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Why is my swamp cooler leaking water?

A leaking swamp cooler is almost always one of five things: the float valve is set too high and water runs out the overflow, the pan has rusted through, a supply line or fitting is dripping, the overflow standpipe is clogged, or a pipe split in a winter freeze. Where the water shows up first tells you which one you have.

Water off the side of the cooler

Steady dribble over the side edge is a float valve overshooting. The float arm needs adjustment so the pump sits under about an inch of water without running over. It is the most common leak and the cheapest fix; a tap of the adjustment screw is often the whole repair. A float that will not shut at all, water pouring in and out continuously, is a failed valve seat and means a new valve, an ordinary parts replacement job.

Water under the cooler or on the ceiling

Drips straight down mean the pan itself. Older steel pans rust through at the seams and corners; a rusted pan cannot be patched for long and needs a replacement pan, which is one of the bigger cooler repairs. Check whether the leak is actually the cooler before blaming it: an evaporative cooler on a roof shares the roof with plumbing vents, flashing, and scuppers, and roof leaks often land under the cooler. Marking the drip's position on the ceiling tells a cooler repair tech exactly where to look.

Supply line and freeze splits

A dripping fitting at the supply valve shows up as a small steady wet spot; re-taping the threads or replacing the line stops it. The freeze split is the winter version: an un-winterized line or a pan left with water in a January hard freeze cracks, and the leak appears the first day water is turned back on in spring. That is why draining the system matters; the seasonal startup visit includes checking for freeze damage before the water gets pressurized.

Pan and valve repairs typically run in the low-to-mid hundreds for the metro, with full pan replacements above that. Ranges are typical, and the company doing the work confirms the exact price. Describe where the water appears on the request form, side, bottom, or ceiling stain, and the desk lines up the right visit.