Did you know that one of the byproducts of the combustion process is water? It doesn’t spray out in liquid form like you might be imagining in your head. Instead, water vapor is produced that easily exits your home through the port exhaust.
But, as we’ll get into below, there might be a problem with this process that could cause some issues for your system. If you’ve noticed that your furnace has been leaking recently (and not leaking gas), then you might be dealing with a water vapor problem that needs to be resolved.
Firstly, we’d ask that you just call for professional furnace repair in Centralia, WA since one of our expert technicians should be able to fix this quickly. But secondly, we’d ask that you read the rest of this blog to get an idea of what exactly might be happening as your furnace leaks water.
The Combustion Process
Natural gas is considered a flammable hydrocarbon, meaning it’s composed of hydrogen and carbon. This is relatively straightforward, but one of the things we intend to do with this gas is burn it, which is a specific type of chemical reaction.
When hydrocarbons burn, they release multiple different materials into the air as well as a tremendous amount of heat. The heat gets used to make your home nice and comfortable, but the other particles must be vented away from your living space to the outside air where it can dissipate into the atmosphere.
There are many contaminants that are produced during this process, from carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, smoke, and even water. But water vapors are in their gaseous form when they’re sent through your port exhaust to the outside world.
A Problem With Condensation
Do you remember what happens when you’ve got a glass of cold water from the refrigerator on a hot day? The moisture in the atmosphere condenses on the glass, as warm water vapors meet the cold glass. This is a natural process, and it could be happening in your furnace as we speak.
The hot water vapors produced by your furnace are likely going to meet the cold pipe of your port exhaust, condensing the water so it becomes liquid inside of your exhaust vent. This can be bad, since many exhaust vents travel upwards and against gravity, meaning the liquid water will slip down and clog it or leak.
If you’ve got a water leak coming from your furnace, this is the reason for it.
Calling for Repairs
There are a few solutions to this kind of problem. The first could be installing a dehumidifier to remove the moisture from the atmosphere, making it less likely for condensate to collect inside of the port exhaust.
Or, you could get a pump installed that allows the water to collect before pumping it out of your home. Both of these solutions are doable, and depending on your unique home situation, one might work better than the other.
It’s important to work with a trained professional who has made these kinds of fixes or adjustments before, so you don’t break anything in the process.
With Americool Heating & Air Conditioning, your comfort is our business. Schedule an appointment with our team today.