The short answer to this question is yes! A dirty furnace filter causes a restriction in air flow across the indoor coil. If the restriction becomes too bad then the refrigerant freezes up and will start to form a layer of ice on the inside unit. If the system turns off then the ice will start to melt on the inside unit and this is when water will start to leak on the inside of your heating system. The system may continue to turn on and off (this will cause more ice to build up!) until you contact an air conditioner repair company to fix this problem. Here are some things that you can do to avoid this situation in your home or business.
The first thing you need to do as a home or business owner is to make sure that the filter(s) are changed on a monthly basis. This can help keep your indoor coil from freezing up and leaking water into your home or business. If you have a digital thermostat, usually they have a filter reminder that can be set up (Check your installation manual.)
Another issue that can cause water to leak is having a dirty blower compartment. This is not applicable to all customers but if you have to remove your blower door in order to replace your filter, then get a flash light and look to see how dirty the blower compartment might be. You might be surprised how much dirt can build up on the blower wheel fins! If you notice a lot of dirt then you need to have it cleaned. A combination of this and a dirty furnace filter will definitely cause your system to freeze up and then drip water.
These are just a couple of things that can be done in order to avoid having water leak into your home or business. Remember to replace your filter(s) monthly and also consider having your system serviced twice a year. This can help prevent water from leaking and save you money. Have you ever had this problem happen in your home or business?