Why Is My AC Leaking Water Indoors? Causes and Fixes

Water dripping from your indoor AC unit, pooling on the floor, or staining the ceiling is one of the most common AC call-outs we get in the UAE – and one of the most urgent, because trapped water in a humid home leads to mould and ceiling damage fast.

The good news: it is almost always a drainage issue, not a major failure. Here is what causes it and what to do.

1. Blocked condensate drain line

Your AC pulls humidity from the air as it cools, and that water is supposed to drain away through a pipe. In the UAE, dust, algae and grime clog these drain lines constantly. When the line blocks, water backs up and overflows the indoor tray. This is the single most common cause.

2. Frozen evaporator coil

A dirty filter or low refrigerant can freeze the indoor coil into a block of ice. When it melts – often when you switch the unit off – it dumps far more water than the tray can handle. If you see ice on the unit, that is your cause.

3. Cracked or misaligned drain pan, or poor installation

In older Sharjah buildings especially, drain lines were often installed without enough slope, so water sits instead of draining. A cracked pan or a loose connection leaks too. These need a technician to re-route or replace.

Why you should not wait

Water against ceilings and walls in a sealed, humid apartment causes mould and gypsum damage that costs far more than the repair itself. We have seen a 30-minute drain clear-out, left too long, bring down a section of ceiling.

Book our AC repair and maintenance team to clear and re-route the drainage, or see AC repair in Sharjah for local arrival times. For more warning signs, read 5 signs your AC needs immediate repair.

Frequently asked questions

Book a same-day AC technician →