Heating and cooling your home amounts to a whopping 42% of your energy bill. And that number may be much higher if you live in parts of the country with extremes in high and low temperatures.

Of course, your furnace is the centerpiece of your heating and cooling system. For all intents and purposes, it is the beating heart of your environmental systems.

So when you see a pool of water at your furnace’s base, mental alarms sound. If your furnace is leaking, you should take action and deduce the problem as soon as possible.

A leak in a furnace can cause major damage to the appliance and items in your basement as well.

In the following article, we’ll discuss why your furnace may have sprung a leak and what to do about it.

Type of Furnace Matters

If you suspect your furnace is leaking water, your first move is to determine what type of furnace you own. Do you own a high-efficiency condensing furnace or a standard efficiency conventional furnace?

A high-efficiency furnace has two heat exchangers. This process creates a lot of water. You can easily determine which furnace type you have by checking the outtake pipes.

High-efficiency condensing furnaces will have a white PVC pipe as a vent. It should extend from the side or top of the unit. A conventional furnace will have a metal pipe for a vent.

To make doubly sure, you can also check the furnace’s Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating. If the unit is rated over 90, then it is high-efficiency. Below 90, and it is a conventional unit.

Most Common Leak Reasons

Condensation is the most common reason for a furnace leak. Since furnaces extract heat from combusting gas, water vapor is produced as the gases condensate and cool. This water has to go somewhere and is usually routed to a drain from the condensers in a high-efficiency model.

However, in a conventional furnace that water is vented immediately out the exhaust. Pooling at the base of a conventional furnace is a clear warning n sign that there’s something significantly wrong with the operation of your furnace.

Hopefully, the water is due to the exhaust pipe’s fitting, but the leak could also stem from an ancillary humidifier or HVAC unit. If your conventional furnace is leaking, you should seek furnace repair services as soon as possible.

High-Efficiency Furnace Is Leaking

One of the most common reasons for a high-efficiency furnace to leak is a blocked drainpipe. The water created by the condensers is routed to a drain in the floor. A likely cause of the leak is either a clog in the pipe or the drain.

Go ahead and check the drain for dirt and debris. If this is the issue causing the water pooling, it can typically be cleared with a snake or shop vac.

However, if this isn’t the issue, your condensing furnace might have a faulty pump or humidifier. This will necessitate a technician for service or repair.

Call Before It Fails

When a furnace is leaking, you may have a serious (and expensive) problem on your hands. Your best bet is not to put off a call to a certified technician. Excess water in your heating system can cause big problems down the road.

If you have a question about your furnace or any water issues surrounding it, don’t hesitate to contact us today.