We all rely on our furnaces and other heating systems to get us through the long, chilly winters. So if you’ve recently found a big puddle under your furnace, what should you do? Most times, simple furnace repairs can be performed to get rid of the leak and restore your furnace back to its normal, working condition. It’s a common issue that families everywhere deal with, so don’t panic. Call in a professional to examine your furnace and discover the source of the leak.
Common Reasons Furnaces Leak
When a furnace begins to leak water, it can be caused by a number of different reasons, including:
Condensation Leak
A condensation leak is the most common leak that a furnace will experience. Most furnaces that you’ll find in homes have an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating of at least 90, meaning that they’re classified as high-efficiency furnaces. These types of furnaces need to be cooled down once they’ve been used for an extended period of time, causing condensation that sometimes can leak, rather than properly go through a drain.
Condensation leaks are simple repairs that can be performed by any professional HVAC service.
Furnace Humidifier Leak
Humidifier leaks usually only occur when you haven’t had a tune up of your furnace system in a while. Your furnace has a humidifier to add moisture to your warm air so it doesn’t come out as dry heat. If there are any problems or clogs in your humidifier, it could be water leaking inside of the furnace.
If your furnace is leaking water and you haven’t had a furnace tune up in quite a while, call a professional immediately. If the humidifier is leaking inside of your furnace, it can cause a lot of damage to the system.
Clogged Filter
When the filter in your furnace becomes clogged, air isn’t able to flow through it as it normally would. When this happens, your evaporator coil won’t get any airflow and can freeze, depending on the temperatures in the area. When the frozen areas on the coil eventually melt, you’ll probably be left with a leak that has developed under your heating system.
Impact of a Leaking Furnace
A leak can cause a number of problems, both to yourself and your home. Some of these problems include:
Musty Smell
A leaking furnace can cause the surrounding areas to have a musty, stale smell. If your furnace is in an area that is often heavily populated, like a basement, the smell can grow to become very inconvenient.
Mold Buildup
The longer that a water leak is left unattended, the more likely it is that mold will develop. Depending on the type of mold that grows, it can become dangerous and lead to serious health problems for anybody inhaling air surrounding the mold.
Stained Areas
Dark stains can develop on walls and non-carpeted floors from leaking areas. Depending on the location of the stain, it can be indicative of structural damage that is occurring because of the leak. Even if there isn’t any structural damage, these stains can be very hard to get out.
A Faulty Secondary Heat Exchanger
If the water around your furnace isn’t caused by condensation, it could be coming from the secondary heat exchanger. If this is the issue, it may lead to complete furnace replacement.
Contact Estes Services Today
No matter what the cause of your furnace leak is – or the problems that have occurred due to the leak – you can rest assured knowing that you’ve found a team of experienced and knowledgeable technicians that will work to solve your problem. We’re dedicated to helping our customers in any way possible.
Contact Estes Services today so we can get rid of your furnace’s leak and restore comfort to your home. For all of your home’s heating and air conditioning repair and installation needs, contact the HVAC technicians at Estes Services.
