Air Handler Dripping Water: Causes and Solutions

Is water dripping from your air handler? We can help. If your air handler is tucked away in a utility closet, your attic, or a utility room in your basement, you may not notice right away that it’s dripping water.

You may notice a puddle of water near the unit or water damage on your ceiling if the unit is in your attic. Or you may notice the air handler dripping water on the filter when you go to change the filter.

While your air handler naturally produces condensation during the heating and cooling process, water leaking from your air handler onto the floor is not normal. Keep reading to find out what is causing it and what you can do.

If you see dripping water or a growing puddle of water near your air handler, here’s what to do:

1.  Shut the system off. Do this at the thermostat or circuit breaker box. You want to prevent any more water from leaking, and running the system could cause damage.

2. Mop up the water. If there’s a lot of water, use a wet/dry shop vac to remove as much water as possible. If it’s just a small puddle, using an old beach towel should be sufficient.

3. Call for HVAC repair. Something is not right with your air handler. The HVAC technician will troubleshoot and fix the issue to help you get your home comfortable again.

There are a few reasons your air handler might be dripping water. Let’s take a look.

Your air handler has a condensate drain pan underneath it to catch condensation which then drains into the condensate drain line. A clogged, cracked, or rusted drain pan can leak or overflow. In addition, the drain pan float switch may be faulty if there is one (some states do not require a float switch if the condensate is piped to drain outside).

The condensate drain line carries the water droplets outside your home. Over time, it can become clogged with dirt and debris or mold. The water has nowhere to go, and the drain pan overflows.

Low refrigerant or a refrigerant leak can cause the evaporator coil to frost over and cause dripping water – see below. If it is a newly installed unit, it could be installed incorrectly so that the proper flow of coil condensate to the drain pan is not occurring.

Another reason your air handler is dripping water could be a frozen evaporator coil. This is the “A” coil inside your air handler that sits above the filter compartment. A dirty filter, dirty coil, low refrigerant, or refrigerant leak can all cause an evaporator coil to freeze.  If the filter is wet and the air handler is dripping water on it, a frozen coil is the culprit.

Get in the habit of changing your air filter every 1-3 months. Dirty air filters can cause a frozen evaporator coil, excess condensation, and other problems. Refer to our HVAC air filter maintenance guide for some tips.

Schedule professional HVAC maintenance for every spring and fall to help ensure optimal HVAC system performance and fix problems while they’re small. Many HVAC companies have maintenance plans that can help you save on service calls.

In addition, if you’re worried about water damage, you may want to have your licensed HVAC technician install an air handler overflow switch. This is a safety switch that shuts down the system when it detects a certain level of water.

Anne Fonda, Content Writer at Trane Technologies

A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.

She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.

Expert review by Kimberly Sexton, Senior Systems Engineer

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