In colder climates, furnaces are some of the most reliable and common heating systems we use. They’re affordable, safe, efficient, and use natural gas which is plentiful in our local communities. However, they’re very different when compared to a heat pump or an electric furnace. Electric furnaces function more like space heaters where a gas furnace runs more like a stove or fireplace.
With all that said, we’re here to address an important issue that customers can get concerned about–a dripping furnace. How does water come out of your furnace? And why is it showing up now when it didn’t last year?
These are excellent questions and ones that we’ll get to in the blog post below. But don’t hesitate to call our team for expert furnace repairs in Cedar Rapids if you notice your furnace dripping. This is a problem that requires professional support.
The Combustion Process
When your furnace system burns gas to create heat, it’s also doing something else. It creates fumes, which are basically the byproduct of combustion. Think about the little exhaust vent that exits your furnace and leads to the outdoors, or the chimney where your fireplace expels smoke and dust. These are vents for expelling harmful or dangerous fumes that we don’t want in our breathable air.
That all being said, one of the byproducts of this process is water vapor, believe it or not. This water vapor escapes through your port exhaust like every other fume that is created, from carbon monoxide to smoke.
The Normal Way Exhaust Vents Work
Exhaust vents are pretty simple in their design. They’re angled slightly above your furnace so that gases like smoke, carbon monoxide, and water vapor can rise through the pipe naturally to be expelled outwards. These can usually function without a hitch, and you’ll know it’s working properly when you can see the big cloud of exhaust coming from your home’s exhaust port outside.
However, in our climate, there can be some serious issues with your exhaust system.
Problems With Your Exhaust
So, what about that dripping noise? How does this relate to your furnace’s exhaust?
Well, if it’s especially cold outside, once that water vapor hits the outside air (or even gets close to it) it’s going to start condensing into liquid water. Liquid water is denser and heavier than gas, which means it will form droplets inside of your exhaust pipe and drip downwards back into your crawlspace or basement.
That’s where the dripping comes from, and it’s a good reason to invest in something like a water pump or a dehydrator. Also, you’ll want to make sure your furnace is on a concrete slab above it so it never gets stuck in standing water.
A Blockage
On especially cold days with lots of snow, there could be a potential blockage of your exhaust vent. A few feet of snow could sometimes gather right next to your exhaust port and cause the gases to become trapped.
This is a big deal because it could mean carbon monoxide and fumes flowing back into your home which is extremely dangerous.
Always make sure your port exhaust is open to the air and get it repaired if you notice something wrong.
At Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc., your comfort is our promise! To set up an appointment in the Cedar Rapids area, give us a call at the number above, email customerservice@daltonphc.com or schedule an appointment online.