Help! My Furnace Is Leaking Water

A pool of water forming around your furnace could mean a few things, and luckily most of the issues are relatively easy to fix. That said, do not ignore the problem.

Maintaining your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is one of the surest ways to lower your energy bills—especially since heating and cooling your home can account for nearly half your utility costs, according to ENERGY STAR®.

Our goal at Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning is to deliver the best possible service to all of our customers in the Metro Detroit area by offering recommendations and tips to keep you comfortable and help save you money.

Why Is My Furnace Leaking Water?

Condensation is one cause. High-efficiency furnaces with an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating of 90 percent or higher produce condensation.

If your basement drain is clogged, if you have a condensate pump that has failed, or if the condensation tube from your furnace is damaged, clogged or ripped, that is the likely source of your water. All of these are minor issues that one of our professional heating experts can quickly repair.

How do you know if you have a high-efficiency furnace? The easiest way is to look at the round vent pipe coming out of your furnace. If the pipe is plastic, you have a high-efficiency furnace.

If the pipe is metal, you have a standard-efficiency furnace. A standard-efficiency furnace does not create condensation if properly installed. If it does leak, that could mean the flue pipe was incorrectly sized and not venting properly.

Is the Humidifier Causing My Furnace to Leak?

If you have a humidifier, it is connected to your home plumbing system to add moisture to the air. If the humidifier is cracked, clogged or over calcified, the water inside of it can start to drip around your furnace.

A simple way to minimize the chances of this happening is to call us at Great Dane and schedule an annual tune-up of your furnace, allowing one of our professionals to clean and inspect all the components—including the humidifier.

Can a Cracked Heat Exchanger Create a Furnace Leak?

The worst-case scenario is the leak is caused by a cracked secondary heat exchanger. Replacing a cracked heat exchange can cost thousands of dollars depending on the brand and size of your furnace. In most cases, it makes more sense financially to buy a new furnace rather than fix the heat exchanger—especially if you have an older furnace.

High-efficiency furnaces have two heat exchangers to get every bit of heat possible from the gas into your home. Your secondary heat exchanger captures heat from the exhaust created by the primary heat exchanger. This process adds warmth to your Michigan home but also creates moisture that is drained through a condensation tube.

If the condensation tube is clogged or torn, you have an easy repair. A cracked heat exchanger, on the other hand, will need to be replaced.

With any cracked heat exchanger, you also risk the possibility of a carbon monoxide leak. If you suspect your heat exchanger is cracked, call us immediately to have your furnace inspected. Legally, our team is required to shut down and disable a furnace with a cracked heat exchanger for the safety of everyone in your home.

Can Poor Plumbing Cause My Furnace to Leak?

Poor plumbing—or a leak in your plumbing—can give the appearance that your furnace is leaking water. In reality, it’s the water from a leaky pipe that’s collecting around your furnace or ductwork. Do not wait for your furnace to become partially submerged in water. Call our experts at Great Dane right away to diagnose and address the problem.

Call Your Furnace Experts Today

Water accumulating around your furnace or ductwork is never a good thing, but it could be an easy issue to address. Our team at Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning has been serving families in Clinton and Macomb Township since 1999. Call 586.790.2604 or request online service today to learn more about your HVAC system and how to improve your indoor air quality and home comfort.