You walk into your basement for the first time in a few weeks and notice there is mold damage, ruined carpet, damaged wall paper, rotten wood floor and much more… So you swing open the furnace room door to find a massive puddle of water beneath your furnace!
This is a lot of homeowners worst nightmare. You know deep down that something is really wrong but often don’t even know where to begin looking. Therefore, you will have to call a furnace repair company which you fear will cost a fortune. This is usually when sudden regret sinks in and you get mad at your decision to skip your furnace tune-ups year after year.
But have no fear… VIGOR is here! (Superhero theme song starts haha) And we have a list of things you can do to prevent the likelihood of this happening to you!
First off, start by mopping up all the water so you can begin to investigate the issue properly. Next, go through this list to diagnose the issue and hopefully prevent it from happening again.
- CONDENSATE LINE AND DRAIN TRAP RELATED PROBLEMS – If you have high-efficiency furnace and your furnace is leaking, first check the condensate line and drain trap. Ensure it works smoothly and drained safely.
Usually, over the time the dirt, algae and water get collected in the drain trap that creates a clog in the condensate lines. This causes the furnace to leak and can create a puddle around your furnace. If you are unsure what you are looking for, our expert technicians at Vigor Heating & Plumbing can diagnose your furnace just for you. Just give us a call 24/7.
- HUMIDIFIER LEAK – The humidifier is often another common cause of water leakage since these are connected to your plumbing system to help create humidity in your homes air. But sometimes these systems become clogged or break, causing this moisture to build up around your furnace.
To prevent this, having an annual furnace tune up is mandatory. Humidifiers need to be cleaned and serviced properly and having a professional inspection could save you from the malfunctioning of furnaces and added expenses.
- CLOGGED AND DIRTY AIR FILTERS- Clogged and dirty air filters can cause several problems for your HVAC system. Water leakage is one of them. Clogged and dirty air filters restrict the airflow which can cause your furnace to overheat and shut down. It also can result in the coils freezing and water leaking around your furnace.
For this, you can simply change your filter yourself, or call the Vigor Heating & Plumbing team to assist you.
- HEAT EXCHANGER PROBLEM – If you have checked all the above possible causes of water leakage and not located the issue, it may be the heat exchanger in your furnace. The heat exchanger is an essential part as it absorbs heat. However, sometimes these heat exchangers absorb so much heat that the exhaust gas becomes the liquid and condensation builds up, hence cause the water leak.
If this is the case, there is more extensive work to be done. We recommend calling a furnace repair company and have trained professionals install the new parts (or replace the furnace completely if needed).
- PLUMBING LEAK – Another cause of water leak could also be the plumbing rather than the furnace itself. Your plumbing pipes may get clogged or broken and create chaos in the drainage system. This can be confused as a furnace issue since that’s where the water appears to be pooling.
Vigor has added new members to our plumbing team in Edmonton who specialize in all your plumbing needs. Therefore, if you are unsure if it is a plumbing or furnace issue, our team can diagnose it and provide you the support you need to get it repaired either way.
- CONDENSATE PUMP- The main work of condensate pump is to push condensation towards the drain. You can find the condensate pump in the form of a box which is connected to the drain pipe. These pumps keep on pushing the water away from the unit. If these condensate pumps stop working, the water will start dripping & overflow from the device.
- EXHAUST VENT PIPE – The exhaust vent pipe that is connected to your furnace, takes away the gases that are produced by your furnace before they cool down and condense into water. If these exhaust pipes are not the right size or improperly designed then these gases do not exit quickly enough and will begin to create condensation.
This is an issue that will be extremely difficult to diagnose on your own. Therefore we recommend calling a professional Furnace Repair Company, like us, and have them run tests to diagnose if this is the care.
- AIR CONDITIONER LEAKING – Depending on the season in Canada, sometimes your AC unit and Furnace are both working within the same day. The drastic change of temperature from day to night can result in your home quickly going from producing cold air to warm air. This change will cause the condensate link and drain pans to fill us quickly. It is important to watch for this and to drain the pans properly.
One other rare cause to watch out for is a crack in your basement wall or flooding through the foundation if it has been raining lots. Sometimes your sump pump will not be able to keep up with the water and will overflow, become clogged, or burn out completely. If your sump pump and furnace are located in the same room, this can make it hard to diagnose the exact issue. If this is the case, refer to a blog on sump pump troubleshooting and cross-reference this blog as well.
Most of the issues mentioned above can be easily avoided with routine maintenance by an HVAC company. However, people often neglect these check ups until there is a bigger issue that demands their attention. This is especially detrimental in a climate like Edmonton where the weather changes so frequently and you heating and cooling systems are working irregular shifts. If you would like to avoid being shocked by a huge expense, you can give our team a call. Our professionals are certified experts in both residential and commercial HVAC repairs and installations.
Whatever the reasons may be for your furnace leaking water, follow the steps above and call a professional if recommended above. You can call our Edmonton furnace repair & installation team at 780.489.9939 or contact us by dropping us an email. You can also request a quote online if your busy and are not in a rush.
