Is It Possible for a Furnace to Have a Condensation Leak?

Condensation from Other Components

• If you suspect that water is leaking down from your furnace, do not immediately assume that the furnace is producing the water. Some HVAC systems have air conditioning evaporators located along the same vents that the furnace uses, as well as humidifiers designed to add moisture to the air. Both of these units can leak back into the furnace, making it look as though the furnace itself is leaking.

Condensation in Furnace

• If you have a normal gas or oil furnace, you might experience some condensation and leaking in the furnace. The heat that the furnace produces also creates exhaust that cools as it moves out through the vents. As it cools, the air can lose moisture that it carries. This leads to condensation, and if your venting system has leaks or is clogged, then you may notice water around your furnace.

Condensing Furnaces

• If you have a new gas furnace, there is a good chance that it is a condensing furnace. This means that it has an additional system that collects heat from the exhaust the furnace produces and passes it back into your air. These furnaces are efficient, but they do produce more moisture than other types of furnace units. You must have a good drain in place to deal with this condensation.

Solving the Problem

• If your leak is coming from a humidifier or a part of your air conditioner, then see if you need to clean your air conditioner or fix leaks on those units. If the furnace is producing the leak, locate where the leak is coming from. If it is inside the furnace, you may need to patch the leak or replace a component. If the leaking is coming from outside the furnace, it is probably a clogged drain, which can easily be cleaned.