There are two main types of furnaces: condensing furnaces and conventional furnaces. Conventional units are a bit older in design, so condensing models are more popular among homeowners. Condensation is a natural process that occurs in a condensation furnace. That means that your furnace will not only produce heat but also some water as one of the byproducts of this process.
When your furnace produces heat, the condensation it creates gets removed from your home via a condensate drain. If something goes wrong in the process, the furnace might begin leaking water. Here are the six common reasons why there are pools of water near your heating unit.
1. Clogged Condensation Lines
A condensation line is an integral part of your heating unit that connects a drain trap to the outdoors. If there’s a blockage in any part of the condensation line, the condensation might back up and eventually overflow onto the floor. Since a clogged condensation line is challenging to fix, it would be best to call in a heating expert than try to fix it on your own.
2. Blocked Drain Trap
The work of a furnace drain trap is to prevent harmful gases from escaping via the drain line. The drain trap can become clogged with time, preventing condensation from draining smoothly and exiting your house. You can trust your Leith Heating & Cooling to clear out these clogs in the event it is the source of the leak.
3. Condensate Pump Problems
The condensate pump refers to a small pump that’s attached to your furnace’s drain line. The work of this pump is to push the water outside or into a drain. However, if the pump is malfunctioning or damaged, the water might leak or spill out on the floor. You can easily tell if you are dealing with this problem because if the pump is damaged, water will leak from the condensate pump itself. Contact your Leith Heating & Cooling heating specialist to inspect and fix the pump.
4. A Leaking Humidifier
Some furnaces come with built-in air handlers that have humidifiers, which make sure that the air flowing into the home from the furnace is not too dry. Therefore, humidifiers use water to add some moisture to the circulating air. There is an elaborate mechanism outside of your furnace that delivers the water into the humidifier. If the humidifier is leaking or clogged, the water might begin to leak and drip back into your furnace.
5. A Faulty Heat Exchanger
A conventional furnace has a single heat exchanger instead of the two heat exchangers found in a condensing furnace. That allows the condensing furnace to absorb more heat from all the combustion gases produced before they leave the unit. But it also means that the process of heat absorption is much slower. Additionally, the hot gases will have more time to cool down significantly before reaching the second heat exchanger. Therefore, the second heat exchanger normally produces more condensation than the first one.
If the passage holding the heat exchanger is damaged or cracked, the condensation or water will find its way onto the floor. Unfortunately, a faulty heat exchanger is expensive to repair. Your heating expert can inspect the system and recommend replacing the faulty part or getting a new furnace depending on the extent of the damage.
6. Air Conditioning Issues
What you might fear is a leaking furnace might not be a furnace-related problem of any kind. Instead, you might have a problem with your air conditioning system. This issue is more likely if your furnace is indirectly or directly connected to your indoor AC unit or is part of an HVAC system. If the units are connected or are close to each other, we will be sure to check the air conditioner.
Contact Us for Timely Furnace Services
It is best not to ignore a leaking furnace. Although you might be dealing with a relatively minor problem, the leak could also be a sign of a bigger underlying issue. Ignoring the problem can cause serious damage to your unit, leading to costly repairs or premature replacement. It’s always best to have the issue inspected by a professional team as soon as possible.
If you have a leaking furnace, contact the professionals at Leith Heating & Cooling. Our team of heating experts will inspect your heating system and fix it to prevent costly damage. We also provide AC installation, repair, and maintenance as well as ductless services throughout Elgin, IL, and its surroundings. Contact us today to request any of our services.
