My A/C is 'leaking' water!

Is this a problem?

In short - no. It's not a problem.

An air conditioning unit produces condensation as a natural part of its cooling process. When warm air passes over the evaporator coil inside the unit, moisture in the air condenses into water droplets on the cold aluminium fins of the evaporator coil. This is similar to how moisture forms on a cold glass of water on a hot day.

The condensed water - or, condensate as we sometimes call it - typically collects in a drip pan or tray below the evaporator coils, and then it's channeled away through a drain line. You will often see this water discharging near your outdoor unit, or, it may discharge in to a drain within the building somewhere. For units which don't have the ability to have a gravity drain run the condensate water away, they will will require a condensate pump. This is the small device mounted in or near the indoor unit, which can sometimes make a small 'humming' noise.

However, if the drain line becomes clogged or the drip pan overflows, or the condensate pump fails, you might notice water dripping or leaking from your air conditioning unit. In this instance you do have a problem and you should call us out straight away, but, generally speaking it's perfectly normal for your a/c system to be generating condensate water and for this to be discharging from the condensate drain.

Regular maintenance, such as cleaning the coils, ensuring proper drainage, and changing air filters, can help prevent issues like water leakage. If you're experiencing excessive water leakage or other problems with your air conditioning unit, we recommend that you have it inspected and serviced by one of our qualified HVAC technicians.