Lisa Crosley, President of Lifestyle Comfort Solutions, explains what to do if you discover a puddle of water on the floor in front of your furnace.
Check Out the Model of Equipment
When you call for service you may be asked if you have a high-efficiency or standard-efficiency furnace. It’s fairly easy to tell. Look at the vent or exhaust pipe.
- High efficiency furnace. The vent pipe is white plastic (PVC). If the yellow Energy Guide stickers is still on the furnace, determine if the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is greater than 90%. If so, you have a high efficiency unit and some condensation is expected.
- Standard efficiency furnace. Here, the vent pipe is metal. The AFUE on the yellow Energy Guide stickers will be below 90%. There should be no water involved with a standard efficiency furnace.
Possible Causes of Water Leak
- Clogged condensate drain or tubing.
- Clogged floor drain
- Break in the condensate line
- Incorrect sizing of exhaust or flue pipe
- Malfunctioning condensate pump
- Leaking whole-house humidifier
- Internal drain system clog
- Faulty secondary heat exchanger on a high efficiency unit
Although some of these repairs may sound alarming, our Lifestyle Comfort Solutions’ professionals encounter them frequently, and offer Dayton homeowners years of repair experience.
