Why Your Furnace is Leaking Water

Furnaces provide heat to our homes, and they are not something we think of working hand-in-hand with water. However, while it doesn't use water to heat our homes, water can be a byproduct of regular use in your furnace. Despite this, it is not normal to see water pooling around your furnace or leaking from it.

The water produced by your furnace should be safely ferried away to a nearby drain. However, if your furnace appears to have sprung a leak, there are a few common causes that can be checked. The first should be where the furnace drains. If the drain area has become blocked with debris, it may result in a worrysome puddle. Unfortunately, this is really the only problem that you can investigate and potentially fix yourself. Other causes of leaking in a furnace will want to be left to an HVAC technician who can quickly find the problem and will be able to fix it without harming the furnace.

If the drain checks out, it may mean the pipes leading to the drain are clogged up. As these are located inside the furnace, an HVAC technician will need to investigate it. Usually, you can tell where a clog is happening by where the water is leaking from.

Unfortunately, one of the most problematic causes of a furnace leaking is when it is caused by faulty parts. For example, one of the signs of a cracked heat exchanger can be leaking water. This can be expensive to fix, and if left unrepaired can be dangerous for your home. However, a faulty condenser pump could cause the same issue, which is a more affordable repair.

Both problems needs to be addressed by a professional HVAC technician to ensure that the repair is done correctly. For 24/7 emergency service, we encourage you to contact us today.

Common Late Season Furnace Problems

Many homeowners prioritize furnace maintenance before autumn comes around, and that’s a good thing! However, it’s important to prioritize furnace maintenance year round. As winter comes to an end, consider the wear and tear your furnace has endured over the last few months.

It’s common for furnaces to manifest late season problems, and it’s crucial that you don’t ignore them until fall comes back and you begin to rely on it to keep you comfortable again. Address any late season furnace problems as soon as possible because if you let a broken furnace sit all summer, it will come out of the season even worse off.

Common late season furnace issues include:

• Dirty Burners – Over a season of use, the burners in your furnace can accumulate a lot of dirt. This makes it difficult for those burners to reignite when needed. Typically this manifests in a "boom" noise that comes with delayed ignition. Delayed ignition takes a toll on a furnace, making dirty burners an issue that needs to be addressed immediately.
• Ignitor Failure – Instead of a pilot light, many furnaces have changed to an electronic ignitor to light the gas and run the heat. However, these ignitor often wear out before the furnace itself, making it so they may need replacement. If your heat has stopped turning on late in the season, this could be the cause.
• Motor Failure – If your furnace is igniting, but the air isn't getting into your home, it could be an inducer motor failure. This motor pumps air into your home, and when the motor goes out, that doesn't happen. Typically you will notice a distinct and annoying screeching sound when a motor is going out.

As you can tell, the most common late season repairs come from the items in the furnace that are subject to frequent repeat use. Thankfully, these repairs are usually rather simple to fix. If you think your furnace should be looked at by a professional, contact us today to schedule a time of service.