Water leak coming from under my furnace when I run my AC?
Question:When I run my AC for any period of time,water is leaking ALOT from underneath my furnace in my garage (which also houses the AC fan of some sort---all i know is when my AC is running, a fan is running in the furnace as well). My AC unit is outside in a different location. Could this be a condensation line somewhere? its leaking a couple of gallons of water per day if i have the AC on all day. any suggestions?
thanks!!
Answers:
The evaporator coil is located in the plenum above or under your furnace. The blower on the furnace runs while the AC is on. The blower forces the hot air inside your house over the cold evaporator coil and cools the air.
Just like a cold drink on a hot summer day the moisture in the air condenses on the evaporator coil. This moisture drips off onto a plastic pan and is supposed to go down a drain pipe.
If this pipe clogs up with dust and dirt the water will overflow into the furnace. Some systems sit in a low spot so that water cannot flow out by gravity. These sytems have a condensate pump to remove the water. If the pump fails the water will overflow.
You should have a plastic or copper pipe coming out of the furnace going to a floor drain or outside. This is the condensate drain and it is what is probably plugged. If you have a condensate pump check to make sure it is working.
If you don't have the experience to check this stuff yourself call an HVAC tech to clean it all out.
This is something that you need to get fixed though. Eventually that water will lead to mold and rust the furnace out.
find your condensation pump, or the way that condensate gets out of the coils, and pour some chlorox into it to get rid of algea. If that is not it, it might be that the pan inside the unit, right under the coils, has algea or gunk in it and that has to be cleaned. Some of that can possibly be done with chlorox, but it might take some scraping.
There is a drain in the bottom of your a/c unit. This lets the condensation drain from the a-coil from all the humidity. The drain is most likely stopped up. You'll have to open the unit and locate the drain. Getting it unclogged is another story. Mine is actually on the outside of the unit and it makes it very easy to clean. If you do get it cleaned out. Run some bleach down it to help keep the buildup of gunk out.
Call a proffesional.
Water is normal. Most ac units have a line to take the water outside or to a pump to remove the water from the house. Look for a water line around the area of the leak, it will be about 1/2 or so in diam. It is plugged up. easy to clean out. i use a shop & vac. Put the water tube in the suction end and turn on. I have to do this several times a year.
Check your drain hose
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