Leaks in your home can be frustrating, time consuming, and cause costly damage, not to mention costly repairs.
But what do you do when your furnace leaks? It’s easy for panic to set in, especially as the temperatures get colder and colder.
If you discover your furnace leaking water, the first thing you should do is turn it off. First, make sure your thermostat is off. Then turn the shut-off valve, located on the gas line, connected to your furnace and the electrical breakers associated with your furnace. The problem causing the furnace leak is likely something only an hvac professional should handle. You should then mop up any water that’s collected around the base of your furnace. Standing water is bad for your furnace and your floor. Remember: Only do this once your furnace electrical circuit is shut off. Then, stop kicking yourself for not installing a floor drain, and if you do have a floor drain, make sure it isn’t clogged. If your furnace looks like a lonely island in the middle of a small pond, it’s possible to rent a wet/dry vacuum from big hardware stores to make cleanup easier. Depending on whether you have a high-efficiency furnace or a conventional furnace, several different things will cause a furnace leak. High-efficiency furnaces create condensation through the heat exchange process. When operating normally, this condensation is drained safely away from your furnace through the condensate line and drain trap. A condensate pump is what pushes the water through the lines and away from your furnace. These can experience mechanical problems, which often cause water leaks. A furnace with an AFUE rating below 90 has a metal exhaust vent pipe. Gases produced during combustion are carried away by the exhaust vent through the exhaust pipe to the outside while they are still hot. The extra air in this venting pipe can trap gasses. Your furnace leaks condensation when they cool down. Homeowners choose to add a built-in humidifier to their heating systems to make their homes more comfortable during the dry winter months. As water constantly moves through them, if one of them leaks or becomes clogged, it looks like your furnace is leaking. There are several fixes for a humidifier leak, but a leaking humidifier is still a water leak.