Have you ever wondered what goes into a heating or air conditioning system for a large office building or another large building like a mall or a school? My name is Evelyn, and I am an HVAC architect. I design heating and air conditioning systems for large, corporate buildings. Making sure that a large building with many rooms or offices is efficiently heated and cooled is a very large job and is much more complicated than simply heating or cooling a home. This blog will educate the reader on how heating and cooling jobs this large are designed and completed.
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Designing Heating and Cooling Systems in Large Buildings
Troubleshooting A Furnace That Leaks Water
Nicole Jacobs
Water leaks are a common complaint when it comes to air conditioners, but your furnace could also suffer issues that lead to a puddle of water around the appliance. It can be especially alarming to discover a puddle around the furnace, particularly if your unit runs off a liquid fuel like oil, but water leaks and furnaces aren't as rare as one may think. The following can help you better understand the cause and repair protocols for this problem.
Condensate Pump System
High-efficiency furnaces come equipped with a condensate pump system. This is because most high-efficiency furnaces use a heat exchange process that results in the production of quite a bit of condensation formation. When working correctly, the condensation is drained off through a series of condensate lines. A pump moves the condensate through the lines and to an indoor or outdoor drain. If a line becomes clogged, cracks, or works loose, then the water will pool near the furnace. Damage to the pump itself or a blocked drain may also lead to puddles forming. Fortunately, your furnace repair technician can repair or replace problem lines or pumps, or they can clear a drain, so this is a relatively easy fix.
Vent Pipe Condensation
All furnaces have vent pipes, but some units feature a metal pipe as opposed to a PVC pipe. These pipes transport the hot exhaust from your furnace outside so the exhaust can dissipate harmlessly outside of your home. Since the exhaust is hot and outside temperatures are typically cool when the furnace is running, condensation can form on the pipe. In some cases, this condensation forms on the inside portion of the pipe, where it then runs down and pools on the ground around your furnace. Sometimes the issue is made worse with the use of an oversized pipe. Verifying the pipe is sized correctly and adding pipe insulation can cut down on the issue.
Humidifier Issues
Some furnaces are equipped with an integrated humidifier that is designed to help prevent the dry winter air caused by the standard forced air furnace. Humidifiers consist of water tubing, pumps, and sometimes water reservoirs, so there are many components that can spring a leak. Most of these components can be repaired or replaced without any need for a full replacement of the entire humidifier unit, but your repair tech will need to inspect the unit to find the leak location before completing the repair.
Contact a furnace installation or repair service in your area for more help with a leaking furnace.
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