Indoor Leaks Are Different From Outdoor Drips
When water shows up inside your home — under the indoor air handler, on the floor of a utility closet, staining a ceiling below a unit, or dripping from a wall-mounted head — it almost always signals a fault. Unlike the outdoor unit, which is designed to shed water onto the ground, the indoor portion of a heat pump system is supposed to channel every drop of condensation safely into a drain.
So if you're seeing water indoors, the system that's meant to capture and remove that moisture has failed somewhere. The good news is that most indoor leaks come from a short list of fixable causes. The bad news is that water indoors damages drywall, flooring, insulation, and can foster mold quickly in our humid coastal climate — so it pays to act fast.
What Causes Water to Leak Indoors
A clogged condensate drain line is the number-one culprit. The indoor coil produces condensation that flows into a drain pan and out through a pipe. Algae and slime build up inside that pipe over time, especially in BC's humidity, until water backs up and spills over the pan.
A full or failed condensate pump. Many indoor units in basements and closets sit lower than the drain exit and use a small pump to lift water out. When the pump fails, water overflows the reservoir onto the floor.
A cracked or rusted drain pan. The pan ages, cracks, or corrodes and simply lets water through.
A frozen indoor coil. A dirty filter, blocked return air, or low refrigerant can ice the coil. When that ice melts, the volume overwhelms the drain and spills out.
A disconnected or sloped-wrong drain line. If the line was bumped loose or never pitched correctly during installation, water won't flow where it should.
What to Do Right Now
First, turn the system off at the thermostat. Running it while it leaks only pumps more water into your home and can damage electrical components. If your unit has an obvious shutoff or you can switch it off at the breaker safely, do so.
Second, soak up and contain the water. Place towels and a bucket under the drip, and move anything valuable out of the way. Standing water near electrical equipment is a hazard, so keep clear of any sparking, buzzing, or exposed wiring.
Third, check the easy stuff. Look at your air filter — if it's clogged, that may have frozen the coil. Look at the drain pan and condensate pump if they're accessible; a full reservoir or a pump that isn't running points straight to the cause.
Fourth, don't restart and walk away. Even if the dripping slows, the underlying clog or fault is still there. Restarting without a fix usually means another leak within hours or days.
Why Acting Fast Protects Your Home
In Greater Vancouver's damp climate, water that sits in drywall, subfloor, or insulation can begin growing mold within 24 to 48 hours. An indoor heat pump leak that's left over a weekend can turn a simple drain-clearing visit into a drywall-and-flooring repair job.
There's also the equipment itself to think about. Water reaching the blower motor, control board, or wiring of an air handler can cause electrical faults and corrosion that are far more expensive than the original leak. A small puddle today genuinely can become a major bill if ignored.
That's why we treat indoor leaks as time-sensitive. The sooner the source is found and fixed, the smaller the repair — and the lower the chance of secondary water and mold damage to your home.
Call CanroHeat to Stop the Leak
Heat pumps for GasBoilers.ca are serviced by our parent company, CanroHeat, with technicians covering heat pumps, furnaces, and water heaters throughout Greater Vancouver. For an indoor leak, call 604-359-1081 and describe where the water is appearing — that helps the team arrive ready.
A technician will clear the condensate drain, repair or replace a failed pump or cracked pan, check refrigerant and airflow to rule out a frozen coil, and confirm the system drains properly before leaving. If you're dealing with active dripping inside the house right now, don't wait — call 604-359-1081 to get it stopped before it spreads.