An air conditioner pulls water out of humid air all day, and that water leaves through a small condensate drain. When the drain clogs with algae or debris, the pan fills and overflows, and the water soaks insulation and drywall below the air handler, often in a closet or hallway ceiling. In a hot climate the unit runs for most of the year, so a drain problem can build for weeks before it shows.
Where the water goes
- Attic insulation under and around the air handler
- The ceiling directly below the pan
- Walls beside a closet that holds the unit
- Carpet and baseboards under a stained ceiling
- Light fixtures and fan housings in the wet area
A ceiling stain under the air handler? Call and the crew will say what to turn off and whether the ceiling needs opening.
Report the air handler dripStopping a repeat
A technician clears the condensate drain and checks the float switch, which shuts the unit off when the pan fills. Drying the structure without fixing the drain only delays the next leak, so both jobs are tied together.
Drying the ceiling
Wet drywall that sags or stains in a wide patch is cut open so insulation can be pulled and the cavity dried. Smaller stains may dry through small openings. Read about ceiling leak water damage for the same steps, and structural drying in Mascotte for how readings are used.
The first pass is described under water extraction.
AC Condensate and Air Handler Leaks in short
AC drain leak cleanup for Mascotte homes: wet ceilings, closets and insulation below an air handler are checked, opened where needed and dried until the meters read normal.