Why an AC makes water
Air conditioners pull moisture out of the air. That water drips off the indoor coil into a pan and runs out through a drain line, often to the outside or a floor drain. When any part of that path fails, the water ends up on your floor or ceiling.
The usual suspects
- A drain line clogged with algae, dust or debris.
- A cracked, rusted or shifted drain pan.
- A condensate pump that stopped working.
- A frozen coil, often from a dirty filter, thawing all at once.
- A disconnected drain line or loose fitting.
What you can safely do
Turn the system off at the thermostat, then soak up standing water. Replace a dirty filter. If you can find the outdoor end of the drain line, a wet-dry vacuum held over it can pull out a clog. Many systems also have a float safety switch that shuts the AC off when the pan fills; if it has tripped, the drain still needs clearing.