Aircond Leaking Water Indoors?
Causes, and Is It Safe to Keep Using?

A wet patch on the wall under the aircond, or drops landing on the bed or the sofa. Water leaking from the indoor unit is one of the most common aircond problems in Malaysian homes, and the first thing people ask us is whether it is still safe to switch on.

This guide is for the wall-mounted split aircond most homes have. It answers the safety question first, then the checks you can do without tools, and where to stop and call a technician.

Is It Safe to Keep Using?

The water itself is not toxic. It is condensate: moisture the indoor unit pulls out of the room air as it cools, the same as the drops on a cold glass. It is not the refrigerant (the "gas"), which stays sealed inside the copper pipes. It is not clean water either, so wipe it up and do not drink it.

If it is only a few drops onto a bare floor, put a towel or a basin under the unit and carry on with the checks below. If it keeps leaking after the checks, leave it off until it is looked at.

Why an Aircond Drips Indoors

Every aircond makes water while it cools. Inside the indoor unit, the water collects in a tray and runs out through a drain hose, usually to the outside wall or a floor drain. A leak indoors almost always means the water cannot get out that way. The usual reasons: the hose is blocked, kinked or sitting in water; the filter is so dirty that the coil ices up and then melts; or the unit is not level, so the tray overflows on one side.

Safe Checks You Can Do Yourself

1. Switch off at the remote and the isolator

Turn the aircond off with the remote first. Then switch off the isolator: the switch for the aircond on the wall near the indoor or outdoor unit, or the aircond breaker in your DB box. Do this before you touch the unit.

2. Clean the filter

On most wall units the front cover lifts up on hinges and the mesh filters slide out, as your user manual shows. Rinse them under the tap, let them dry fully in the shade, and slide them back in. A clogged filter blocks the airflow over the cold coil, so the moisture can freeze into ice instead of draining away. When the ice melts, the tray overflows.

3. Look at the drain hose end outside

Find where the thin drain hose comes out, usually low on the outside wall, near the outdoor unit or at a floor drain. Look at it without pulling on it:

• Blocked: dirt, leaves, insects or a spider web at the end.
• Kinked or bent upwards: water cannot run uphill.
• Under water: the end sitting in a puddle, a bucket or a blocked floor drain lets water flow back.

If the end is only sitting in water or a pot has squashed it, move the pot or empty the bucket. Do not push wire or anything else up the hose.

4. Note when it leaks

• Only after long hours on a very cold setting, or you see ice or frost on the vents: it may be a frozen coil. Switch off and let it thaw.
• Drops spitting out of the vents with the cold air, not dripping from below: try about 26°C, a medium or high fan, and keep windows and doors closed.
• Only when it rains heavily: rainwater may be coming in through the pipe hole in the wall.

Write this down or take a photo. It helps the technician find the cause faster.

5. Is the unit tilted?

Stand back and look at the indoor unit against the ceiling line. If it looks tilted, especially after renovation or painting work near it, note it and take a photo. Do not lift or re-hang the unit yourself.

Leave These to a Technician

• Flushing a blocked drain line inside the wall or the unit.
• A frozen coil that comes back, even with clean filters, or a suspected low refrigerant ("gas"). Refrigerant work needs a qualified technician. For more on this, see aircond not cold: 7 checks.
• Re-levelling or re-installing a tilted unit, or reconnecting a drain hose that has come loose.
• Rainwater through the wall hole, which needs resealing.
• Ceiling cassette units: these pump the water out with a drain pump. If a cassette leaks, switch it off and call a technician.

When to Call Us

If you bought the aircond from Tanradio and it is still under warranty, use our online warranty claim form. Add the model, a photo or short video of where the water comes out, and the checks you have done. You get a tracking number to follow the repair. For anything else, see our services or WhatsApp us below. Shopping for a new unit? Our aircond page covers sizes and installation.

Frequently Asked Questions