Water leak after chemical wash traced to drain-path issue

What we found

When leaking begins right after a wash, the drain path and reassembly points are the first things to check.

• Cooling was normal and airflow was stable
• Water appeared only after condensate built up during cooling
• Drain path spill started near the reassembly connection
• No signs of coil crack or refrigerant-related failure

The wash cleaned the coil well, but one drain-path connection was not seated correctly during reassembly. Condensate reached the tray, then spilled before it could drain out normally. The leak came from the front, which made it look serious, but the path was the issue.

What we did

The coil is fine and no parts are damaged. Reseating the drain-path connection and confirming tray alignment will stop the dripping. We run a water-flow check before closing the panel to make sure it drains cleanly.

After the drain path was seated correctly and the tray was realigned, dripping stopped. Cooling stayed normal and no parts were needed.

What we learned

How to tell post-service leaks from coil damage.

• A cracked coil usually shows cooling loss alongside dripping — if cooling feels normal and water only appears during use, the drain path is the more likely cause.
• Chemical wash involves disassembly and reassembly of the drain tray and hose connections. If a joint is not seated correctly, condensate spills at that point rather than draining out.
• Timing matters: a leak that starts the morning after a service and did not exist before is almost always a reassembly issue, not a coil or refrigerant problem.