In South Florida, your AC pulls a lot of water out of the air every day. That water is supposed to drain outside. When it doesn’t, it ends up on your floor, in your ceiling, or inside the wall around the AC closet. Here’s why it happens and what to do.
What to Do Right Now
- Turn the AC off at the thermostat so it stops making water.
- Soak up standing water with towels or a wet vac, and empty the drain pan if it’s full.
- Check the ceiling below if the unit is in an attic or upstairs. Stains or sagging mean water is spreading.
- Take photos of the leak and any damage.
- Call your AC company to fix the cause, and a restoration company if walls, floors, or ceilings got wet.
Common Causes
- Clogged drain line. The most common cause in Florida. Algae and sludge build up in the line until water backs up into the pan and overflows.
- Cracked or rusted drain pan. Older pans corrode and leak slowly, often for a long time before anyone notices.
- Failed float switch. This safety switch should shut the AC off when the pan fills. If it fails, the pan overflows.
- Frozen coils. A dirty filter or low refrigerant can freeze the coil. When it melts, it can overwhelm the pan.
- Sweating ducts or vents. In humid weather, poorly insulated ducts drip and stain ceilings around the vents.
The Hidden Risk: Mold
AC leaks are often slow and hidden: inside the closet wall, under the air handler, or above the ceiling. That steady moisture is exactly what mold needs. A musty smell when the AC kicks on, dark spots around vents, or stains on the AC closet walls are signs to get it checked. See mold in your AC closet and why your AC smells musty.
How to Prevent It
- Have the drain line flushed during regular AC maintenance.
- Change the filter on schedule.
- Make sure there’s a working float switch.
- Look in the AC closet once a month for water in the pan or stains.
We Dry It Out and Check for Mold
Your AC company fixes the unit. FL Cleanup handles the damage it left behind: drying walls, floors, and ceilings, and checking for mold. We offer a free visual inspection with moisture readings, and we’re a licensed mold assessor (MRSA4035) and remediator (MRSR4158). Find your city on our service area page.
Call FL Cleanup 24/7 at 877-224-2532. Rated 5 stars on Google by 200+ customers. Hablamos español.
