Pro Handyman Blog

If you have a drywall stain on your ceiling, don’t just assume it is a roof leak. You need to climb up into the attic and snoop around. It certainly may be a roof leak, but during the summer months, particularly when it is humid, check out the air conditioner.

Particularly when it’s humid, the central air conditioner will condense and drip into a pan (just think of a cold glass of iced tea sweating on your coffee table). As the pan fills with water, the water level will rise and the water will be carried off by the condensation drain. There is a primary and secondary drain in case the primary becomes clogged. If the drain lines are clogged, the pan will back up and overflow onto the insulation and ultimately the ceiling drywall.

The first thing to check would be the pan itself. These have the tendency to rust out and leak. If this is the case, an a/c company can try to seal the pan or replace it altogether. If the pan appears to be clean and in good shape, look at the condensation lines. It may be that that the condensation line(s) are clogged with debris. These lines run to the exterior of the house and are usually cleared using compressed air/gas. I’ve seen where just the opening of the drain lines are clogged with attic insulation, so you may get lucky and be able to clear the debris quickly.