With the harsh (at times) winters in Ottawa, your home heating system is crucial and ensuring its proper operation is an absolute must to keep your family comfortable. One thing you may not know is that furnaces can leak water or fuel. It is very important to determine what is leaking out of the furnace and have a professional furnace contractor take a look because if your furnace is leaking fuel (especially if the fuel is natural gas or propane) then the leak could place your family and home in immediate danger.

Leaking Fuel from Your Furnace

If you have determined that it is fuel leaking out of your furnace then you must evacuate your home right away to remove yourself and your love ones from danger. Then you should call the local fire department and your fuel provider. Furnace fuel leaks should be repaired only by a professional and not a home handyman because of the danger surrounding furnace fuel leaks and also to ensure the job is done perfectly to prevent further issues.

Leaking Water from Your Furnace

Your furnace can also leak water and this can pose major problems as well. Even though the element of danger is not as serious as leaking fuel, water leaks should be dealt with promptly to protect your home and prevent further damage. Water leaks from your furnace can damage your floors, furniture, walls and the added moisture can easily attract mould which can lead to some very serious health risks if it spreads throughout your home. Furthermore, water leaks can even damage the furnace and that can lead to an expensive repair or replacement that could have been avoided with some quick action.

High-efficiency furnaces have a cool exhaust and if the hose is damaged or blocked then your furnace will leak water. Similarly if your cool exhaust drain is clogged then water will leak from your furnace. Many furnaces even have a humidifier built in and both the pipe and pan can leak as well as build up condensation from drips on the outside of the pipes.

You may also experience a water leak from the air conditioner  if there is a break or hole in the hose where the water is piped to the drain. If this is clogged or backed up then you will also experience a water leak.

What should I do if my furnace is leaking?

If you find that your furnace is leaking, it is important to identify if it is fuel or water and then contact a professional furnace contractor to come and inspect your furnace so that you can get your equipment back up and running properly and prevent immediate danger and further damange to your home and furnace.

Ignoring the leak or trying to fix it yourself and not doing it properly can lead to some very high costs down the road so it is best to have a professional take care of the leak in your furnace.