Air conditioners pull water out of the air and send it down a drain. When that drain blocks or a pan cracks, the water turns up somewhere else. Choose where you see it.
Find the likely cause
If water is near anything electrical, or a ceiling is sagging, turn the system off at the thermostat first and call.
Around the indoor unit
In a closet, garage or attic, next to the furnace or air handler.
Check yourselfA very dirty filter can freeze the coil; the ice melts and overflows. Replace the filter and run the fan only for a few hours.
Call usWater keeps coming with a clean filter: the drain line or trap is likely clogged, the pan cracked, or a condensate pump has failed.
Through a ceiling or a vent
A stain or drip below an attic unit, or water around a supply grille.
Check yourselfBeads of water on a metal grille on a humid day can be condensation. Keep interior doors open and filters clean.
Call usA spreading stain under an attic system usually means the main drain has blocked and the backup pan is full. Turn cooling off and call — the drain and float switch need attention.
From a small pipe outside
A PVC or copper pipe near the foundation or under an eave, dripping while the cooling runs.
NormalThat's the condensate drain doing its job. A steady drip in summer is expected.
Call usNo water at all on a humid day while cooling is running can mean the line is blocked — and the water is going somewhere else.
At the outdoor unit
Water around the condenser or heat pump outside.
NormalA heat pump in heating mode defrosts itself in cold weather and sheds water. That's expected.
Call usIce on the copper lines or the outdoor coil in summer points to low airflow or a refrigerant problem.
Under a ductless wall unit
Drips from the indoor head or water running down the wall.
Check yourselfClean the washable filters behind the front panel; dirty filters can freeze the coil.
Call usIf it still drips, the drain may be blocked, the head may not be level, or the condensate pump may have stopped.
Through an office ceiling tile
A stained or wet tile in a suite below a rooftop unit.
Check yourselfMove equipment and papers, put a bucket under it and note which unit serves the area.
Call usUsually a clogged drain trap or pan on the rooftop unit — or a trap that dried out. We clear it, check the pan and make drain cleaning part of your maintenance.
First, whatever you see
Turn the system off at the thermostat if water is near electrics or a ceiling is sagging.
Protect floors and equipment; put a container under the drip.
Check the filter — replace it if it's grey and clogged.
Don't open electrical panels or the unit's service panels.
Call with a photo of where the water is; it often tells us what to bring.
