Why Is My AC Leaking Water?

Water pooling around your indoor AC unit is nearly always a blocked condensate drain line. Your system pulls humidity out of the air, and that water has to drain somewhere. When the line clogs, it backs up and overflows.

Why it clogs

The drain line carries damp, still water in a dark pipe — ideal conditions for algae and biological sludge. Over a season or two it narrows, then blocks. Attic-mounted systems, which are very common in North Texas, are the worst offenders because the line runs further and often shallower.

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Do this now

Then mop up what you can reach and check whether your overflow pan has a float switch — many modern systems shut themselves down automatically when the pan fills. If yours did, that's the system protecting your ceiling.

The other causes

• Frozen evaporator coil. Ice forms, then melts faster than the pan can drain. Usually low refrigerant or restricted airflow.
• Cracked or rusted drain pan. On older systems the pan itself fails.
• Disconnected drain line. More common than you'd think, especially after other work has been done in the attic.
• Dirty air filter. Restricts airflow, coil freezes, pan overflows. Same chain of events, cheapest cause.

What it costs to fix

Clearing a condensate drain line is one of the least expensive jobs we do. Replacing a rusted pan or repairing a refrigerant leak costs more. We publish both ranges, so you'll know roughly where you stand before you call.