Is Water Leaking from Your Furnace? Here’s Why It Might Be Happening and What You Should Do!

Your furnace isn’t a water-using appliance, so it can be very surprising when you discover that water has started to leak around your system. In order to help you better understand this problem, today we’re going to talk about why water might start leaking from your furnace and what you should do if it happens in your home!

Why might water start leaking from your furnace?

• Leak developed in high efficiency venting system.Unlike mid-efficiency heating systems, high efficiency furnaces with an AFUE rating of 90 or above produce exhaust in a cool liquid form. This condensation is carried out of your home, typically via a drain on the floor. If the pipes that drain your furnace’s exhaust gases have a leak or a clog, the liquid inside of them can leak out and pool up around your furnace.
• Humidifier leak dripping on furnace. Furnace humidifiers are connected to your home’s plumbing system and use tap water to add moisture to your air. If cracks, leaks or clogs develop somewhere in your humidifier, the water inside of it can drip on and around your furnace.
• Air conditioner leaking onto furnace. In milder places like the Bay Area, we sometimes use our furnaces and air conditioners during the same time of year. If your air conditioner has been used recently, it’s possible that the condensate pan has overflowed onto your heating system, which can make it seem like water is leaking from your furnace even though it’s coming from your air conditioner.
• Plumbing leak near furnace. Another possibility is that the water leak is not from your furnace at all, but rather from a leak in a nearby water pipe. If the leaking pipe is located near your furnace, it can create the illusion that your furnace is leaking water. In addition, a stoppage may cause a back-up through a floor drain. If there is significant flooding and your furnace is partially submerged, it should be shut down immediately and inspected. Your utility company may consider it “red-tagged,” meaning it is unsafe to operate, and it will need to be repaired or replaced.

What should you do if water is leaking from your furnace?

If you think water might be leaking from your furnace, contact Cabrillo as soon as you can. Even if the problem is a relatively easy fix, a water leak can cause damage to your system as well as your surrounding floors and walls.

Because Cabrillo offers both plumbing and HVAC services, we can take care of your problem no matter where the water leak is coming from!

If you have any questions about why water is leaking from your furnace, or if you’d like a heating system serviced or installed in your home, contact Cabrillo, your Bay Area plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor.