Aircon leaking water inside? Causes and what to do

The short answer: water dripping from the indoor unit is almost always a condensate drainage problem — most often a blocked drain line — and the right response is to switch the system off and get the drain cleared. It’s rarely expensive to fix, but ignoring it is how you end up repainting a wall.

Why there’s water at all

When your split system cools, moisture from the room’s air condenses on the cold indoor coil — exactly like a cold glass on a summer day. That water collects in a tray and runs outside through a small drain line. Everything works until that line clogs with dust, biofilm or garden debris at the outlet — then the tray overflows into your room.

What’s safe to check yourself

• Switch the system off. Running it just makes more water.
• Find the drain outlet outside(a small pipe near the outdoor unit) and check it isn’t blocked by dirt or growth. A visible clog at the very end can sometimes be cleared by hand.
• Check the filters. Badly clogged filters can ice the coil; when the ice melts, it overflows the tray. If you see ice, leave the unit off and let it thaw before any service visit.

When it needs a technician

Blockages deeper in the line need proper clearing, and repeat leaks usually mean something structural: a drain run with a sag or wrong fall, a cracked tray, or an installation problem. A freezing coil can also signal low refrigerant — which only an ARCtick-licensed technician can diagnose and fix. Drain checks are part of every annual service we do — most leak callouts are skipped services in disguise.

If water reached walls or electrics

Switch the system off at the isolator and don’t run it until it’s inspected. Water and electrics sharing a wall cavity is an electrician’s problem — conveniently, our repair team is licensed for exactly that.

Dripping now? Book a service — same-week bookings, honest diagnosis, drain cleared and the cause fixed rather than just mopped.