A clogged condensate drain or a cracked pan lets an air handler drip into ceilings, closets and walls. Crews in Moncks Corner map the moisture, remove wet insulation and dry the framing.
(888) 532-8921Request AC leak cleanup
Turn the thermostat to off so the pan stops filling and overflowing.
Place a bucket under a drip, and stay out from under a bulging ceiling.
Photograph the stain, the unit and any water standing in the pan.
Have the clogged drain cleared or the pan replaced so the leak cannot repeat.
AC Condensate Leak Water Damage: the trade facts
Air handlers shed water all through the cooling season, so a clogged condensate drain or a cracked pan can overflow for days before a stain appears. The unit usually sits in an attic, a closet or a garage, which puts the water straight into a ceiling or a wall. Related drywall problems appear on the ceiling leak water damage page.
AC condensate leak cleanup in Moncks Corner usually costs $900 to $6,500. A stain caught early stays small, while wet attic insulation, closet walls and flooring add materials and drying days. The air handler repair is billed separately.
$900 to $2,200
$2,000 to $4,200
$3,800 to $6,500
Ranges are typical figures, not a quote. The category of water, the square footage, the material class and how fast drying started move the number most. The water damage cost calculator gives a closer range.
The tech who does the walkthrough finds the source and maps the moisture before equipment goes down, and the drying team keeps it running until the readings say dry.
Moisture meters and a thermal camera trace the wet path from the air handler.
Sagging drywall and soaked insulation come out above the leak.
Small fans and dehumidifiers dry joists, wall tops and framing.
Readings repeat each visit until the ceiling matches dry areas.
Pan water often runs through dusty ducts and old insulation, so it can carry grime and microbial growth into a ceiling. Crews treat it as gray water when it has sat for a while, removing porous materials instead of drying them in place. Early cleanup keeps more ceiling in place.
Air movers on the floor cannot reach a wet attic, so the work is staged. Drywall is opened from below, a small fan or dehumidifier handles the cavity, and the attic stays on the log until readings fall. Closet walls and flooring beside the air handler get the same treatment. See structural drying for the method.
Most overflows trace to a clogged drain, so a yearly flush by an HVAC contractor, a working float switch and a sound drain pan prevent most repeats. Insurance may cover a sudden overflow but not long neglect.
AC leak calls cover ZIP 29461 and subdivisions such as Cypress Preserve, High Point at Foxbank and Carolina Groves, plus homes along US 52 and SC 6.
The same service nearby: ac condensate leak water damage in Goose Creek, Summerville, Hanahan.
Water damage restoration in Moncks Corner · every town covered
A clogged condensate drain or a cracked pan under an air handler can overflow into the ceiling below, especially in humid weather when the unit runs most of the day.
It starts as clean water, but it collects dust and microbes from the coil and the pan, so a long leak is treated as gray water and porous materials are removed.
Rarely. Wet batts hold water for weeks and press against the ceiling, so they are lifted out and replaced after the framing and drywall are dry.
A sudden overflow is often covered, while a leak that ran for months from neglect may not be. Photos and moisture readings help show when the damage began.
An HVAC contractor repairs the drain, pan or float switch. The restoration crew dries what the water reached, and the two jobs are scheduled separately.
Not if the drywall dried fully and the leak was repaired. A stain that returns usually means the source is still active or the cavity is still damp.
Air handler leaking into a Moncks Corner ceiling?
Thermal scans find the wet insulation and framing behind the stain, and drying starts as soon as the cleanup crew has opened what stays wet.