Water leaking out of your furnace is a sign something’s not working properly. Hader Heating and Cooling lists below the possible culprits behind a leaking furnace.
Is Condensation Normal?
First off, you should have an idea of how your furnace works. High-efficiency furnaces can extract heat from gases for a longer time than a standard furnace model, causing air to cool a lot faster and produce condensation as a result. Excess condensation then flows down to the drains. Standard furnaces, on the other hand, don’t produce condensation.
How can you tell if your furnace is a high-efficiency model? In technical terms, a high-efficiency model has an annual fuel utilization efficiency rating (AFUE) of 90% or higher—the AFUE indicates how efficiently a furnace can convert energy into heat. For instance, 90% of the energy consumed by high-efficiency furnaces becomes heat while 10% is lost. Fortunately, there’s no need to delve into technical terms—all you need to do is look at your furnace’s vent pipe. If the pipe is made of white PVC (plastic), you have a high-efficiency furnace.
Possible Cause of Leaks
What if the condensation starts leaking? Hader HVAC offers the following as possible causes:
- Broken tubing – There might be holes in the furnace’s tubing.
- Clogged drains – The floor drain might have become clogged.
Condensation leaks are the most likely cause of furnace leaks, but they’re not the only ones. Standard furnaces have delicate, complex components, such as the secondary heat exchanger and humidifier, all of which need to be replaced if they’re the source of the condensation. As such, if you notice any problems with the furnace, switch it off and have an HVAC contractor inspect it as soon as possible.
One more thing: Only hire experienced contractors. Furnaces and HVAC systems are complex machines, so repairing them requires a high level of expertise.
Hader Heating and Cooling has been providing professional HVAC and air conditioning services to local residents since 1883. For inquiries, you can call us at (513) 661-1910 or leave us a message here. We serve homeowners in Cincinnati, as well as the surrounding communities.
