AC Leaking Water
Water around your indoor unit or dripping from the ceiling — here's what's usually behind it.
By far the most common cause. Algae and debris build up in the drain line over time and cause water to back up and overflow.
If the coil froze from restricted airflow or low refrigerant, water appears as it thaws — usually alongside reduced cooling performance.
The pan under the indoor unit can crack with age, or the drain can clog, causing overflow directly.
If the indoor unit isn't level, condensate may not drain toward the pan correctly.
Restricted airflow from a clogged filter can cause the coil to freeze, leading to leaking as it thaws.
Frequently asked questions
Not typically dangerous, but it can cause real water damage to ceilings, walls, or flooring if left unaddressed — and it's often linked to mold risk given the moisture involved.
Turning it off can prevent further water damage while you wait for a diagnostic, especially if the leak is coming from an attic-installed unit above living space.
Some homeowners do this with a wet/dry vacuum at the outdoor termination point, but if you're not comfortable or it doesn't resolve the issue, it's worth having it properly diagnosed.
Water damage and mold risk go hand in hand — see our Mold & CIRS Support guide or our full AC Repair service.
Why AC water shows up — and when it's an emergency
Your AC manufactures water by design — a healthy system drains gallons of condensate on a humid day. Leaks mean the path failed: a clogged drain line (algae loves SoCal condensate lines), a rusted or cracked pan, a frozen coil now thawing (itself a symptom of airflow or charge problems), or a failed condensate pump where gravity can't do the job. Urgency depends on geography: a drip at an outdoor-adjacent air handler can wait for a convenient appointment; water near the furnace's electronics, through a ceiling, or pooling under an attic unit is a today call — water damage compounds hourly, and the fix is usually cheap compared to the drywall. Our visit clears the path, treats the line, and reads why it failed so it stops being annual.