Fix it

Why is my mini split leaking water inside?

A wall-mounted mini split collects condensate in a small tray and gravity-drains it through a line hidden in the wall. Almost every indoor drip is that little drainage system losing an argument with algae, slope or ice.

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What it usually is

  1. A clogged condensate line

    The narrow drain hose grows algae exactly like a central system, but with far less margin — a partial clog overflows the shallow tray on the first humid day.

  2. Lost slope in the drain run

    The line must fall continuously to daylight. A sag from settling or a pinch behind the unit traps water that backs up into the tray.

  3. The unit itself knocked out of level

    A bumped or settling head unit tips the tray so water pools away from the drain port and spills at one corner — the corner tells you the tilt.

  4. A freezing coil thawing between cycles

    A filthy filter or low charge ices the coil; the melt then overwhelms the tray. If the drip follows weak cooling, ice is upstream of the water.

What you can check yourself

Clean the filters — mini splits are far more sensitive to them than ducted systems. Find where the drain line exits outside and check flow; gentle suction there clears most clogs. Confirm the head unit sits level and which corner drips.

When it’s a job for a pro

A drain rerouted or re-sloped inside the wall, or a re-icing coil, is a service visit. Mini-split charge work in particular needs the right gauges and scales — small systems forgive nothing.

Drain clearing typically runs $100 to $250; re-slope or re-mount work $150 to $400; charge diagnosis on a mini split $200 to $500.

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