HVAC systems leak, causing mold and water damage

“Bought a house this year. Furnace appears to be installed around 2013. Goodman GM95. Direct vent condensing furnace. I took off the blower door and the upper gas door just to inspect before the heating season. Found what appears to be a rust from leaking condensate , my theory is possibly in the secondary heat exchanger? Thoughts? Photo shows an overview with the panel open and then a closeup in the bottom right section. In the photo you can see there is a minor leak on the vent piping where the”

“Have been dealing with a foul smell from behind locked ac door, told property management about it through written letter (previous portal request with no response) and only had maintenance come 7 days later but when maintenance came they said there was no mold however i took pics once they open door (attached) says they will NOW do something “Our contractor, Total Apartment Solutions, will be onsite tomorrow to address and treat the affected area within your A/C closet. We want to ensure that th”

“I recently moved into a new apartment and the AC unit has been leaking. They told me it didn’t need to be looked at, and to just buy something to put underneath it so I did. But none of the other apartments at this complex have AC’s that do this. Wondering if this is normal, especially since I’ve been having bad allergies in this apartment. submitted by /u/SuspiciousTrust36 [link] [comments]”

“Stuck on a call and can’t figure out what is causing all this rust. Vents aren’t clogged, intake pipe has a drain trap, evap is draining properly, no signs of water outside of unit except for a weird spot on the copper line. I don’t understand why there would be rust on top of the drain trap. submitted by /u/Potential-Status6795 [link] [comments]”

“I am smelling a musty mildew odor from the central air vents whenever the ac is running. It started doing this right after the techs got it back on after being out for a day. They couldn’t explain why it went out, said maybe the thermostat needed backup batteries… I’ve had three techs inspect and all they said the pan is empty and the coils dry. This system is 3 months old with all new ductwork as well, and in 28 years there’s never been a mildew smell and the power goes out for weeks during hur”

“It looks like whoever did this just used fiberglass duct wrap to seal the flex duct to the air handler. It is dripping from the wet spot in the first picture onto a ceiling tile in my shop. I'm assuming the wet duct wrap must go, and so I'd like to know if just replacing the duct wrap is an option or if there is something better that I'm supposed to do to attach the flex duct to the unit? submitted by /u/Jasondlt6 [link] [comments]”

“Hello Reddit. I live in a condo and the HVAC is on the roof. A few months ago we had a storm and I smelled moisture. The flashing had come undone and was resealed. HOA assured me water did not get inside the wood and has been up since to confirm the roof is good. Smell continued but not as powerful. Called HVAC tech, he checked the HVAC and the duct. Everything was fine. A friend had a HVAC tech as a friend. He said the unit was dirty and needed to be cleaned. He cleaned it 6 days ago. It was pr”

“Moved to my place in the NY capital region last November. We have wall to wall carpeting upstairs, and live in an area that gets quite humid all year around. Last night I realized the house was not cooling after running the central AC for 1-2 hours. I texted my landlord about the problem and she told me they removed the disconnect handle for the condenser and put the top cover on for the winter. I told her it gets very hot upstairs in the daytime when it’s sunny and still reaching 65+ in the aft”

“I'm getting green mold on my outside wall where my unit enters my dwelling. I know this is a temperature issue or leak of some kind. How screws l screwed am I? What can I do to find the issue? submitted by /u/Vivid-Shake4012 [link] [comments]”

He is old school. But happens to be dealing with this issue. He lives in Miami FL. Bought this beautiful home but for in his Master bedroom he has this issue of…

“In the hvac unit of the home we are renting is this large square hole that leads to the attic. I believe the hvac repair person said it was the combustion air opening but he said to help reduce humidity in the unit we could reduce the hole with duct board. So my question is does anyone know how or what I would need to do to safely reduce the hole? Can it just be a flat piece of duct board with a small hole cut in the center and shoved into the opening? See the photos for reference: submitt”

“Just had this AC unit installed. They used the pad from 2005, which had a considerably smaller. My thoughts are the the part that is overhanging, is susceptible to ground moist. submitted by /u/MbpartsOG [link] [comments]”

“Looking for some insight from HVAC professionals on what might be causing this and whether it requires cleaning, maintenance, or further inspection. We have an air handler that’s approximately six months old, and we’ve noticed mold growth and condensation forming on the ductwork immediately above the unit. The air handler is located in a utility room off the carport, so it is exposed to higher ambient humidity. Interestingly, the issue appears to be isolated to the new duct connection. Could thi”

“I could install metal studs going horizontally to put the ac/ access over but not sure if that’s the way to go. submitted by /u/YarikButBetter [link] [comments]”

“We’re renting a place that has an in wall AC unit. We noticed it started smelling really bad and decided to investigate. This what we found inside where the fan blade is. What is this and is it safe to use? submitted by /u/willdta [link] [comments]”

“This is my first time asking for help like this so not sure where to start thank yoj for guidance. This is my parents house in southern California in their garage. The water heater and ac unit is on this hollow box and theres major damage going on. The water heater seems to be too heavy and sinking and cracking the foundation its on. Also, when theres a clog the secondary AC condensate drain line comes out that pvc pipe there and leaks onto that box and has caused some severe water damage to the”

“Hello, I have had a recurring issue with condensate drain line clogging and stopping the AC from running. Today it is to the point where it is not draining at all. Not even drops, it seems. Our house does not have an outside pipe for this to drain to for me to try to wet vac from. The drain pipe pvc hooks into some metal pipe that goes into the foundation of the home under the furnace closet. My best guess is that it goes into the sewer somehow. Idk if thats a thing but thats what it looks like.”

“I have had some issues with feeling crappy when the air is blowing. I'm aware that due to condensation issues etc. sometimes air systems can develop mold and blow out musty smells. I have routine maintenance and specifically always ask the techs to check for mold on the coils etc. All visual inspections prior to this one said they did not see mold. However, this time I called to get estimates on replacing the flexible ducts because they are deteriorating and plastic is flaking off from the i”

“Brand new indoor and outdoor units. Within 3 months the outside unit was found to have tons of coolent leaks so that was replaced entirely again. Then it stopped cooling and started dripping water from inside this box where the filter is. They found another coolent leak from the inside unit this time. Then it stopped cooling again and was short cycling every 5 minutes. They came back and said the thermostat needed to be recalibrated and they also turned the fan speed down a little and changed ou”

“Floor looks wet around the furnace but is higher so the water flowed to the drain point, more than likely a condinsate issue [re: Is this bad]”

“I open the lid today to clean out the coil, but the far left corner won’t close back up. Everything else fits just fine, is it safe to turn it back on until we have a technician come take a look at it tomorrow? submitted by /u/Dense_Point3198 [link] [comments]”

“I live in Florida in a new apartment complex and the A/C was previously out for over a month during the recent heat wave and maintenance took a long time to get approval for the units replacement. While it was out 1 portable unit was used that could hardly keep up with heat. Now its been replaced and I've noticed a few weeks later black spots developing by all the air vents on the ceiling. Did an at home mold test and sent to a lab and 3 different types of mold were found alternaria, caldosp”

“We have a 1950s small Cape Cod style house; oil furnace with radiators and A/C unit on roof to vents. Lived here 17 years. Today I went to close the vents due to change in seasons, and discovered mold-looking substance on the ceiling vents on main floor. Picture is one example (string is leftover from party decor). HVAC came out and saw no obvious source and would need to remove vents in order to investigate, and the vents are so old that they would need to be replaced. Any ideas what it could b”

“Hello everyone, I’m closing on a house and the inspection report stated something about the ac condensation line having “excess amount of cold air coming out of condensation line”. The previous owner was religious about the maintenance on her house and serviced the AC 2x a year. I imagine any issue with the condensation line would’ve been addressed during any of the maintenance she did. My question is, is cold air coming out of the condensation line something i need to address ASAP? Thank you in”

“my tenant texted me the below with the attached pictures. chatGPT didn’t really help except it could be condensation inside the duct (but then the splash wouldn’t make sense), the condensate drainage/overflow issue or frozen evaporator coil. This is a small 2 bed 2 bath apartment. I’ll be there in the morning to take a look. I can take a picture of the unit and post it here. was wondering if someone could help me with what to look for while there. I’m prepared to get a professional in if needed”

“Went to replace air filter and found this sitting pool of water, rusted metal, and sludge forming. Anything I can do besides contacting apt maintenance? I’ve been sick for awhile and I think this is why submitted by /u/Dabz4Daze_ [link] [comments]”

“Hello Reddit advisors, There is a patch of black mold at the seam where HVAC unit attaches to the ceiling. Cold air is leaking from the molded area. The unit is standing in a garage with no climate control. There are light patches of mold on the side and back. Is this something to be fixed just the outside (clean the mold, seal with CCWI-181 Duct Sealant and 3M 3" foil tape), or does it need work inside the duct as well? Reddit post: Duct sealing, Tape vs Mastic https://www.reddit.com/r/hva”

“This ceiling vent gets covered in condensation whenever the AC runs, and the ceiling around it gets wet too. The system seems to cool fine. What should I be checking — humidity, insulation around the duct, or an air leak? submitted by /u/sky_hvac [link] [comments]”

“I was doing some work on the side of my house and noticed some water dripping from the roofline AC pipe. So of course I go to check the AC in the attic. The pan had a little water in it but not enough to reach the drain line in the pan. After investigating I find that the water in the pan is from condensation dripping off the panel edges. They were sealed with whatever that gray sealant is but condensation was still coming through it. I pour vinegar and hot water down both lines and it drained j”

“Renting a home in North Florida.. keep getting a blast of mildew smell from vents when A/C initially starts.. changed filter to no avail. Evap looks clean enough to me so popped panel to view other side and see all this mess.. is this something a rental company would address (given I shouldnt have even popped the panel lol) or is this something I can clean myself with unit off? Is this common in florida or is something wrong with unit that needs to be addressed regardless? Air Handler unit is fr”

“Okay so you dont have to read this if you dont want to, this is just extra info but id greatly appreciate it and i apologize for all the rambling here: I have an air conditioner, I used it in a house before this where there was no smokers so I didn't care to seal anything, I used it for about a year, now I'm in an apartment and put it in just now but theres TONS of smokers around me, and I cannot stand the smell of cigarettes or weed The smell that comes from the idk what its called but”

“Hello, we just experienced a major issue in our house and we can't get a straight answer from our HVAC company. I wanted to see if some of you would be kind enough to provide your opinion. Thank you in advance for your time. We started seeing indicators of wet walls and ceilings on the first floor of our 2 story home. We opened up walls and what we found is that the flex ducts were full of water and also condensating on the exterior. The house is 21 years old and this has not been a problem”

“Noticed water at the bottom of the furnace. Only appears when furnace is run, not A/C. Assumed a clogged condensate line but that is fine. Followed the water up and it appears to be coming back down the exhaust but leaking out at this joint. I'm assuming it is cracked? If it is, then exhaust is also leaking which is not good. No alerts on the nearby CO alarm, yet. Can it be repaired with a simple rubber coupling if the coupling fits in the hole through the sheet metal of the furnace top? &#3”

“The ac is leaking from this part of the ceiling. I go upstairs and feel under the pipe in the 1st picture, (if that is what it’s called) and water is dripping. Is this a simple fix or am I in trouble? submitted by /u/chainlooklikerainbow [link] [comments]”

“I have this AC unit that has mold all on the inside. I dont know how to effectively get rid of all the mold. Advice please! Can I take the whole front off? I posted the photo in comments. submitted by /u/Morel3etterness [link] [comments]”

“Trane heat pump, unit is approximately 8 years old. There’s plenty of condensation flowing and following the intended path as it should, but I’m getting some additional condensation dripping from the central area of the A coil. The filter gets wet and some standing water collects on the floor. I’ve read the most likely causes are low line pressure or air flow obstruction from dirt or bent fins. There are no bent fins. I doubt it’s low line pressure because the unit runs well and delivers ice col”

“There’s been a puddle forming and the liquid seems to be coming from a pipe from the house I first thought this was the sprinkler, but the HOA said it’s my AC. Before I have someone to come and look, is this an easy fix? Thank you for any suggestions. submitted by /u/kenji4861 [link] [comments]”

“So about a month ago, I discovered a leak in my ceiling and had a company come out to take a look at it. They initially told me that the pipe needed to be re-insulated and that it would stop leaking. So they rewrap it and call it good. But it was still leaking. I called them back and they came back out, say thing that the dampers in my ductwork system were in the wrong position, so they “fixed” that. They then said that there was nothing else they could do for my leak… but that should work. It d”

“I'm a new homeowner and this is my first summer in this house. Around mid summer I noticed that the AC condensation pipe was leaking water right where that white hexagon screw meets the furnace. The water was dripping down into the furnace vent. I can't get it tighter than it already was and I'm afraid of cracking something if I try harder. For now, we have paper towels absorbing the leak and we've been changing them out when they become too soggy. The PVC pipe isn't glued, w”

“A new wet spot appeared on the ceiling and I went in the attic to check and it's coming from the ac. The drain line going to the sink was clogged so I cleared it but... the tray underneath the coil is very wet and rusted so I'm thinking of drilling some holes for the water to drain into and bend some sheet metal into a tray underneath and hook that to the drain line going to the sink? Does that make sense? Or is there a bigger issue here? Also the pvc has a vent? When the AC is on it jus”

Blocked condensate line on furnace

“Had my HVAC inspected today by the company that installed it 2 years ago. They noted this leak which they think is new (I honestly haven’t looked so I don’t know how long it’s been going on). They think related to the chimney and possible hail damage on the top of the chimney. Does that seem like a plausible explanation or is this because of a bad install? submitted by /u/chem2617 [link] [comments]”

“New home owner and unfamiliar with this stuff. Been in the house for a year now and just a month ago this pipe just started leaking a lot when our AC runs. Confirmed it stops when AC is off. Why did it just started leaking now? Is too much a concern? Flower box seems to love it, but we don’t. I went up in the attic and didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. TIA! submitted by /u/Lkollman [link] [comments]”

“My relatively new house had a leak by the AC unit today. My unit is installed in a hvac closet vertically with the blower on top of the coil. Can someone tell me if this is required to have a p-trap, because there isn’t one. The vent pipe goes about 40 feet under the house and comes out by the compressor unit. Today the pan was full of water but when I pulled the safety switch out it didn’t seem that high and the switch did not shut the unit off. I’m not sure what to make if it. The original ins”

“I’ve added some photos of what I found when I took the service panels off. Wife noticed some water on the floor by the corner of our furnace this morning. So I traced it, followed the rust path to the upper compartment behind what I’m assuming is a blower assembly.. I am a licensed plumber but I have never really messed with the guts in a furnace prior to this. I made sure the condensate drain isn’t clogged, from the point it comes out of unit down to the condensate pump is clear…. And confirmed”

submitted by /u/No_Muscle_3128 [link] [comments]

“First off this unit is 3 years old I had the house built, and I’m noticing a lot of white corrosive residue on ducts and I’m wondering if that’s normal? Second where the copper lines go into unit a lot of cold air is escaping and one line is sweating blue is this normal? I did have issues where the duct coming off ac was leaking outside the drain pan and they had to replace it and relevel it. submitted by /u/CodAddict2020 [link] [comments]”

“Sorry if this has been discussed before- we installed a brand new AC system this summer. I have a weatherproof cover for the condenser outside… is there anything else I should be doing to wrap it up for the winter? I know someone who throws the breaker for the winter. Is that necessary? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Trying to protect this pricey investment as best I can! TYIA!! submitted by /u/slizzard777 [link] [comments]”

“Leak coming from plastic housing unit in the black seam area right above ac drain line…. is this a new evaporator core job? submitted by /u/Ok_Soup_5047 [link] [comments]”

“Just had a new wall a/c installed in my upstairs bedroom today. It started leaking on the left side so I called the contractor to come back and take a look. He said it might be a leveling issue since it seemed a bit slanted, so he readjusted it. A few hours later, the right side is leaking now.. Also whenever I turn the a/c on, I hear a gurgling sound in the beginning. I wish I knew how to fix it myself instead of having him come again and still not fix the issue sigh. I’m also worried about wat”

“The drain in the front of my house is continuously draining. It's what I think is the hvac condensate but It seems like too much water to be just draining. It's coming out like a faucet half way on. Any thoughts? submitted by /u/Beneficial_Ad_490 [link] [comments]”

“i’m scared, do i need to call someone immediately? submitted by /u/Life-Point-4130 [link] [comments]”

“Need some advice because I’m kinda lost at this point. New construction house and I’ve already had the HVAC company out multiple times. It originally started leaking water into the drain pan. They said the TXV was bad, then later another tech said the TXV was installed wrong and the coil was damaged too. They replaced the coil and the TXV and the AC is cooling again, but I’m STILL seeing water dripping into the secondary drain pan under the unit. The system was off for like 2 days before they re”

“HVAC air handler, and the clear, odorless water is condensation leaking from a clogged AC drain line”

“Can anyone give me possible issues that could be causing the inducer motor for my furnace to be filling up with water /condensation from my ac? Could It be that the drain pan is cracked and is leaking water into the heat exchanger, or the heat exchanger tubes are possibly cracked. I checked the roof cap for the flue gas pipe and it seems good so I don’t think water is getting in through there. The furnace is a goodman gms80703AN model. submitted by /u/Lucky_Information873 [link] &#32”

submitted by /u/PlanMaison [link] [comments]

“So I have an A/C unit that's from the late 90s and I've lived in the same house with the same unit for 24 years now. About a week ago a piece of black kind of flexible plastic that was jagged was on the chair to my computer that sits right under a vent in my room. I had never seen anything like this piece and figured maybe it came out of the vent. My dad ended up taking down my vent to look in there and make sure nothing was sticking out of the ceiling vent. (My dad also threw the piece”

“We had replaced both our cooling and heating units a few months ago. I do not remember it looking so alarming when they were finished. Is this a "get it looked at ASAP" kind of issue? submitted by /u/Rosefier [link] [comments]”

“Okay, so long story short. We installed a new HVAC system about a year or so ago. We did that because it was leaking Freon and it kept having issues with draining. At the time I had asked this company to look into the draining issues and they claimed it was fixed. Now a year and a half later, I walk into my bathroom and don’t feel air coming out of the vent. The technician says there’s like 10” of water in the duct and that it can accumulate over a relatively short period of time. He suggests ad”