Why is My Furnace Leaking Water?

Furnace water leakages aren’t an everyday happening. However, suppose your furnace is a bit older, or an HVAC professional hasn’t inspected it for some time. In that case, you’re likely to deal with water leaks often. Whether it’s the first time or it happened in the past, your question will always be, why is my furnace leaking water? Hang on to know the leading causes of furnace water leakages. How often to change the furnace filter? Homeowners need to replace furnace filters every three months as they work as a shield to keep the furnace functioning by keeping out dust and hair from it.

Why Is My Furnace Leaking Water? Key Reasons

Manufacturers robustly create modern furnaces to withstand harsh elements and stay strong for decades. Unfortunately, just like humans, furnaces need regular checkups and care to remain in good shape. Not giving your furnaces the respect they deserve will lead to the following leakages:

Furnace condensation leaks

The leading cause of leakages in modern furnaces is condensation-related leaks. These leaks occur when your high-efficiency furnace has a faulty condensation tube or drain. Suppose your high-efficiency furnace system works by extracting heat for heating the water from combustion gases. In that case, it’s likely going to have condensation leaks.  These systems need to exhaust the combustion gas through a drain or tube to dispose of the resulting moisture efficiently. However, if the system drain gets clogged or broken, you will start noticing water leakages. As for standard-efficiency furnaces, leakages occur when the homeowners incorrectly size the flue or exhaust pipe. Always contact an HVAC professional to conduct a load calculation.

Plumbing leakages

Furnace leakages may also happen when your plumbing system has issues. The leakages may not come directly from the furnace, meaning no heating system component is faulty. However, these leakages directly connect to the furnace since they affect smooth water flow and efficient home heating.  Most plumbing leaks occur when the plumbing pipes have clogged or broke. The more severe issues can trigger backup problems in your drainage system. Do you need a plumber?

Humidifier leakages

Most modern homes have humidifiers connected to their furnace systems to improve overall home comfort. Mostly, when your humidifier has leakages, the furnace may suffer the same fate. Humidifiers boost the overall comfort levels of your home by adding moisture to the heated air. Whenever these systems get faulty, the generated moisture can leak into your furnace system. Such leakages can seriously affect the furnace’s health, so have them checked and addressed immediately.

Heat exchanger leakages

Heat exchanger leaks are the most dangerous and costly to repair. When your furnace’s heater exchanger has issues, leakages might happen. These types of leakages are complex to identify, and not everyone can easily handle them.  HVAC repair specialists will often check the heat exchangers after they have checked all the other components as heat exchanger leaks aren’t commons. When the heat exchanger is damaged, the best solution will be to replace it.

Clogged air filters

Furnace leaks also occur when the filters are dirty. When clogged, the air filters affect efficient airflow, making the coils freeze or water leak to the furnace.

What Can You do When Your Furnace is Leaking?

Once you discover signs of the furnace leaking water, you should turn off your furnace straightway. Start by putting off its power from the main’s switch and then the thermostat before disconnecting the electrical breakers that connect to your furnace. Once you’ve turned all these off, you should put off the valve and then disconnect the furnace from gas and power.   After successfully disconnecting the furnace from gas and power, you should mop any accumulated water. Most of these are complex tasks suited for HVAC specialists, so you should call your furnace repair specialist if you know nothing about heating and cooling systems.  HVAC technicians are experienced and skilled in handling furnace water leaks, so they know exactly where to start the troubleshooting task.  Trying to handle furnace water leaks on yourself can turn catastrophic, especially if you know nothing about repairing and servicing heating systems. So, you have to call your HVAC technician immediately after the furnace water leakages occur for your safety.

Contact a Professional HVAC Technician

Technicians will start by inspecting your furnace to know the exact source of the leakage. A professional technician can troubleshoot most furnace water leaks in minutes.  The technician will flush out clogged condensate traps immediately recommend the most viable routines to prevent future clogs. If your furnace has faulty drain lines, the technician will replace them. Suppose the humidifier causes your furnace water leaks. In that case, technicians know precisely how to check the water lines for issues with pinhole leakages or cracks. They will further study the units connecting the water lines and humidifiers to ensure they are correctly connected. They will address any issues with poor line connections to prevent future water leakages. However, if the leakage is from your furnace’s heat exchanger, the technician will likely recommend changing the whole heating system. Heat exchanger systems take time to diagnose and can be expensive to repair. Thus, most HVAC technicians recommend system replacements as they are cheaper and less hectic.  However, if you insist on getting the heat exchanger repaired, your HVAC technician will try to revive it. However, the furnace may work adequately. Most other furnace water leaks aren’t a significant threat and can be dealt with almost instantly, provided you hire a specialist.

Why Is My Furnace Leaking Water – Conclusion

Why is my furnace leaking water? Furnaces can leak water for a variety of reasons, most of which we outlined above. The first step to handling any furnace problem is to discover what caused it.  However, in the case of furnace water leaks, you should call your HVAC technician soon after you notice signs of leakages. But before you contact the technician, make sure you have disconnected the furnace from power and gas. That way, you will prevent water flooding and prevent further damage to your furnace.  Homeowners can avoid most furnace leakages by investing in regular maintenance services. Consider having your system inspected and serviced every year to optimize its performance and reduce issues with furnace leaks.