Question: We have a window A/C unit in our kitchen window. We live in an apartment and that is the only window it fits in. The problem is the outside of the A/C unit hangs out onto our balcony and drips water constantly. We use a bucket to catch the water and have to empty it 4 times a day. I have nice cloth balcony chairs for our balcony that will be going where the water is dripping. I need a permanent solution that will stop the dripping onto the balcony and maybe divert it elsewhere. Does something exist to fix my problem? I do not want my new balcony furniture to get soaked.
How To Divert Water Dripping From Back Of Window AC Unit
Solution 1 – Use a water hose that connects to the drip hole. You could use a PVC plastic bushing (if the A/C drip hole is threaded) then attach the water hose and divert the water wherever you wish. Attach the hose horizontally against the top portion of the wall and hold it in place with wire ties. Maybe make a small garden in the corner of your balcony and let the water divert to that area.
water hose
Solution 2 – Get some PVC pipe, cut it to the sizes needed and connect it to the A/C condensation hole and build a water diversion route with the PVC tubing, You could then divert the water wherever you wish. You could also paint the PVC to the same color of your apartment or home and it blend in more and not be an eye sore.
PVC tubing
Solution 3 – You could get a roll of cotton rope that is long enough to reach over the side of the balcony. Find the hole that is leaking the water and stuff one end of the rope inside (or use a knot if it’s exposed). Then allow the cotton rope to “wick” the water away. If this does not work properly, use the other end of the rope and diagonally go from the A/C unit to a corner of the balcony to divert the water.
cotton rope
Solution 4 – A small funnel placed right below the dripping hole with tubing would work also. Attach the small funnel under the A/C condensation hole and add small flexible tubing onto the small end of the funnel and divert the water away that way.
funnel
Solution 5 – You could also buy a normal gutter, cut it to the size you need and run it under the hole dripping the water and past the balcony. Attach it to the wall using clips or gutter mounts. Drill a hole in the part of the gutter you want the water to come out.
gutter
Facts and things to know about your window mounted A/C unit:
Within a window mounted A/C, the condensate (water) will fill the bottom pan. The water in the bottom pan of the unit is caught by the cooling fan and then moved over the hot condensing coils which is supposed to evaporate the water instead of letting it drain. This is a design function and increases the overall efficiency of the unit by pulling heat off the coils.
AC window unit parts diagram
-Water that does not evaporate or drain (standing water) can become a place for mold, mosquitoes or bacteria so you will have to put an inhibitor tablet into the unit several times per season to prevent this.
-Standing water will corrode the metal, the fan blades, and the condensing coils.
-Clean the A/C coils every season as small amounts of salts and dust will build up on them because of the water which will accumulate over a full season.
If you know of any other easy ways to divert this dripping water, please let us know by leaving a comment below.
Hi. My problem is there is no holes for the water to drip so it pools in the corner of the back of the unit. That is ok and it drips out of the left side. It would be great if it dripped from the right side instead of the left side. Is there any way to do that? Thank you
What do you use to connect the small funnel over the drain hole of a window AC? I am trying to connect it to rubber tubing and redirect the water drip away from wall and porch.
We have a Split A/C unit in our Living room window. We live in an apartment and that is the only window it fits in. The problem is the outside of the A/C unit hangs out onto our window and drips water constantly. As we are in 3rd floor, our neighbours irritate for our AC’s water dripping on there window and grills. We used a thick pipe attached to our Ac’s water drainge pipe to bucket to catch the water but water comes out from our indoor unit.I need a permanent solution that will stop the dripping onto the balcony and maybe divert it elsewhere. Does something exist to fix my problem?
I agree connect bendable pipe to underside,most properties have rainwater pipes lead the pipe from the a.c. to the downpipe drill hole insert pipe stall and that is the end of the problem.