AC Leaking Water: Drain Line & Drain Pan Repair in Dallas
AC leaking water in Dallas? Clogged condensate drain, cracked drain pan or frozen coil — what to check, how to stop the leak, and what repair costs.
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Short answer: Water around or below your AC is a condensate problem until proven otherwise: a clogged drain line, a cracked or rusted drain pan, a failed float switch, or meltwater from a frozen coil. Turn the system off to stop the water, and if the air handler is in the attic, treat it as urgent — that water is headed for your ceiling. Call +1 (254) 256-1680 — calls answered 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM CT, 7 days a week.
Why Dallas AC systems make so much water
Air conditioning is dehumidification as much as cooling: warm, humid North Texas air passes over a cold evaporator coil, and the moisture condenses and drips into the drain pan. On a humid DFW day a residential system produces several gallons of condensate. All of it exits through a 3/4-inch PVC line. When that line clogs — algae and biofilm love warm, wet, dark pipes — the water has to go somewhere else. In the majority of Dallas homes the air handler sits in the attic, so "somewhere else" is your ceiling drywall.
The four usual causes
- Clogged condensate drain line. The most common by far. Symptoms: water in the pan, float switch tripped (system shuts off), or water at the unit base. Fixed by vacuuming or flushing the line — $75–$250.
- Cracked or rusted drain pan. Plastic pans crack with age; metal pans in older systems rust through. Pan replacement runs $250–$700 depending on attic access.
- Frozen coil melt-off. A coil iced over from a dirty filter or low refrigerant produces a surge of meltwater the drain was never sized for. The water is the symptom; the freeze is the disease. See AC running but not cooling.
- Disconnected or improperly pitched drain line. Common after attic work — roofers, cable installers and storage-shuffling all knock drain lines loose.
What to do right now
- Turn the system off at the thermostat. No more condensate is made while it is off.
- Contain the water. Bucket under active drips; move furniture and rugs. Do not puncture a bulging ceiling — it will empty itself through the path of least resistance, on its own schedule.
- Check the drain outlet outside for flow; if you have a wet/dry vacuum, two minutes on the outlet pulls most clogs free.
- Call +1 (254) 256-1680. Describe where the water appears — attic unit, closet unit, ceiling stain — so the right parts are on the truck.
Preventing the next leak
Two cheap habits prevent most drain failures: pour a cup of distilled vinegar into the drain line access port twice each summer to suppress algae, and have the line flushed at the spring tune-up (part of a proper maintenance visit). If your attic unit has no float switch, adding one is a small parts-and-labor job that pays for itself the first time the drain clogs — the switch shuts the system down before the pan overflows.
What drain and pan repairs cost
| Repair | Typical Dallas range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic / service call fee | $75–$200 | Often credited toward the repair |
| Condensate drain line clearing | $75–$250 | |
| Drain pan replacement | $250–$700 | |
| Refrigerant leak detection | $150–$500 |
Ranges aggregated from HomeGuide, Angi, HomeAdvisor and Forbes Home cost guides plus Dallas–Fort Worth contractor pricing pages, collected October 2026.
Exact price only after diagnosis — call +1 (254) 256-1680. Full list on the Dallas AC repair cost page.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my AC leaking water inside the house?
Almost always a condensate drainage failure. Your AC pulls gallons of water a day out of Dallas humidity, and that water leaves through a small drain line. When the line clogs with algae, the drain pan cracks or rusts through, or the coil ices over and melts faster than the pan can drain, water ends up around the air handler — or through your ceiling if the unit is in the attic. Turn the system off and call; the fix is usually fast and inexpensive.
Is water dripping from my AC an emergency?
If the air handler is in the attic — as in most Dallas homes — treat it as urgent: water through drywall means ceiling damage compounds by the hour. Shut the system off to stop the water at its source, contain the drip, and call. A ground-level closet unit dripping onto a garage floor is less urgent but should still be fixed quickly — standing water near a furnace is a rust and mold problem.
Can I unclog my AC drain line myself?
The safe DIY step: find the PVC drain line where it exits the house (usually a small pipe near the condenser or under a bathroom eave) and use a wet/dry vacuum on the outlet for two to three minutes to pull the clog out. Pouring a cup of distilled vinegar down the indoor access port twice a summer slows algae regrowth. If the clog is deep in the line, the pan is cracked, or the float switch has tripped, it is a service call.
What is a float switch and why did my AC shut off?
A float switch is a small safety device in the drain pan: if the water level rises, it cuts power to the system so the pan does not overflow. If your AC shut itself off and there is water in the pan, the switch did its job — the drain is clogged. Clearing the line restores normal operation; bypassing the switch is how ceilings get destroyed.
How much does it cost to fix an AC water leak in Dallas?
Drain line clearing typically runs $75–$250 in Dallas. Drain pan replacement runs $250–$700 depending on access — attic air handlers cost more. If the water came from a frozen coil melting, the underlying cause (airflow or refrigerant) is a separate repair. See the Dallas price guide.
Need AC repair today?
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