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Here’s Why Your Air Conditioner is Leaking Water

close up of an air conditioner in the bedroom

When there is a problem, the water produced by the air conditioner, which removes humidity from the air, starts to leak. If you’ve been experiencing this, you might want to get to the bottom of this issue. Fortunately, we can demonstrate where this issue stems from.


The HVAC specialists at UFirst HVHeating and Cooling will examine your unit if you are at a stage in the lifespan of your AC when excessive volumes of water are dripping regularly and leaving stains. But if you want to know more, here’s why your air conditioner is leaking water.

How To Tell If Your AC is Leaking?

You can detect AC leaks in many ways. For example, if your house has a musty odor, it can be caused by your air conditioner leaking. If wet patches are around your unit or the ceiling above the unit is damaged, there is a leak in your air conditioner. These are some ways to tell if your AC has been leaking. Now here are some reasons why your AC is leaking.

Common Reasons Why Your AC Leaking

There could be a few causes to why you have a leak in your AC. So, here’s why your air conditioner is leaking water.

Damaged Drain Pan or Blocked Drain Pipe

A broken drain pan or clogged drain pipe may cause your AC’s leakage. Even though drain pans are durable, they can get damaged over time. A water leak will occur if the drain pan develops a hole or crack.

Whereas for drain pipes, the blockage causes the AC to accumulate water, which then begins to leak from the air conditioner’s body. You must replace your drain pan and clear your drain pipe to resolve both problems.

Dirty Air Filter

A dirty air filter may cause your water leakage problem. This filter may obstruct airflow to the evaporator coils, resulting in a drop in temperature and freezing of the coil. It will slowly thaw, causing the water to accumulate in the drip tray. Simply cleaning the air filter will address this problem.

Insufficient Refrigerant Level or Refrigerant Leaks

The next potential cause of your ongoing problem is an insufficient refrigerant level, which can cause problems. The coils may freeze if your air conditioner is running and the refrigerant levels are low. When the ice melts after turning the unit off, the water will pour onto the drip pan. If you notice that the evaporator coils have ice on them, the refrigerant leak is most likely the issue.

If your air conditioner is not cooling effectively, it might indicate low refrigerant levels. You should call a licensed air conditioning refrigeration repair technician to fix the problem or replace the unit to resolve this issue.

Malfunctioning Condenser Pump

A broken condenser pump is likely a factor in your issue, causing the water to gather and push into the drain pan. In the event of a malfunctioning condenser pump, water will build up until the pan overflows and starts to leak.

You should replace or repair the condenser pump to address this problem. You should call your local air conditioning specialists at UFirst to fix your condenser pump.

Lack of Insulation

The final potential reason for your problem could be a lack of insulation. When insulation is damaged or gone, water vapor from the pipes will seep into the ceiling. To solve this issue, all you need to do is get the insulation replaced.

Leaking Air Conditioner? Call Our AC Experts for Help!

Give UFirst Heating & Cooling a call if any of the likely causes listed above resonate with you. Our crew will troubleshoot and fix your air conditioner as we swiftly restore any damages. So don’t put it off and seek our skilled team of technicians’ assistance as soon as possible.