For many homeowners, seeing their furnaces leak out water can be alarming. If you find yourself in the same situation, it’s crucial to call a furnace repair technician for an accurate diagnosis and solution. There can be many causes of this issue, and the most effective remedy primarily depends on the identified reason. Below, learn why a furnace might be leaking water and how to remedy it. 

What Are the Causes?

Before a furnace repair specialist arrives, they’ll likely ask what type of heating unit is installed. There are two kinds of furnaces, conventional and condensing. Apart from generating heat, their similarities end there.

As the name implies, condensing or high-efficiency furnaces produce condensation since they take longer to vent out combustion gases, which eventually cools and changes into water. It happens because they extract more heat from the gases before being vented through the flue. Conventional or standard-efficiency furnaces do not have the same scenario as they release gas by-products faster. But if they have an improperly designed or incorrectly sized exhaust pipe, condensation occurs inside that results in leaks.  

In condensing furnaces, the pooling water underneath may come from a clogged condensate drain, faulty condensate pump, damaged heat exchanger, or leaking humidifier. Some furnaces come with a pump that moves formed condensation towards the draining area, similar to a sump pump. When it breaks down, water overflows instead of moving to the drain. The same result happens with a clog or crack in the condensate line. The water drips on the floor, and not in the drainage.

Aside from the condensation issue, another probable cause for the leak is a faulty second heat exchanger in high-efficiency furnaces. When there’s a crack or damage on the secondary heat exchanger, it produces more condensation due to a longer cooling period of combustion gases.

Sometimes, the pooling water at the bottom is from something as simple as a leaking humidifier attached to the conventional or condensing furnace. It uses water to add moisture levels in the conditioned air for added warmth, so when there’s a clogged filter or damaged drain, it often leads to a leak.  

How Can You Remedy the Issue?

To fix the heating unit, it’s best to call on a reputable furnace repair technician instead of taking on the job yourself. Furnaces have multiple parts including, vents, heat exchangers, burners, and gas valve electrical wiring. An untrained person who tinkers with any of these components could easily make matters worse. However, while you wait for the technician to arrive, you can mitigate the problem by turning off the entire unit either by using its switch or via the breaker. Also, remove any water that has pooled under the unit to prevent structural damage to your flooring.

When you spot water pooling around your furnace, turn to the furnace repair specialists at Gary’s Repair & Burner in Ester, AK. For over three decades, they’ve provided top-notch services, such as furnace cleaning, boiler repair, and diagnostic testing, to keep heating units in excellent condition. Call (907) 474-0736 to request a furnace or boiler service today, or learn more about them online.