AC leaking water in Altamonte Springs
Almost always the condensate drain line, not the equipment. At Central Florida's average humidity the system pulls litres of water a day through a line that grows algae; when it clogs, water backs up at the air handler or the safety float switch shuts the system down first. A cracked or disconnected drain pan is the less common, messier alternative.
What is most likely wrong
Ranked by probability| Cause | How common | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Condensate drain line clogged with algae | Very common in this humidity | Water at the air handler or in the drip pan; system may have already shut itself off via the float switch. |
| 2. Drain pan cracked, rusted, or poorly pitched | Common in older air handlers | Steady drip even right after a clear line, or water tracking along the pan edge instead of pooling at the drain. |
| 3. Frozen evaporator coil thawing | Common, but it is a symptom, not a cause | A puddle that appears after the system has been running iced up and is then switched off — see frozen AC coil. |
| 4. Disconnected or crushed condensate line | Less common | Water appears somewhere the drain line runs rather than at the unit itself — a ceiling stain below an attic air handler, for instance. |
What you can safely check yourself
Before you call- Find the cleanout tee on the drain line (a vertical PVC pipe with a cap, usually near the air handler) and check whether it is visibly blocked.
- Look for a secondary drain pan under the primary, especially in a closet or attic air handler — if it is full, the primary line has already failed.
- If the coil is visibly iced over, switch to fan-only and let it thaw before anyone touches it — see frozen AC coil.
- Do not force anything down the line under pressure. A wet/dry vacuum at the outside termination is the homeowner-safe way to try to clear it.
Where the licensed line is
A run capacitor holds a lethal charge even after the power is off. Refrigerant handling requires EPA Section 608 technician certification, and in Florida this work requires a state-licensed air conditioning contractor under Chapter 489, F.S.
Verify the licence of any contractor you hire at the DBPR licensee search.
Why this happens in Altamonte Springs
Local patternCentral Florida runs at roughly 75% average relative humidity, so the condensate line on a residential system here is working much harder than the same line in a drier climate — it is the reason a blocked drain is, by a wide margin, the most common water complaint in this market.
In this city's smaller attached communities — Sandy Cove, Oak Harbour, Waterside at Cranes Roost and similar — the air handler is typically in a closet, and the secondary drain pan under it exists specifically to protect the unit below if the primary line fails. In a detached house the air handler is more often in the attic or garage, where a slow leak can run for a while before anyone notices.
Humidity: NOAA 1991–2020 US Climate Normals, Orlando International Airport (USW00012815). Housing mix: Seminole County Property Appraiser CAMA extract (Parcels.csv, 5 September 2026), tax district A1 — Altamonte Springs. 13,253 improved residential parcels: single-family, townhome and condominium. Apartments and manufactured homes excluded.
What the fix typically costs
Researched ranges| What is being priced | Researched range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Condensate drain line clearing | $150–$250 | Clearing a blocked condensate line, Orlando market — the single most common avoidable failure call in this humidity. |
| Evaporator coil, if freeze-related | $1,500–$2,500 | Evaporator coil, Orlando market, parts and labour. |
Sources: Smart Home Air & Heat, Orlando repair-cost ranges (August 2026), Clear Comfort Orlando's own published prices, and for the expansion valve the Angi Orlando aggregator estimate (May 2026), the only source found for that part. Compiled September 2026. Not this business's prices.
Related questions
FAQWhy is my AC leaking water?
Almost always the condensate drain line, not the equipment. At Central Florida's average humidity the system pulls litres of water a day through a line that grows algae; when it clogs, water backs up at the air handler or the safety float switch shuts the system down first. A cracked or disconnected drain pan is the less common, messier alternative.