Water has started to pool around your central air conditioner’s inside unit and you have no idea why. First, you should turn off your air conditioner because this water could harm the electronic parts of your AC and cause water damage to your home. Then you should contact a professional AC repair person for help. If you want to understand the cause of this problem before calling a professional, read this article. Why water forms in a central air conditioner indoor unit Part of your air conditioner’s job is to pull humidity from the air. The inside unit’s blower pulls in hot, humid air through the return grille and over the inside unit’s cold evaporator coil (pictured above) to cool the air down. When that happens, condensation/droplets form on the evaporator coil. It’s just like when water droplets bead up on a glass of ice cold water on a hot summer day in Georgia. That water on the evaporator coil falls into a sloped drain pan and down a condensate drain line like a slip n’slide.

That drain line (usually a PVC pipe) either exits out the home (usually near the outside unit) or into your plumbing. OK, so now you have a general idea of how the water forms and the parts involved. If there’s an issue with any of these parts, that’s why the water is forming around the inside unit. Here are a few common problems that are causing the issue you’re having. Clogged condensate drain line or rusted condensate drain pan If the drain line gets clogged by dirt, insects, mold, or anything else, the water has nowhere to go but back into the home. (Some home’s have a secondary drain line but that may also be become clogged.) Use wet-dry vacuum to suck out the obstruction from the outdoor PVC condensate pipe. Also the root of the problem may be a dirty evaporator coil. The dirt will mix with the water and fall down into the pan, clogging the drain. Have a professional clean this coil annually as part of an annual AC maintenance visit. Also, the drain pan may be rusted through and is falling onto the floor and causing  damage to your home.

So you’ll need to replace that. Note: Your air conditioner may have a secondary drain pan to catch the water. This pan has a float switch that turns off your air conditioner to prevent water damage.choosing air conditioning unit If you have a newer air conditioner, the problem may be installation related. ac units for rvAn improperly designed condensate trap will stop the condensate from draining. ac unit for vertical windowsSo all that water builds up in the drain pan and overflows into your home, causing water damage. You’ll need a professional to examine the condensate trap to see if it has been designed properly and fix it if necessary. Open the blower door of your inside AC unit. Is the evaporator coil covered in ice? When that frozen evaporator coil melts there may be so much water that it flows over the drain pan and then onto the floor.

There are 2 common causes of a frozen evaporator coil: To defrost the evaporator coil, turn the air conditioner off. Then turn the blower from “auto” to “on.” The fan should melt the ice slowly enough for the drain pan to handle all the water. In the meantime, you should call a professional AC repairman to check your air conditioner to make sure it’s is working properly and ensure nothing was damaged. Just a few of many issues… There are other causes of water pooling around an inside air conditioning unit, but these are some of the most common.Contact us online or call us at (770) 443-1821. Did you like this article? Sign up for our newsletter to get more DIY how-to articles and money-saving tips sent to your straight to your inbox. Ragsdale Heating, Plumbing and Air has been serving Dallas, Powder Springs, Acworth, Douglasville, Rockmart and the metro Atlanta area for over 20 years. Contact us online for more information on how we can help you.

Why is my indoor central air conditioner leaking water? An indoor central air conditioning unit may be leaking water due to a buildup of excess condensation on the internal cold evaporator coil, a blocked condensate drainage pipe, a rusted condensate drain pan, a frozen evaporator coil or improper installation. If water is noticed beneath an air conditioning unit, it is important to unplug the unit first before attempting to diagnose the problem. What is a condensate drain pump? How do you remove bad smells from a central air system? What is an air conditioner drain alert? Most air conditioning units have a dehumidifier built into the design. This dehumidifier works to pull water out of the air by passing it over a chilled evaporator coil in the body of the unit. On a particularly humid day, the dehumidifier pulls more moisture out of the air than normal. The water builds up on the evaporator coil in excessive amounts and could overflow the drainage pipe or leak through the unit's drain pan.

If the drainage pipe becomes obstructed by dirt, leaves or insects, the water formed on the evaporation coil can overflow and leak out of the unit. Ice can also build up on the evaporator coil if the air conditioning unit is not properly ventilated due to a dirty air filter. Once the air filter is changed, the ice melts from the coil and could leak out of the unit. Finally, if the air conditioning unit was installed on a slant, this could cause the water to run off of the drain pan and leak out of the unit. Where is the drain pipe in a central air conditioner? A drain pipe for a central air conditioner system is generally found around or behind the location of the unit. The drain pipe is typically made using a PV... What causes excessive water in an air conditioner drain pan? Blocked condensation drain lines often cause excessive amounts of water in an air conditioner drain pan. These lines are designed to funnel excess water fr... How do you clean air conditioner drain lines?