skip to main content

Heating & Air Conditioning

What would cause my a/c drain pan to fill up with water?

iforgotitsonevermind

14 years ago

One of my a/c units (in the attic) has a drain pan that has filled up with water. It drains out a pipe in the wall but it is a steady flow of water. Yes I know it's summer and the friggin thing runs pretty much constantly all day and night but I don't remember this happening before and the other unit which runs constantly isn't doing this? Any ideas?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

thecomposter
14 years ago
The water is from ambient humidity. The other unit that doesn't have water may need a freon charge or have other issues.

Running constantly can be an under sized unit, need of coil cleaning or the need of a freon charge. A simple freon check is to see if the output line is sweating.

I would start with cleaning both inside and outside coils and changing filers.
creek_side
14 years ago
Is it going out an overflow or the normal condensate drain location? If it is an overflow, something is blocking the normal drain, or your condensate pump isn't operating, if you have one.
Related Discussions
1958 Home Window Well Fills w/Water - Do I have Drains?
Q
Comments (5)
If we trench around the whole house to put in PVC pipe a bit lower than any newly installed drain in the well, we'd have to dig up a few rows of cobble patio. That's the only area we can think of that has enough slope to drain the water away to. Covers won't work because the water is just filling in via the bottom. It's not rained hard enough lately to see if water is seeping in between the house & metal well. Thought maybe we'd rent an auger or Chipping hammer to hopefully dig down to cleanish gravel and clean the clay/soil out of the top. Thinking if that was done, maybe the water would trickle down. I take back what I said about my knowledge on fixes :). I do know I don't want to make a hole through the house to have an inside drain. Or - I'd "prefer" not to. Only a 1" pipe would fit between the walls which might be ok, but it would be very tricky to do without tearing apart all the drywall down there.
...See More
drain pan for water heater -- how to?
Q
Comments (6)
1) Found the pans so I can see how they're supposed to work. I will be installing one. 2) All such installations where I live must be permitted, inspected and signed off by city/county authorities. My previous installation -- with no drain pan -- was in 1998. This one -- also without a pan (yet) -- will be, too. Both installations by local licensed, bonded, professional plumbing concerns. I have the inspection documents in-hand. Accordingly, I don't get the "code" thing. Interesting that I can't buy a faucet, shower-head, or toilet without low-flow characteristics but something of far greater consequence like this is ignored by the regulaters. What a cruel joke!
...See More
My washer drain pipe is backing up along with basement drain
Q
Comments (4)
I agree with Alice. A partial that's going to get worse. "nothing else is backing up" is probably because the lines are longer, and they are backing up, but not to the point you can see it. I had this issue in my old house and came to find out it was tree roots invading the old cast main drain under the front lawn. Had to have it routed out, then had to apply root killer. Fortunately, the tree was very old snd vigorous, so it didn't kill the tree.
...See More
Washing machine fills up with water when OFF??
Q
Comments (11)
ci_lanto, that incident is referring to a very specific kind of temperature switch on a specific model of Maytag washer (which is actually a Whirlpool direct-drive). The last iteration of direct-drives had some models with automatic water level sensing which was a circuit incorporated into the water temp selector switch (which also had ATC circuitry). That switch was known to be flaky and the machine exhibited odd behavior when it went bad. Other types of temperature switches without the special water level control function included in them can't cause the after-spin fill issue. It's possible Jerri Blank's Maytag is of this design ... but that can't be confirmed without the model number.
...See More
iforgotitsonevermind
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the replies. Good question there creekside. I think the fact that it is draining from the pan is probably an overflow. I'll take a look.

I would tend to guess the units are undersized for the house. I have had the contractor that installed them come out on more than one occasion and they swear they are the correct size. But they do run constantly in summer and in winter too. Electric heat pumps. Never again.
creek_side
14 years ago
Running constantly or almost constantly on a hot summer day is normal for an air conditioner or a heat pump. As long as it can maintain the desired set point, then it is properly sized. If it cycles a lot, efficiency and unit lifetime is reduced.

If it can't maintain set point, then it is either undersized or there is an installation or mechanical problem. Sometimes an oversized system runs constantly because a poor installation compromises it so that it can't deliver its full rated output. Unfortunately, that sort of thing apparently isn't all that uncommon.
brainestoo69_verizon_net
12 years ago
help
i jus had a new ac/heating central system put in 4 mos ago, recently our air shut down because the drain pan under it has a shut off mechanism when it gets full, now we contacted installer, they wrapped a 2 ft section of pipe to insulate ,shange filter,an said we should hav no problem,well since every day we r in the attic filling a bucket of water so ac doent shut off,any advice

Related Stories

BATHROOM DESIGN How to Choose the Best Drain for Your Shower

By By Any Design Ltd.

Don't settle for a cheap fix when you can pick a shower drain that suits your style preferences and renovation codes alike

HOUZZ TOURS 13 Character-Filled Homes Between 1,000 and 1,500 Square Feet

By Mitchell Parker

See how homeowners have channeled their creativity into homes that are bright, inviting and one of a kind

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Soak It Up: How to Manage Stormwater in Your Landscape

By Falon Mihalic

Permeable paving, gravel beds and planted areas in your yard can absorb and cleanse stormwater runoff. Here's how it works

EVENTS Designers Get Creative in a D.C. Show House

By Lawrence Karol

With a historic home as a canvas and a worthy cause as an incentive, designers pulled out all the stops for the 2014 project

KITCHEN DESIGN How to Set Up a Kitchen Work Triangle

By Vanessa Brunner

Efficiently designing the path connecting your sink, range and refrigerator can save time and energy in the kitchen

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Plants for Colorful Fall Foliage in the Water-Wise Western Garden

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Try these colorful, drought-tolerant additions to your garden for a fall season filled with color

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING How to Make a Pond

By Mitchell Parker

You can make an outdoor fish paradise of your own, for less than you might think. But you'll need this expert design wisdom

HOUSEPLANTS Play Up Some Fiddleleaf Figs for a Lively Indoor Tune

By creative jewish mom.com

Strike a dramatic chord in a minimalist scene or a country note in a rustic setting — fiddleleaf fig plants harmonize with any style

ARCHITECTURE Know Your House: What Makes Up a Home's Foundation

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Learn the components of a common foundation and their purpose to ensure a strong and stable house for years to come

THE HARDWORKING HOME Mudrooms That Really Clean Up

By Mary Jo Bowling

The Hardworking Home: Houzz readers get down and dirty with their ideas for one of the home’s hardest-working rooms

Sponsored

More Discussions

Mount range hood to wall or ceiling?

19

HVAC Covered in Ice

10

Installing a powder room on main floor with hydronic radiant heat theo

3

windows replacement

3

humidifier for a furnace in a closet

0