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Air conditioning

Air conditioner leaking water: causes, safe checks and help

Air conditioners produce water as they cool, and it normally leaves through a drain. When water drips inside, the most common cause is a blocked or badly sloped drain. A dirty filter or a frozen coil can also be the reason. Switch the unit off, protect the floor and ask a professional to look at it if it keeps happening.

How this usually shows up

  • Water dripping from the indoor unit
  • A wet patch on the floor below the AC
  • Water running down the wall from the unit
  • Water dripping from the drain pipe outside
  • Ice on the unit, followed by dripping

What may be happening

These are possibilities, not a diagnosis. Someone needs to see the problem to know which applies.

Blocked condensate drain
Dirt or algae can block the drain pipe, so water backs up and overflows from the unit.
Drain pipe not sloping correctly
If the drain does not fall away from the unit, water cannot leave freely. This is more common on units that have been moved or newly installed.
Dirty filter or coil
Restricted airflow can make the coil freeze. When the ice melts, more water arrives than the drain can take.
Condensate pump fault
Some units use a small pump to lift the water. If it fails, the water has nowhere to go.
A fault in the system
Ice can also be a sign of a refrigerant or component problem, which needs specialist diagnosis.

What you can safely check

  1. Switch the unit off at the remote so it stops producing water.
  2. Place a towel or container under the drip and protect furniture, floors and electrical items.
  3. Work out where the water is coming from: the indoor unit, the pipe or the wall around it. Note when it happens, for example only in hot weather or only when the unit has been running for a while.
  4. Only if your unit's manual describes user filter cleaning: with the unit off, follow the manual exactly. Let the filter dry fully before refitting.
  5. Look for ice on the unit or the pipes. If there is ice, leave the unit off and let it melt.
  6. Take a photo or short video of the leak. It helps whoever looks at it.
Please do not
  • Do not open the unit or its panels.
  • Do not run the unit while water is dripping onto or near sockets, cables or other electrical items.
  • Do not handle refrigerant pipework.
  • Do not poke rods or wire into the drain pipe.

When to get professional help

  • Water is near sockets, switches, cables or the electrical board. Do not touch anything wet, keep clear, and call 112 if there is any danger.
  • The leak comes back after you have cleaned the filter.
  • Ice keeps forming on the unit or the pipes.
  • Water is marking the ceiling or wall, or damp or mould is appearing.
  • The drain pipe outside is dripping heavily, blocked or discharging where it should not.

How BB Cyprus can help

Send BB Cyprus a request with a photo or short video of the leak. Condensate drainage is one of the areas we deal with. We review it, phone you back and visit the property if we need to see it, then give you a written quote before any work starts.

This is part of our air conditioning work.

BB Cyprus, also known as Bits&Bobs Cyprus, handles home repairs and property maintenance in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca. You do not need to know which trade you need.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Every property is different, and electrical, refrigerant and pressurised-system work should be done by a qualified professional.