One Easy Fix For A Sinking Air Conditioner Pad (& When You Should Call The Pros)

Does your air conditioner condenser — the large machine that huffs and puffs all summer long outside your house — look unlevel? Or, have you recently stubbed a toe, or tripped over the concrete pad it sits on? If so, you have a serious problem on your hands. To function properly, the condenser must be perfectly level. If it isn't, you'll experience air conditioner failures related to the fan motor wearing out with increased strain, or refrigerant not circulating the unit effectively.

Air conditioner pads are usually leveled by the HVAC contractor during installation. However, over time, the pad may sink into the soil because of the condenser's immense weight (these units weigh hundreds of pounds). Depending on the scope of the problem, you may be able to lift the sinking air conditioner pad without calling professionals. To perform this DIY fix, all you need is some coarse sand or gravel, a wide, thick wooden board, and a helper. Start by wedging the board beneath the edge of the pad that has sunk the most. Once you get the board under the concrete, use it as a lever and carefully lift the slab. While you're holding the slab up, get your helper to pack sand or gravel beneath the concrete. Then, repeat the same steps along all the edges of the air conditioner pad that appear to have sunk.

Do you want the job to be done well and without surprises, or are you not 100% certain of your abilities? Then it may be best to get professional help. Unlike the DIY leveling method you'd employ, the professional crew would use a technique that effectively stabilizes the substrate beneath the pad and keeps your A/C compressor from harm during the process. If the pad has obvious signs of damage, you're unsure of your DIY prowess, or you believe the soil beneath the pad lacks the bearing capacity to keep the unit stable, consider calling the pros.

A professional crew would tackle the sinking air condition problem with concrete leveling. The technique involves pumping a substance under the sinking slab to raise and stabilize it. Concrete leveling companies use different substances to raise sinking slabs, including stone slurry grout and polyurethane foam. The procedure itself is similar regardless of the compound used.

To start, the crews would drill holes into the air conditioner pad. These holes are placed strategically, so that the concrete pad rises evenly during the procedure — this is done to protect your air conditioner from damage. Next, the workers pump the leveling compound of choice beneath the slab. This process creates pressure under the concrete, which slowly raises the pad. Once the pad is perfectly level, the crews patch up the holes they made earlier, and that's it — your air conditioner pad has a new lease on life. If the air conditioner is old and the pad has major cracks, or is otherwise in a bad state of repair, concrete leveling may not be an option. Instead, the crews will likely replace the concrete altogether (and don't be tempted to DIY a concrete pad for the air conditioner yourself).