Gas furnaces are a common source of home heating here in the Portland area, but like any appliance, yours needs regular maintenance and occasional repairs. The sooner you can spot the signs of problems with a gas furnace, the more readily you can address those issues. One common issue that bears careful watching is the presence of a water leak from your gas furnace, which at first seems quite incongruous with the function of such a system. In point of fact, however, it’s a serious problem, in need of immediate addressing.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
The causes of water leaking from a gas furnace vary according to your specific household, but can include the following:
- External leaks that result in water trickling into the furnace. This can damage specific components of the furnace as well as interfering with the burners and other key components. It often needs to be addressed by sealing the source of the leak.
- Condensate, which usually occurs in high-efficiency furnaces. Such furnaces usually have drip pans and similar components to address condensate, but such components can readily become overwhelmed if there’s excess condensation in the system.
- A problematic humidifier. Humidifiers often run in conjunction with the heating system, and if yours is malfunctioning, the water can end up in your furnace, and again damage the internal components or interfere with its ability to keep your home warm.
- A secondary heat exchanger can produce excess moisture if it is malfunctioning. Depending on the age of the heater, you might be better off simply replacing the whole unit instead of replacing the secondary heat exchanger.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
If you spot water leaks around your gas furnace, you need to shut the system off immediately. Whatever the problem is, it needs to be addressed before it grows any worse. Once that’s done, call in a trained repair service to address the issue promptly. While you wait, it might be a good idea to watch to see if the leak grows worse. A problem with an internal condition will likely stop once you shut the system down while an external leak that merely travels through the heater might continue regardless. If can give the repair technician an idea of where to look in order to address the problem.
Once the issue is resolved, you might want to speak to the technician about setting up a maintenance session once a year at the beginning or the end of the heating season. This is especially the case if you’re experienced similar leaks in the past. A maintenance session will allow the technician to check for any trouble spots and set up a repair session to deal with them before the leaks cause any more damage to your system. This is particularly recommended for homes that have suffered recurring leaks and can help keep a close eye on the overall source of the problem so that it doesn’t repeat itself.
For quality gas furnace repair services here in Portland, OR, call the pros at Western Heating & Cooling today!