Water pooling under the indoor unit, dripping from a ceiling, or staining the drywall: in Florida this is almost always a clogged condensate drain. Your AC wrings gallons of moisture from the air every day, and all of it has to drain somewhere.
When the drain clogs, the water goes wherever gravity takes it — which is usually somewhere expensive. Here is what to do right now, and what fixes it for good.
What To Do Right Now
If water is actively leaking:
- Turn the cooling OFF to stop producing condensate — leave the fan running if the coil is frozen.
- Contain the water: towels, buckets, and move anything valuable out from under the drip.
- Check the drain pan under the indoor unit — if it is full, the primary drain is clogged.
- Do NOT pour drain cleaner or bleach into the line repeatedly as a fix; it does not clear real clogs and can damage the pan.
Why Drains Clog Here
Florida condensate drains clog from the inside out. Algae and biological growth thrive in the warm, dark, constantly wet drain line — it is the perfect environment. Over months, the growth narrows the line until it blocks completely.
When the primary drain blocks, water backs into the emergency pan. If the pan has a float switch, the system shuts down — which is why a clogged drain often presents as a system that will not turn on. If there is no float switch, the pan overflows into the ceiling. The float switch is the cheaper problem to have.
What a Service Visit Fixes
We clear the clog properly — not with a shop vac and hope, but by flushing the line, treating it against regrowth, and verifying flow from the unit to the termination point outside.
Then we check the parts the water may have damaged: the drain pan, the float switch, and any water-affected insulation or drywall nearby. If the system has no float switch, we recommend adding one — it is inexpensive insurance against the next clog.
Keeping It From Coming Back
Drain maintenance is part of every tune-up we do: flush and treatment twice a year keeps algae from building to blockage. Homes that have clogged once tend to clog again without it.
If your indoor unit sits above finished space — a closet air handler over a hallway, a unit in the attic — a float switch and a secondary pan are worth having. The cost is small; the ceiling it protects is not.
Common questions
Is a leaking AC an emergency?
If water is dripping into living space, treat it promptly — water damages drywall, flooring, and anything below it. Turn cooling off, contain the water, and call us.
Can I clear the drain myself with a wet vac?
You can try the outside termination, but most clogs are deep in the line and need proper flushing and treatment. If the vac does not restore flow, call us rather than forcing it.
Why did my AC shut off completely?
Probably the float switch doing its job — it shuts the system down when the drain backs up, to prevent water damage. The drain needs clearing and the switch needs resetting.
How do I prevent this from happening again?
Twice-yearly maintenance with drain flush and treatment. If your unit lacks a float switch, have one installed — it turns the next clog into a shutdown instead of a ceiling stain.
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