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How can we control the water dripping out of window unit AC?

We have a window unit air conditioner in our bedroom window in NYC. We’re on the third floor and water drips out onto the sidewalk. I know that means that our unit is working great, but our neighbors are angry about getting wet every time they step out our front door. We can’t begrudge them that. How can we control the drip? Is there a tube or a tray we can purchase? If we do need to control the water with a tube, where can we get one and what is the best configuration since we are in a dense urban area and almost anywhere outside that we’d redirect the water we would be getting someone wet.

IF MOVING THE DRIP 3 OE 4 FT TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE EASY TO DO. IT MAY ALSO MAKE IT NECESSARY TO PUT THE DRAIN OPENING CLOSE TO THE BUILDING AND WOULD STAIN THE OUTSIDE OVER TIME AND MIGHT HAVE THE LANDLORD TELLING YOU NOT TO DO IT. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN TAKE THE WATER BACK INSIDE TO A HANDY SINK OR BATHTUB DRAIN BUT THAT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD SOLUTION. ANOTHER IS TO PUT A PUMP AND FLOAT ON A RESERVOIR AND DO IT FOR A LONGER DISTANCE. THESE COMBINATIONS ARE SOLD FOR UNDERCOUNTER ICEMAKERS THAT DO NOT HAVE DRAINS INSTALLED AT THE ICEMAKERS AND I KNOW THAT WOULD WORK.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 17th, 2010 at 6:11 pm and is filed under water urban. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

9 Responses to “How can we control the water dripping out of window unit AC?”

  1. Can you connect a hose to the drain part of the AC that will reach to the ground and direct it that way?
    Or even put the hose against the house somehow so the water will at least flow down the side of the house instead of giving people a shower at the front door.
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  2. Those things evaporate a lot of moisture out of the air this time of year. I doubt if there is anything at the store you can buy to fix your problem. You need to find a hanyman that can make you a tray with hose to run down to maybe a flower pot?
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  3. It’s normal condensation and won’t hurt a bit. Tell the neighbor to get over it!
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  4. It sounds like you need to have a pvc drainage line installed along the wall,all the way to the ground by a competent person.I wouldn`t suggust you do this yourself since you live on the 3rd floor! If this is a apt put in a service request to maintence.
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  5. Recommend having the unit pulled and cleaned. All units for the last 25 years have a tube that runs to a pan under the condenser coil. The fan picks up the water and throws it against the coil. Normally very little, if any drips. Suspect the tube is blocked or it has a hole in the pan.
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  6. IF MOVING THE DRIP 3 OE 4 FT TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE EASY TO DO. IT MAY ALSO MAKE IT NECESSARY TO PUT THE DRAIN OPENING CLOSE TO THE BUILDING AND WOULD STAIN THE OUTSIDE OVER TIME AND MIGHT HAVE THE LANDLORD TELLING YOU NOT TO DO IT. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN TAKE THE WATER BACK INSIDE TO A HANDY SINK OR BATHTUB DRAIN BUT THAT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD SOLUTION. ANOTHER IS TO PUT A PUMP AND FLOAT ON A RESERVOIR AND DO IT FOR A LONGER DISTANCE. THESE COMBINATIONS ARE SOLD FOR UNDERCOUNTER ICEMAKERS THAT DO NOT HAVE DRAINS INSTALLED AT THE ICEMAKERS AND I KNOW THAT WOULD WORK.
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  7. attach a hose to the hole where the water is dripping from you can get one in home depot there cheap, divert the water away from where your neighbors walk.
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  8. On the bottom of your a/c cabinet on back at the bottom there should be a nipple comming out .Take a garden hose and hose clamp connect to the nipple on the cabinetand rerout the condensation.A/C units are designed to have condensation but if it is excessive the i sugest to check and make sure your evaporator coil or filter is dirty.Them beind dirty will keep air flow constricted and then cause extrem condensation build up.
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    I work in apartment maintenance.Im a certifed master h.v.a.c. tech.

  9. I’ve read most of your reponses and they are correct. There is not a lot you can do.

    Some A/C units come with tubes for water control but that is a factory issue.

    I would do one of the two following suggestions:

    I would check with the building super and ask if there is some way to get the maintenance man assist you.

    If you are going to get someone wet regardless of where the water goes … then you might as well keep it on the ones getting wet now … at least they are used to it!
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    Hummmm … not an expert … but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night ….

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