Carlson Heating and AirCarlson Heating and AirAn AC leaking water in Savannah almost always comes down to a clogged condensate drain, a frozen coil, or a full drain pan — and our brutal humidity makes all three way more common here than in drier parts of the country. Your air conditioner pulls a shocking amount of moisture out of the air, and that water has to go somewhere. When the drainage path gets blocked or the coil ices over, that water backs up and ends up on your floor. Most cases are minor. Some point to a bigger problem. Knowing the difference saves you money and a soggy hallway.
A clogged condensate drain line is the number-one reason an AC leaks water around here. I found this out the hard way one August when a puddle showed up under my air handler in the garage. Thought the unit was dying. Turns out it was algae. Just gunk. Savannah's humidity keeps that drain line permanently damp, and damp plus warm equals a slimy buildup that eventually plugs the whole thing. When the line clogs, the water your AC pulls from the air has nowhere to go, so it overflows the pan and drips out. You'll see it more in older homes around Thomas Square and Starland District where the drain lines have had decades to collect grime. A shop vac on the outdoor end of the line clears a lot of these. If it keeps coming back, though, something upstream is off and worth a real look.
If your AC leaks water in bursts — dry for hours, then suddenly a small flood — a frozen evaporator coil is the likely culprit. Here's what happens. The coil ices over while the system runs, then when it kicks off or the ice melts, all that frost turns to water faster than the pan can drain. Why does it freeze in the first place? Usually low airflow from a filthy air filter, or low refrigerant from a slow leak. In our climate the system runs almost non-stop from May through September, so a dirty filter chokes it fast. You can catch this one: pop the panel and look. Ice on the coil or the copper lines is your answer. Shut the AC off, run just the fan to thaw it, and swap that filter. If it freezes again within a day, that points to refrigerant, and that's a pro job — handling refrigerant isn't a DIY thing.
A cracked, rusted, or tilted drain pan lets water escape even when the drain line is perfectly clear. The pan sits right under the coil to catch condensation and funnel it to the drain. Over years of sitting wet — and everything stays wet in Savannah — metal pans rust through, and plastic ones can warp or shift out of level. When that happens water drips past the pan instead of into the drain. I've seen this a lot in homes near Isle of Hope and Georgetown where the equipment's original and nobody's peeked at it in fifteen years. The tricky part is a pan leak is slow. You might not notice until there's a water stain on the ceiling below or a musty smell in the closet. A secondary drain pan with a float switch can shut the system down before it damages your drywall, which is cheap insurance for anyone with an attic air handler.
The reason AC water leaks feel worse in Savannah is simple: our air holds an enormous amount of moisture, so your system produces gallons of condensate every day it runs. Coastal Georgia summers push dew points into the 70s for weeks straight. That means your AC is working overtime as a dehumidifier, not just a cooler. More moisture pulled from the air equals more water moving through your drain line — so any clog, crack, or freeze shows up as a leak much quicker than it would in, say, Arizona. It also means condensation forms on any uninsulated line or duct in your crawlspace or attic. Folks in Ardsley Park and Gordonston with older ductwork sometimes think they've got a refrigerant leak when it's really just sweating metal. The fix there is insulation, not a repair. Point is, humidity is the amplifier. It rarely causes the leak alone, but it turns a minor issue into a visible one fast.
Handle the easy stuff yourself, but call a pro the moment water shows up on your ceiling, near electrical, or keeps coming back after a cleaning. The DIY list is short and honest: change the filter, clear the outdoor end of the drain line with a wet-dry vac, and make sure the AC's actually level. That's it. If the coil keeps freezing, if the pan is rusted through, or if you smell mold, you're past the point of a garage fix. Refrigerant issues legally and practically need a licensed tech. When you do call, expect a service visit to run in the market range for our area — a straightforward drain clearing sits at the lower end, and a minimum service charge applies, which for us starts at $150. Bigger repairs cost more depending on parts. For anyone dealing with a stubborn leak, our team handles this all summer long — here's more on our <a href="/savannah-ac-repair">Savannah air conditioning repair service</a> if you want the details. Exact pricing gets confirmed on-site, because guessing over the phone helps nobody.
It's usually fine short-term if the leak is small and away from electrical, but shut it off if water's near wiring, the coil is frozen, or it's dripping onto your ceiling. Running a frozen unit can damage the compressor, so turn it off and let it thaw first.
A simple drain-line clearing sits at the lower end of the market range, with a service charge that starts at $150. Bigger repairs like a new drain pan, coil work, or a refrigerant leak cost more depending on parts. Exact pricing is confirmed during an on-site visit.
Yes, for a basic clog you can attach a wet-dry vacuum to the outdoor end of the condensate line and suck out the buildup. If the leak returns within a day or two, the clog is likely deeper or the pan is failing, and that's worth a professional look.
Savannah's coastal humidity means your AC pulls far more moisture from the air, producing gallons of condensate daily during summer. That extra water moves through your drain system fast, so any clog, crack, or freeze turns into a visible leak much quicker than it would in a drier climate.
Sometimes, yes. Low refrigerant can cause the evaporator coil to freeze, and when the ice melts it overflows the drain pan as water. If your coil keeps freezing after you've changed the filter, refrigerant is a likely cause and needs a licensed technician to diagnose safely.