Cooler due for a check before summer? Book an evaporative cooler service in Perth, or if something has already failed, our evaporative air conditioner repairs team can fix it. Call (08) 9207 2370.
If your evaporative cooler is leaking water, the cause is usually one of a handful of things: a stuck float or water valve overfilling the tank, a blocked overflow or drain, a cracked or corroded tank or base, over-saturated cooling pads, or worn roof flashing and seals around the unit. Some of these are a quick fix. Others point to a plumbing or roofing problem that needs a licensed technician. Telling the two apart quickly matters, because a leak that reaches your ceiling can turn a small repair into an expensive one.
An evaporative cooler holds water in a tank at the base and trickles it over cooling pads as air passes through, so an evaporative cooler leaking water almost always traces back to a part that stores, controls, or drains it. Here are the usual causes.
A stuck float or water valve overfilling the tank
Most units use a float valve, similar to the one in a toilet cistern, to keep the tank at the right level. When the float sticks or the valve wears out, water keeps flowing in and the tank overfills, spilling out over the edges of the unit. This is one of the more common causes, and a worn valve or float is a repair a technician can handle quickly.
A blocked overflow or drain
Every evaporative unit has an overflow and a drain line so excess water has somewhere safe to go. Over time these clog with mineral scale, dust, or debris. When the drain blocks, water backs up and finds another way out, often over the side of the tank. A unit that starts leaking at the beginning of the cooling season is a classic sign of a blocked drain.
A cracked or corroded tank or base
The tank and base sit in the weather all year and hold water constantly, so they are prone to corrosion and cracking as a unit ages. A hairline crack can leak slowly and be hard to spot, while a corroded base may weep from underneath. This is not a DIY patch job: a failing tank or base needs professional repair or replacement.
Over-saturated cooling pads
If the water distribution system is out of balance, the pads can become over-saturated and shed water rather than holding it for evaporation. Worn or degraded pads can also let water run straight through and pool where it should not. Pads are a routine service item, and rebalancing or replacing them is quick work for a technician.
Worn roof flashing or seals around the unit
Because most evaporative coolers sit on the roof, the seals and flashing where the unit meets the roof penetration matter as much as the cooler itself. When those seals perish or the flashing lifts, rainwater and condensation can track into the roof cavity. This can look like a cooler leak from inside the house, but it is really a roofing issue, and it needs prompt attention: water in the ceiling causes staining, sagging, and costly structural damage.
Safe checks you can do yourself
There are a few things you can safely check before calling anyone, as long as you stay on the ground and out of the roof space:
- Turn the unit and its water supply off. This stops the leak getting worse and makes everything safer to inspect. Most units have an isolation tap on the water line feeding the cooler.
- Look for obvious overflow. Check around the base and any visible overflow point for a trickle or pooling water, which often points to a float or drain issue.
- Check the ceiling from inside. If you can safely see the underside of the roof penetration from inside the ceiling, look for damp patches, staining, or dripping around the unit.
Leave anything involving the roof, opening the unit, or touching electrical and plumbing components to a licensed professional. For the bigger picture, our full evaporative air conditioner repairs guide walks through what a proper service covers.
When to call a technician for an evaporative air conditioner leaking water
Call a professional if the leak keeps going after you have turned the water off, if water is reaching the ceiling, if the tank or base looks cracked or corroded, or if you are not sure what is causing it. If the unit has not been looked at in over a year, an evaporative cooler service will usually find the cause. A roof leak in particular should not wait, because the cost of ceiling repairs quickly outweighs the cost of fixing the cooler.
Is a leaking evaporative cooler dangerous?
A minor overflow is more of a nuisance than a hazard, but water reaching the ceiling or getting near electrical components is a genuine risk. Turn the unit and its water off, and have it looked at rather than leaving it to worsen.
Why is my evaporative air conditioner leaking when it is turned off?
A leak that continues after the cooler is off usually means the water supply is still feeding the tank, often through a stuck or worn float valve. Isolating the water line should stop the flow until a technician can repair it.
Can I fix an evaporative cooler leak myself?
You can safely turn the unit off, isolate the water, and check for obvious overflow. Anything beyond that, such as roof access, opening the unit, or plumbing and electrical work, should be left to a licensed technician.
How much water should an evaporative cooler use?
A healthy unit uses water steadily as the pads evaporate it, topped up automatically to keep the tank level. Constant overflow, pooling, or a jump in water use is a sign something is not working and is worth checking.
Book your evaporative cooler repair in Perth
If your evaporative cooler is leaking and you would rather have it sorted properly than keep guessing, we are happy to help. You can book an evaporative repair in Perth and one of our technicians will track down the cause and get your cooling running the way it should before the hot weather arrives.