3 Reasons Your Air Conditioner’s Drain Pan Is Full of Water

Del-Air technician repairing an AC unit

If you notice standing water in your air conditioner’s drain pan, this is a sure sign of trouble. There are a few issues that might cause this problem. All should be addressed as quickly as possible.

If you see water pooling in your air conditioner, you should give our technicians a call as soon as possible for a quick and efficient AC repair that will get your system back in shape again quickly.

The AC Drain Pipe Is Clogged

A clogged AC drain pipe is the most common cause of standing water in your AC drain pan. As air passes over the evaporator coils in your air conditioner, it cools down and loses some of its humidity.

This humidity is left behind in the form of condensation on the coils. The condensation drips off into the condensate drip pan and exits the system through the drain line.

How AC Drain Pipes Get Clogged

Unfortunately, water isn’t the only thing that’s often left behind on the evaporator coil. The air that blows over these coils can also leave behind dust and dirt.

If the dirt drips off in the water coming from the coils, it can move down the drain line and ultimately cause a clog. 

Although this is a fairly straightforward problem, it’s best to contact one of our experienced technicians for this AC repair to make sure the job is handled right and there are no other issues.

The Evaporator Coil Is Frozen

A frozen evaporator coil can lead to dripping water that will leave telltale signs of moisture in your HVAC drip pan. The evaporator coil is most likely to freeze if your refrigerant levels are low.

If you’re dealing with low refrigerant levels, this often indicates a refrigerant leak somewhere in the cooling system. Our HVAC technicians can help you get to the bottom of this issue by identifying leaks and repairing your system. Once it’s no longer leaking, we’ll recharge your refrigerant.

Your Air Conditioning System Wasn’t Installed Properly

If your air conditioner isn’t installed properly, the drain pan may be angled in the wrong direction. Novices or those attempting a DIY installation might miss this simple yet essential alignment.

The outlet for the drain should be on the lower side of the pan so that water flows toward it. If the outlet is on the opposite side of the pan, water will pool before draining.

The drain pan also requires stable supports underneath it to keep the pan in place and support the bottom. Without these, the pan might sag, creating room for water to pool.

Trust Del-Air To Install Your AC The Right Way

Our technicians can inspect your installation and make sure all parts of the system were handled properly.

If the water in your drain pan is part of an installation problem, we’ll be happy to make the necessary adjustments to your air conditioner so water can drain promptly and properly once again.

Never leave water standing around your air conditioner. If you have a problem with water in your air conditioner’s drain pan, call Del-Air Heating and Air Conditioning for efficient AC troubleshooting that will help you solve the problem.

Contact us today to schedule AC services.

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We are so grateful that Del-Air took care of us. It was an easy initial call. They ran routine service/maintenance. In that appointment, Raymond showed us areas in our air units that needed addressing. He took his time and made sure he made a thorough inspection of all the equipment. And what a nice gentleman. We…

Corie L.

Called at 9pm and they were at our house the next day at 9am. Thorough evaluation , great communication, and fixed our problem without a hard upsell for a whole new unit I. Honest service and I have great confidence with this company moving forward.

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This is our second house using Del-Air and the value and service is why we come back. Our tech Reggie was fabulous! Above and beyond service, super nice, professional and thorough!

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Bryan C.

We are so grateful that Del-Air took care of us. It was an easy initial call. They ran routine service/maintenance. In that appointment, Raymond showed us areas in our air units that needed addressing. He took his time and made sure he made a thorough inspection of all the equipment. And what a nice gentleman. We…

Corie L.