November 17, 2021
Furnace Leak in Frederick, MD

Furnaces heat around 35 million single-family homes in the United States, a clear indication that they are quite common in this country. If your home relies on this type of heat source, you must ensure that your furnace is regularly maintained.

In case you notice that water is leaking from the furnace, you need to have it repaired. Otherwise, the leaking water will damage your furnace and your home. Below, are some of the reasons why water may start leaking from your furnace.

1. A Clogged or Damaged Condensate Drain Hose

Your high-efficiency furnace usually generates a significant amount of condensate as a by-product after burning natural gas. The condensate has to be drained into a condensation pump or floor drain, and a condensate drain hose aids in this process. If this tube becomes clogged with dirt or debris, the condensate will back up, and water will likely leak out of your furnace. Water will also leak out of the furnace if the tube is damaged.

When this happens, you should not try to fix the problem yourself since you may damage the furnace even more. Instead, it would be best if you let an HVAC technician fix the problem.

2. A Clogged or Damaged Floor Drain

After water exits the condensate drain line, it goes into a floor drain. If that is clogged, the condensate will back up, creating a puddle. Water can also leak from your furnace if this drain is damaged. The most obvious sign of a damaged or clogged floor drain is water around your furnace unit. Rust stains can also indicate a clogged or damaged floor drain.

3. A Malfunctioning Condensate Pump

Some furnaces do not have a floor drain. Instead, they have a condensate pump. This device takes the condensate coming from the furnace and pumps it out of the home. Such a pump typically utilizes electrical energy, and it can break down. Your condensate pump might fail simply because it’s old.

If a condensate pump is not performing optimally, water can back up and leak from the furnace. That is why it is advisable to replace old condensate pumps.

4. A Flue Pipe That Is Not the Correct Size

If you own a standard-efficiency furnace, you shouldn’t have to worry about condensation problems. However, you should ensure that your furnace system’s flue pipe is of the correct size. A flue pipe helps gases from your furnace get out of your home before a condensate is formed. If this pipe is not sized correctly, hot exhaust from your furnace will condense in it. This condensate will drain back to your furnace, causing a water leak.

5. A Faulty Heat Exchanger

If you own a high-efficiency furnace, it has two heat exchangers, the primary and the secondary. Water vapor usually forms in the secondary heat exchanger. If this heat exchanger is faulty, water may start leaking from your furnace.

Fixing a faulty heat exchanger can be expensive since it might require a furnace replacement. That is why it is important to have your furnace regularly maintained to avoid such issues.

6. A Faulty Furnace Humidifier

The work of a humidifier in a furnace is to add moisture to hot air. Obviously, there is water inside the humidifier. If the humidifier is broken or damaged, water can start leaking from it. Eventually, water will start leaking from the furnace system.

If this issue is not addressed immediately, the water leaking from the humidifier can damage your furnace system’s components. The water can also damage your floors and encourage mold growth. That is why you need to let an HVAC professional check your furnace system’s humidifier often.

7. Internal Drain System Clog

If your furnace system and air conditioning system share an internal drain, water may start leaking from your furnace due to a clog in that drain. The leakage will appear to worsen every time you are running your air conditioning system. If water is leaking from your furnace as a result of this, contact your HVAC professionals. And, if you’re located in or near Frederick, your choice for those professionals should be Weather Masters Corp..

Your Local Experts

Furnaces are common in American homes, but homeowners must ensure that they’re working properly. Water might start leaking from the device due to a faulty heat exchanger, an internal drain system clog or condensation problems. In case this happens to you, turn to the HVAC technicians from Weather Masters Corp..

Our locally owned and operated HVAC company serves residents throughout the Frederick area with heating and cooling repair, maintenance and installation. We also offer boiler and water heater repair and replacement. We belong to the ACCA, are accredited by the BBB with an A+ rating and have garnered many great reviews on Angie’s List. If water is leaking from your furnace, contact us at Weather Masters Corp. today.

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