AC Leak Water Damage in West Palm Beach: Condensate Line and Air Handler Leak Cleanup

In West Palm Beach the air conditioning runs for most of the year, and every hour it runs it pulls water out of the humid air. That water is supposed to drain through a condensate line to the outside. When the line clogs with algae and slime, the drain pan cracks or a float switch fails, the water goes into the air handler closet, the ceiling, the floor or the condo below instead.

Signs of an AC Leak

• Water on the floor of the air handler closet or around the unit in the garage
• Brown rings or sagging drywall on a ceiling under an attic unit
• Swollen baseboards or door casing next to the AC closet
• A musty smell when the system starts up
• A neighbor below reporting a ceiling leak

Why These Leaks Do So Much Damage

Condensate leaks are slow and steady, and they usually happen out of sight, in a closet, an attic or inside a wall. By the time a stain appears, the bottom of the closet walls, the subfloor or the ceiling drywall may have been wet for weeks. In a warm, humid house that is enough time for mold to start growing on the back side of the drywall.

How We Clean It Up

• Find every area the water reached with moisture meters and thermal imaging
• Remove wet ceiling drywall and insulation under attic units
• Cut out the bottom of closet walls and pull baseboards where water wicked up
• Check the subfloor or slab and any cabinets or flooring nearby
• Dry with dehumidifiers and air movers, then confirm with readings

The leak itself, whether it is a clogged line, a rusted pan or a failed switch, is a job for your AC technician. We take care of the water damage and can schedule around their repair.

Condos and Units Below

In a condo, an AC leak often affects the unit downstairs before the owner upstairs knows anything is wrong. We check both units, document the path of the water and keep the moisture records that associations and insurers usually want to see.