Air Conditioning - Water leak at Furnace, weak A/C
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TraderStav
08-19-06, 10:26 PM
Please be kind as this is my first post, if I did not search extensively be sure to point me in the right direction!
I come home from a lovely day of golfing in the rain to find out that my Furnace is leaking at the A/C is not working up to snuff. I talked to a friend of mine's father who is in HVAC briefly who said that it sounds like my filter needed to be replaced and the air flow wasn't coming through so the coils froze for my A/C. That is why I am seeing water (condensation from the frozen coils with nowhere to go?) and reduced/hardly any efficiency from my A/C through my home.
I wanted to add before I continued that I live in the north (Detroit, MI suburb) and my Furnace is in my basement for my quad level home.
I changed the filter and shut the system down for a few hours to allow the coils to defrost and begin to work again. When I returned home and fired it up water bubbling out of nearly every seam of the duct connected to my furnace seen here: (keep in mind the duct tape is all new, prior to this evening there was hardly any duct tape except on the overlaps of the metal.)
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1706.sized.jpg
There is also an opening where the metal doesn't quite overlap here that the water likes to come out. There was a small piece of paper towel stuffed in here from the previous owner and a good amount of air comes from here. The "V" bracket facing the picture (right side of duct) is where a tiny amount of water collects and every 5 minutes drops from.
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1707.sized.jpg
I tried to seal up the whole duct but the air flow was unchanged, cool but much lower than usual. When I removed the duct tape from the seal a good amount of water came out (keep in mind I am speaking in drops, not buckets or other large amounts). It seems that the water doesn't come out as much as the A/C is on but something tells me that I should not have a duct open, even connected to the furnace as it is wasting Cool/Hot air in a room that doesn't need to be conditioned. Is it reducing air flow to the other parts of my home not being sealed? If I do seal it back up will it continue to fill up with significant amounts of water?
For reference here is my air filter unit, which I installed the new one with the direction pointing to the left. It said go to the direction of airflow, which is usually to the furnace. Is this correct? I didn't take note when I removed the old one as I didn't know there was a difference (first time homeowner!) The metal bars on the floor are completely unrelated to anything to do with the furnace.
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1708.sized.jpg
I did some research and apparently my drip pan may be overflowing which could be a result of a blockage in the drain pipe (seen below). I briefly attempted to remove it so I could examine it but it is sealed very tightly and I would rather not rip into it without a professional present.
Here is the rear of the furnace, there was moisture coming from the drain earlier, but is dry now.
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1709.sized.jpg
Please help me determine what I need to do to get my HVAC working properly. No leaks (water or otherwise) and good air flow to the vents in the home. Do need to open that duct and drain the water out? Is the problem completely unrelated to what I have discovered so far?
Thank you much in advance for your help!
I come home from a lovely day of golfing in the rain to find out that my Furnace is leaking at the A/C is not working up to snuff. I talked to a friend of mine's father who is in HVAC briefly who said that it sounds like my filter needed to be replaced and the air flow wasn't coming through so the coils froze for my A/C. That is why I am seeing water (condensation from the frozen coils with nowhere to go?) and reduced/hardly any efficiency from my A/C through my home.
I wanted to add before I continued that I live in the north (Detroit, MI suburb) and my Furnace is in my basement for my quad level home.
I changed the filter and shut the system down for a few hours to allow the coils to defrost and begin to work again. When I returned home and fired it up water bubbling out of nearly every seam of the duct connected to my furnace seen here: (keep in mind the duct tape is all new, prior to this evening there was hardly any duct tape except on the overlaps of the metal.)
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1706.sized.jpg
There is also an opening where the metal doesn't quite overlap here that the water likes to come out. There was a small piece of paper towel stuffed in here from the previous owner and a good amount of air comes from here. The "V" bracket facing the picture (right side of duct) is where a tiny amount of water collects and every 5 minutes drops from.
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1707.sized.jpg
I tried to seal up the whole duct but the air flow was unchanged, cool but much lower than usual. When I removed the duct tape from the seal a good amount of water came out (keep in mind I am speaking in drops, not buckets or other large amounts). It seems that the water doesn't come out as much as the A/C is on but something tells me that I should not have a duct open, even connected to the furnace as it is wasting Cool/Hot air in a room that doesn't need to be conditioned. Is it reducing air flow to the other parts of my home not being sealed? If I do seal it back up will it continue to fill up with significant amounts of water?
For reference here is my air filter unit, which I installed the new one with the direction pointing to the left. It said go to the direction of airflow, which is usually to the furnace. Is this correct? I didn't take note when I removed the old one as I didn't know there was a difference (first time homeowner!) The metal bars on the floor are completely unrelated to anything to do with the furnace.
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1708.sized.jpg
I did some research and apparently my drip pan may be overflowing which could be a result of a blockage in the drain pipe (seen below). I briefly attempted to remove it so I could examine it but it is sealed very tightly and I would rather not rip into it without a professional present.
Here is the rear of the furnace, there was moisture coming from the drain earlier, but is dry now.
http://www.bezas.com/gallery/albums/ForSale/IMG_1709.sized.jpg
Please help me determine what I need to do to get my HVAC working properly. No leaks (water or otherwise) and good air flow to the vents in the home. Do need to open that duct and drain the water out? Is the problem completely unrelated to what I have discovered so far?
Thank you much in advance for your help!
mdtaylor
08-20-06, 05:11 AM
Follow that white pvc pipe in the last pic to the end. If it goes outside and is open simply stick a wet vac on the end and let is suck out anything it can.
If it is not an open ended drain where does it go? Can you get it apart anywhere without cutting it? Are all the joints glued? If everything is glued and it is closed, then cut the pipe at a convenient place and suck it out. Repair with a coupling. You might consider leaving the coupling unglued on the high side so that you do not have seepage.
If it is not an open ended drain where does it go? Can you get it apart anywhere without cutting it? Are all the joints glued? If everything is glued and it is closed, then cut the pipe at a convenient place and suck it out. Repair with a coupling. You might consider leaving the coupling unglued on the high side so that you do not have seepage.
TraderStav
08-20-06, 09:16 AM
Follow that white pvc pipe in the last pic to the end. If it goes outside and is open simply stick a wet vac on the end and let is suck out anything it can.
If it is not an open ended drain where does it go? Can you get it apart anywhere without cutting it? Are all the joints glued? If everything is glued and it is closed, then cut the pipe at a convenient place and suck it out. Repair with a coupling. You might consider leaving the coupling unglued on the high side so that you do not have seepage.
The other end goes into my sump pump, which is easy enough to access. It seems cooler this morning and the water doesn't seem to be a problem. Perhaps the water was just a result of the coils freezing from the lack of air flow from the bad air filter?
If it is not an open ended drain where does it go? Can you get it apart anywhere without cutting it? Are all the joints glued? If everything is glued and it is closed, then cut the pipe at a convenient place and suck it out. Repair with a coupling. You might consider leaving the coupling unglued on the high side so that you do not have seepage.
The other end goes into my sump pump, which is easy enough to access. It seems cooler this morning and the water doesn't seem to be a problem. Perhaps the water was just a result of the coils freezing from the lack of air flow from the bad air filter?
Ed Imeduc
08-20-06, 09:22 AM
Like said put a shop vac on the drain line and suck and blow through it Make sure its clean.
But you dont say on this.
the air flow wasn't coming through so the coils froze for my A/C. That is why I am seeing water (condensation from the frozen coils with nowhere to go?) and reduced/hardly any efficiency from my A/C through my home.
is there frostor ice???? At the outside unit
Check and see if the big copper line is cold and wet .The small copper line warm to hot. If not you can be low on freon.
ED
But you dont say on this.
the air flow wasn't coming through so the coils froze for my A/C. That is why I am seeing water (condensation from the frozen coils with nowhere to go?) and reduced/hardly any efficiency from my A/C through my home.
is there frostor ice???? At the outside unit
Check and see if the big copper line is cold and wet .The small copper line warm to hot. If not you can be low on freon.
ED