent outside air from entering the trunking. However, this is just a factor out of many reasons that could cause condensation issue. Finding if there are any gaps in Aircon trunking should be the first action when there condensation occurs.
Heat sources near Aircon piping.
If there are many bright led lights near the Aircon pipe. It could cause condensation in the Aircon pipes. That happens when the cold aircon pipe interacts with this extra heat generated from lighting.
Having Aircon trunking in your toilet.
It is perfectly normal to have condensation in your trunking. The reason is mentioned in the above. As the toilet is a hot and humid area. It is normal to have some condensation mark in the Aircon trunking after a few years.
Trunking in areas where there are no aircon.
If you have Aircon trunking in rooms in which there are no Aircon. For example, storeroom. It is very likely for condensation to occur. As the room temperature of that room cannot be cooled by external sources such as Air-conditioner
Using normal materials for Aircon insulation.
If there is anything you can do about condensation issue. This is the number one thing you need to take note of. In the past, most people use normal materials for Aircon installation. That means using Aircon insulation that is 3/8 inch in thickness. However, with the widespread adoption of inverter Aircon unit. Aircon pipe is colder these days. Hence Aircon condensation is more likely to occur. As a result, you should be using a thicker insulation for Aircon installation. For upgraded materials, you will be using 1/2 inch insulation. This will help to prevent condensation to a very large degree.
Using Aircon trunking that is excessively small
Other than using normal materials. One should also not use Aircon trunking that is excessively small. This is because if Aircon insulation is squeezed excessively into Aircon trunking. It could affect its ability to absorb condensation in the Aircon piping.
Using low fan speed.
This will come across as a surprise to most people. Do not turn on low fan speed for your Aircon. This is unavoidable if people have Aircon that is blowing directly at them. They will have no choice but to opt for turning Aircon at a lower fan speed. However, if you turn on your Aircon at low fan speed. Aircon gas will pass through the pipe at a slower rate. It will be more likely for condensation to occur at the pipe. Hence, whenever possible, turn on the maximum fan speed to ensure a healthier lifespan for your Aircon piping.
Prolong usage of Aircon could cause Aircon condensation
During and after the circuit breaker (year 2020), we noticed a higher incidence of condensation from our customers. We noticed that if there are prolong usage of Aircon, there will be higher likelihood of condensation occurring. However, these condensation issues can be resolved by turning on your Aircon with a higher fan speed.
How to fix Aircon condensation
Change Aircon insulation where Aircon condensation occurs
If the condensation only occurs at a small section of the Aircon trunking. There is a very small chance that you can just change the section of the Aircon insulation. However, it is very unlikely that only a small section of your house have that issue. As mentioned earlier, there could be other cause of Aircon condensation. Hence by changing that section of Aircon insulation might only treat the symptoms without addressing the cause. Nevertheless, for condo units with Aircon pipings that are hidden above false ceilings. There might be a chance of treating issue by changing part of the insulation with 3/4 insulation. However, the Aircon technician needs to ensure that there is enough space for the upsize in insulation.
Change entire set of Aircon piping
This is an issue that could be very costly to fix. As there is a chance that you might have to change the entire set of Aircon piping. For HDB units, it might mean changing all of your Aircon pipes. As it is very hard to just change one section of the Aircon piping. The work and effort required might be very similar to changing the entire set of Aircon pipe. If the condensation issue occurs because you were using normal materials previously. The only way is to change the entire set of Aircon piping. This might be a problem for Aircon installation works that have pipings that are concealed behind cabinet. So if there are any doubts concerning Aircon installation. Free free to give us a call for a phone consultation online.
Use special aluminium covering to wrap around Aircon piping
For Condo or landed units that having Aircon piping that is hidden above false ceiling. There is another way to treat Aircon condensation issue that occurs only at a particular area. We can use a special aluminium foam to wrap around the insulation. This will give added protection to prevent condensation from happening at that area.
How much does it cost to fix Aircon condensation
This will really depends on the method used to fix it. If you are just replacing a portion of the Aircon insulation, it will cost anywhere between $140 – $200 for a small area. If you are wrapping it with the special aluminium foil. It could cause somewhere around $200. If you are intending the change the entire set of Aircon piping. Please find out more about Aircon installation on this page. It will depends on the number of sets of piping that you intend to change.