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Water leaking at the indoor unit or ceiling.

A trained HVAC tech should do panel-open work and switch tests, and drain tie-ins follow local plumbing rules.

Customers put it like this

  • Water is dripping from the AC closet
  • There's a stain under the unit
  • The drain pan is full
  • The unit shut off and the pan is wet
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Stop first if

  • Water is on wiring or controlsKeep clear of it. A qualified person kills power at the disconnect while standing somewhere dry. Otherwise call a licensed electrician.
  • Flue gas smell at a condensing drain, or a CO alarm soundsVentilate and leave the building. From outside, call emergency services or the gas utility.
  • A wet ceiling is soft or saggingKeep people out from under it. Set cooling off at the thermostat and have a qualified person look.
01

Ask on the call

6

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. Is the water at the unit, in the ceiling, or along a duct?
  2. Was it in cooling or heating at the time?
  3. Does the unit sit over a finished ceiling?
  4. Was the drain cleaned or the equipment replaced lately?
  5. Is this the first cooling day of the season?
  6. Is there a humidifier on the system?
02

Bring

5
  • Water jug for a pour test
  • Moisture meter
  • Level
  • Drain cleaning tools
  • Flashlight
03

Check on site

6
  1. Note if the blower sits before or after the coil. Note if drains join, and if the unit sits over finished space.
  2. Check the trap on each drain, the air gap where drains join, and the pitch.
  3. Pour water into the pan with the blower off. Repeat with the blower on and panels in place.
  4. Find where the overflow line ends. Check for plugged ports.
  5. A technician lifts the float switch and notes if the compressor stops.
  6. If the pan stays dry, look for sweating on the cabinet or duct.
04

Keep on the record

5
  • Pour test results, blower off and on
  • Photos of trap and air gap
  • Where the overflow line ends
  • Stain photo
  • Float switch result

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.