Working on resolving a small water leak that I think is from the A/C drip pan or line (still looking for the source). Noticed dripping from the secondary drain line though which we've never seen before, so that was my first clue of needing to check on things. Not long after though I found water dripping through a light fixture in a closet. The water seeped under the wall into an adjoining bathroom as well.

It wasn't a lot of water (wasn't even covering the entire floor in the closet or bathroom), but I'm trying to figure out how much remediation may be needed. Both rooms have wood vinyl flooring (according to the previous owner). I don't think the water was standing for very long, but I'm not really sure when it started.

I've got fans going in both rooms. Drywall isn't wet, but would it be best to at least pop off the baseboards to do some further exploration or at least give the fans more access to do their thing?

I would be very careful with this.

We are going through something similar. We had a dishwasher that developed a "slow leak" that we just found out about. It did SO MUCH DAMAGE that we could not see. Our baseboards and walls did not feel wet or damp at all, but they were showing 99% saturation on the water meter. We ended up having to remove a ton of cabinets in our kitchen because they got wet and were saturated through. We are trying to get it all dried out and had to take everything down to the studs in our kitchen. It has been horrible.

With it coming from the 2nd floor and dripping through a light, you likely have way more damage than you think you do. I would 100% get someone out ASAP to check it. The longer it sits, the worse chance for mold you have, which is a whole different ballgame.

I should have a PhD on this gremlin's antics ... since 1980 the attic HVAC drip pan always presented this identical set of problems.

• plugged drain pan, shallow design in-the-day
• cracked drain pan
• cracked old, cheap drain line (pan to wall drain line) when used again on a new system
• knock on wood, we think we will be dry a decade or so now ................

WHEN the HVAC tech clears, cleans repairs the problem, I would begin using SlimeOut tabs as per directions and get HVAC guy to begin with some while it's most accessible.
Here's a top brand
https://www.amazon.com/HVAC-Guys-Technology-Prevents-18Regular/dp/B089Y1R8D2?th=1

Any thoughts on a decent moisture meter? Seems like the price can range substantially for them.

Been through this (not to mention Harvey). You should:
1. Shut off HVAC until you confirm the source of the leak. You likely have a clogged condensate line that needs to be cleaned out.
2. Pop off all adjacent baseboards. You need to create airflow.
3. Buy or rent floor blower fans to direct under the wall/floor. Run for a week. Determine if your floor is floating or glued directly to slab.
4. Buy or rent a dehumidifier.
5. Remove any water logged materials. This likely includes attic insulation.
6. Spray Concrobium on any surface that was exposed that you can access.

The Dog Lord said:

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Any thoughts on a decent moisture meter? Seems like the price can range substantially for them.

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I don't mess with water or plumbing so I don't have any. I hired a company to come look.

P.H. Dexippus said:

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Been through this (not to mention Harvey). You should:
1. Shut off HVAC until you confirm the source of the leak. You likely have a clogged condensate line that needs to be cleaned out.
2. Pop off all adjacent baseboards. You need to create airflow.
3. Buy or rent floor blower fans to direct under the wall/floor. Run for a week. Determine if your floor is floating or glued directly to slab.
4. Buy or rent a dehumidifier.
5. Remove any water logged materials. This likely includes attic insulation.
6. Spray Concrobium on any surface that was exposed that you can access.

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Appreciate the advice. It was a clogged condensate line which I assumed was the issue. Cleared it Wednesday and installed a float switch to guard against future issues.

I don't think we had a ton of water go through before fixing the issue, but I'm definitely still going to do some fixes. Been running fans and just got a dehumidifier.

We had a leak in the attic from the water heater that showed itself on the ceiling of the first floor. Fixed the leak, cut out the ceiling and all looked well. But the water running from the attic, to the second floor, to the first floor made me nervous so I called out a water remediation company.

He moisture tested every wall in multiple spots, ceiling, etc and everything was dry. Of course he still recommended a $5k remediation job.

I just removed all insulation from that area in the attic and ran box fans for a few days. Obviously replaced the drywall on the ceiling where the leak originally showed itself.

We paid about $250/year to have our ac drain lines blown out. Finally, we pieced together our own gizmo.for our air compressor,



We were able to locate the drain (it's always by the outdoor part) and dig out the drain so it's less likely to clog. We blow out ours and the MILs a couple of times a year now.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/DiversiTech-DF-75-Drain-Dawg-Inflatable-Tip-for-Drain-Line-Blowout
That's the major part, but finding the right pieces to connect it to the air compressor was a pain.

You could just buy a Gallo gun. It's the same thing but uses the compressed air cartridges and you can hold the entire unit in your hand.

Ha. Our ac guys always tried that first and it was never enough. Same for MIL.

Risk with compressor is damaging the drain pipe. If you blow it out often enough, that risk is minimal.

HECUBUS said:

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Risk with compressor is damaging the drain pipe. If you blow it out often enough, that risk is minimal.

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I would recommend starting with a shop vac on the outside first. If that doesn't work, try the air compressor from inside, but starting with a low pressure and gradually increase. If you have a helper, then you can use the vac and compressor together.

I had a very similar situation a few months back. Turned out to be a clogged A/C condensate line. The water backed up and we only noticed it because of some staining near a vent.
If you're seeing water come through a light fixture, definitely keep a close eye on everything. That usually means it traveled a bit further than expected. Popping off the baseboards isn't a bad idea, especially if you want to make sure there's no trapped moisture behind them (which could lead to mold if left untreated). Also, depending on how the flooring was installed, water might have seeped underneath it, even if it wasn't a ton.
I ended up calling american leak detection after chasing shadows for a couple of days. They were able to pinpoint the source quickly without tearing everything apart. Might be worth considering if it stays a mystery or you want peace of mind.