A water leak in your home can cause extensive damage. Therefore, if you see water coming out of your furnace, you may be alarmed. The problem may not be as serious as it seems at first. Depending on the type of furnace you have and how old it is, some condensation may be normal. When in doubt, however, you should call furnace repair in Elmira to have it checked out. To help you narrow down the possible cause and determine whether it is anything to worry about, here are some common reasons why a furnace may leak water.
1. Issue With the Furnace Humidifier
In the winter, the air becomes drier because cold temperatures prevent water from becoming vapour. Due to the hot air that your HVAC system forcefully circulates, the relative humidity inside your home may decrease even further during the winter. This can cause problems such as dry skin or nosebleeds. To prevent this, some furnaces come equipped with their own humidifiers to keep the air moist and comfortable by evaporating water and circulating the vapour throughout your home. A problem with the humidifier, such as a crack, may cause a leak requiring residential furnace repair to correct and prevent further damage to either the humidifier or the furnace itself.
2. Flue Pipe of Incorrect Size
Furnace operation can cause condensation. If your furnace is over 15 years old, or it is a newer furnace of standard efficiency, the condensation should be minimal, and you should not see any water leaks. If there is water leaking, it may mean that the flue pipe that directs exhaust from the furnace outside is allowing water to drain back into the furnace because it is the incorrect size.
3. Clog of the Furnace Condensation or Internal Drain System
If you have a newer, high-efficiency furnace, one of the things that makes it different from a standard furnace is that when the natural gas burns, condensation is naturally produced as a byproduct due to the cool exhaust. These furnaces come with a system intended to allow the excess condensation to drain out of the furnace. There is usually a PVC pipe installed in the furnace that empties into the drain built into your basement floor. If there is a clog in either the floor drain or the condensation pipe, it may cause the water to leak out in another direction.
4. Break of the Condensate Pump or Condensation Line
While most buildings with basements have a drain in the floor, not all of them do. If your building does not, it does not necessarily mean that you cannot have a high-efficiency furnace. It just means that you need another method of getting the condensation outside. A condensate pump is a mechanical device that removes the condensation to a location exterior to the building. Like other mechanical devices, a condensate pump may occasionally break down. If it does, the condensation from your furnace has no acceptable outlet. Therefore, you may find it leaking out in unexpected places.
If you do have a floor drain, you probably have a condensation line emptying into it from your furnace, assuming that it is a new, high-efficiency model. In addition to clogs, condensation lines may crack or break. If this happens, it is another means by which your furnace may start leaking water.
Why You Should Call CJ Brubacher for Furnace Repair in Elmira
While it is normal for some furnaces to produce condensation, they are usually designed to control the water and direct it appropriately. If your furnace appears to be leaking water from an inappropriate source, you may require residential or commercial furnace repair in Elmira. Our technicians are fully licensed, experienced, and available for emergency calls 24 hours a day. Find out more about our heating services.