Furnace Leaking Water

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Furnace Leaking Water

Causes Minor Flooding In Your Basement

Why Is My Furnace Leaking Water?

You just realised your furnace leaking water in your newly finished basement, and not sure why. Under no circumstance should you ever see water around your furnace. There is a sign that something is leaking and not draining properly. It could be a simple fix and to begin troubleshooting, you don’t have to go in a panic mode. Depending on the season, a furnace leaking water should have you inspect different places to find the trigger of the leak. Mainly, an overflowing evaporator drain pans used with furnace coils, air handler coils, mini splits, even dehumidifiers create lots of insurance claims. More often than not, the mini-flood results from lack of annual preventive maintenance: dirty coils, plugged drain lines, loss of charge mean lots of water with nowhere beneficial to go.

Furnace-Leaking-Water-Impressive-Climate-Control-Ottawa-400x500

Furnace-Leaking-Water

Why Is My Furnace Leaking Water In Summer?

  • Improper Insulation 

    During the cooling season, the indoor evaporator coil and the suction line sweats. The refrigerant lines should have a black insulation (armaflex), to keep the condensation from dripping. Sometimes if the insulation is missing or if it has open seems, it can cause dripping and obviously this is an easy fix. All armaflex joints should be butted-up tight and well taped.

  • Dirty Evaporator Coil

    Your air conditioner evaporator coil produces a lot of condensation (water) during the summer. Eventually this water runs down the coil into a drain pan, then out to the drain. Once drained water goes either into the ground, outside the house, or into a condensate pump. Then in turn, the pump takes the water either outside the house or into a plumbing drain. If the coil is dirty, then the water, instead of running down the coil, will hit the dirt, then drip onto the floor. This is one reason why the coil should be cleaned annually, not to mention for efficiency reasons. Sometimes the indoor coil can actually ice-up. And when the ice eventually melts, it drips onto the floor. Like water, you should never see ice anywhere on your system during the cooling season.

  • Clogged Evaporator Drain

    Now if you have a dirty coil, the water will mix with the dirt and the dirt will end up in the pan. A dirty drain pan will get clogged and water leaks will appear in the basement. The bottom of the trap is the most common source of a clog and it can be cleaned out with a long flexible cleaning brush. Keep in mind, it doesn’t take much dirt to clog a drain.

    And if your unit is in an attic (Such as High Velocity) or a finished basement, this can cause terrible damage. This is another reason why it is important to always have a good, clean, properly sized air filter, along with having annual inspections.

Why Is My Furnace Leaking Water In Winter?

Did you know that a high efficiency furnace with 100K BTU/H in natural gas will produce approximately two gallons (7.5 liters) of water during every hour of operation?

While many high efficiency units have condensate directed to a nearby floor drain, some condensing furnaces or boilers must utilise a condensate pump sending the liquid to a remote drain elsewhere in the building.

Sometimes the condensate is pumped to a sink, laundry tub, or even outside. Pumping condensate to a receptacle that can be stopped-up is inviting a flood creating property damage. Ask you installer to assure a secondary float switch is available. In the event of a condensate pump failure, the float switch will signal the control circuit to power down.

Tips On How To Prevent Minor Flooding!

  • Proper Installation

    Furnaces, water heaters, boilers and air handlers should be installed on a solid concrete base raising the appliance about two inches above the floor, providing some protection from minor flooding.

  • Install Float Switch

    Install a float switch in the evaporator coil secondary drain outlet.

  • Annual Maintenance

    It is better to have a licensed gas technician to inspect your drain pan, evaporator coil and vents. Plus blow out the drain lines and clean traps on every maintenance call.

I have no answers for Mother Nature’s wrath; destructive overland flooding is a fact of life. However, on the HVAC side, it is important that we do all we can to prevent as much water damage as possible. Our Licensed gas fitters use standard industry techniques and materials when on maintenance calls. They educate home owners to better maintain their HVAC systems and offer protective devices where possible.


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Furnace Maintenance Ottawa

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Furnace Maintenance Ottawa



Furnace Maintenance Ottawa

Furnace Maintenance, Inspection & Cleaning!

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Furnace maintenance can save you more than just your gas furnace. Also furnace maintenance and inspection can detect any carbon monoxide leak on a gas furnace. Plus an annual furnace tune-up could prevent a furnace break down middle of our cold winters in Ottawa. One reader sent me an email asking if this was really necessary – here’s his original question:

I have a question about furnace tune-ups.  You say get one every year – is that really necessary?  What do the HVAC guys actually do to the furnace to “tune” it up?  There’s no spark plugs to replace like a car tune-up, and my understanding is they basically vacuum out dust and inspect it.  Couldn’t the homeowner do this himself?  Or do I really need to pay $80-150 bucks every year for a professional to do it?

Furnace Maintenance Ottawa

Furnace Maintenance Ottawa

Are annual furnace maintenance, cleaning & inspections really necessary?  

Furnace manufacturers all recommend annual inspections and maintenance by a qualified technician.  They also have the wording in their warranties saying that damage to the units caused by improper maintenance is not covered under warranty.  Does this mean that an annual furnace check-up is really required, or the warranty is voided? Probably not, but it’s recommended.  The best analogy I can think of is going to the dentist every six months for a check-up and cleaning; probably not necessary, but recommended.

I’ve heard some HVAC contractors recommend getting newer furnaces checked every other year, but once they’re over ten years old, have them checked annually.

What do HVAC technicians actually do to the furnace to “tune” it up?

A few services you may have heard of are “safety check”, “certification”, “check-up”, “tune-up”, “basic tune-up”, “complete tune-up”, “precision tune-up” and “annual maintenance check-up.”

The services provided by different heating contractors will vary, depending on who you call and what you pay.  For example, I recently inspected a gas furnace in Ottawa that had a had a small gas leak, leaking carbon monoxide in to the home. Just a couple months prior to this, a heating contractor had come out to repair the furnace and later given it a clean bill of health. If the customer hadn’t done the inspection, they would not have found out about the leak.

Included below is a partial list of generic stuff that different furnace manufacturers recommend be performed annually a qualified heating technician:

  • The vent system needs to be checked for blockage and/or leakage.  This includes the outside termination and the connections at and internal to the furnace.
  • Combustion gases must be analyzed and compared to the unit specifications.
  • The blower access door needs to be checked to make sure it makes a tight seal at the furnace.
  • The fresh air intake grills and louvers need to be checked for blockage.
  • The heat exchanger needs to be inspected for rust and corrosion.
  • The burners need to be checked for proper ignition, burner flame, and flame sense.
  • The drainage system needs to be checked for blockage and/or leakage.  This includes the hoses internal to the furnace.  The condensate drain and trap need to be cleaned, and the water replaced in the trap.
  • The blower wheel needs to be checked for debris and cleaned if necessary – this requires complete removal of the blower wheel.
  • An amp-draw test should be conducted on the blower motor and compared with what is listed.
  • The wiring needs to be checked for corrosion and damage.
  • The filters need to be checked (but this needs to be done much more frequently than annually).

Couldn’t I, as a homeowner, do the furnace inspection myself?

Some homeowners might have difficult time trusting an HVAC contractor to perform the furnace tune-up. Never take things in your hand that you are not trained to do so. Specially with gas consuming products, you need to be a professionally trained technician in the field to perform any type of inspection. What you can do as a homeowner is to check the individual’s credentials and the company ratings when you are hiring a furnace contractor to do your furnace maintenance.

Is there any benefits to sign up for a furnace protection plan?

Who doesn’t want to do everything they can to make sure their furnace doesn’t conk out mid-winter? These plans generally provide an annual tune-up and diagnostic check, make sure your furnace is running properly and help spot potential problems. The big advantage is customers pay in installments. Plus some plans offer labor coverage on top of annual tune-up. If you’re getting annual maintenance on your furnace these plans are usually cheaper. Sign up today for a furnace protection plan.


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Furnace Check Ottawa

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Furnace Check-Up Ottawa - Things to check for before calling emergency furnace service company!

Furnace Check-Up Ottawa

Are You Left With a Broken Furnace?



Furnace Check-Up Ottawa

Find out if you are really experiencing an emergency furnace repair Ottawa home owners, before you grow sour. The last thing you want is to call an emergency furnace repair in the middle of winter. So, to avoid potential problems, we’re giving you a seasonal fall checklist to go through to make sure your system is up to par. Some of the items listed you might be able to do yourself, but most are probably better left to a professional. Either way, we hope you find the information helpful!

Furnace Check Ottawa

Furnace Check Ottawa



Furnace Check-list to Keep You Cozy and Comfortable

Did you know that half of the energy in your home is used by your heating and cooling system? That’s a lot of energy, which means your HVAC system is an important part of your home. Not only does it keep your family comfortable, but it also greatly impacts your utility bills. It is crucial to do annual furnace check in order to help keep your utility bill at an affordable cost and keep your system as efficient as possible.

DIY Furnace Checklist

  • Change Your Filter

Set a reminder for yourself to change your filter on a regular basis. As a best practice, we recommend doing this once a month, especially during seasons of peak usage like winter and summer. A dirty filter makes your system work harder to keep you warm and decreases air flow, which wastes energy, and ultimately ends up costing you more money. It also allows dust and dirt into your house which could affect your allergies, not to mention make you have to dust more often!

  • Review Your Thermostat Settings

As you notice the days getting cooler, take a look at what you have your thermostat set at. Make sure it’s at a comfortable setting for you when you’re home, but set so that it doesn’t run as often when you’re not at home. Resist the temptation to turn your thermostat off. It will take much longer to warm your home when your entire home is cold. Walls, furniture, clothes etc. will hold the current temperature in the home. Tip: Set the thermostat to the lowest temperature that is still comfortable for you. Each degree over 68 degrees F can add 3% to the amount of energy needed for heating.

  • Schedule Service Maintenance

Maintaining your heating equipment is important because it keeps your system running at peak performance and helps prevent future problems, which usually also lead to unwanted costs. HVAC businesses and contractors get busy during the winter, so get ahead of the game and schedule your service at the beginning of fall before everyone else.


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Thank you for choosing Impressive Climate Control for all your home comfort protection plans. We look forward to provide you with excellent customer service. Here are some basic terms and conditions applying to your selected plans and by your acknowledgement below you are accepting these terms and conditions in full.Your consent to our collection of your credit, financial and related personal information, and to the exchange of this information between us, credit bureaus, financial institutions, our subsidiaries and affiliates and other persons with whom you have had or may have financial dealings, and to our use of this information for the purposes of: verifying and evaluating your creditworthiness and other information you provide to us in connection with your account (including verifying your identity for regulatory compliance purposes); establishing, servicing and collecting on your account; providing the products and services you request; providing credit references; communicating with you for these purposes; and meeting legal, regulatory, audit, processing and security purposes, and as otherwise permitted or required by law. In addition to the purposes above, we and our affiliates assume that you consent to our use of your contact information to provide you with occasional information about other products and services offered by us or our affiliates. However, you may refuse consent for this purpose by contacting us within ten (10) days after you receive a copy of your bill, at (613-727-4328). To request access to or correction of your personal information, or for more information about our privacy practices you can write to us: Impressive Climate Control | 107 Colonnade Road | Unit 3 | Nepean | ON | K2E 7M3.
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Julie from Ottawa Says

Impressive Climate Control came to my house within a week of me asking for a gas fireplace inspection. This is our first winter in this house and I had never had a gas fireplace before and I have always been somewhat afraid of gas. The inspection and repairs were done. We got information of what to do at what time of the year and how to clean the glass. I was reassured about the safety of a gas fireplace. I could not be more satisfied.

This customer had a POSITIVE experience with this business.

Sophie P. from Ottawa Says

did a great job cleaning my air conditioner and explained the importance of changing the air filter regularly

Isadora B. from Ottawa says

We are quite happy with Impressive Climate Control services. They have been available pretty much 24/7, when we had a malfunctioning furnace, and resolved the issues quickly. Would definitely recommend this business.

Joseph K. from Ottawa says

We considered ourselves very lucky to have done business with Impressive Climate Control & would do so again in a heartbeat , the personalized service & continued assistance with questions and inquiries after the sale was fantastic , A+ service , thank you again ******************

Juba B. from Ottawa says

Great and fast service. All people with whom I spoke on the phone were direct and knew what they were talking about. Again great experience !

Kendra from Ottawa says

Staff at Impressive was very helpful and knowledgeable. He had our gas insert installed and the stonework done within 6 weeks. Great job and competitive pricing. Thanks a lot Impressive.

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Furnace Maintenance Checklist

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Furnace Maintenance Checklist

A furnace is not a household appliance. It is complex and requires professional maintenance and repair. Attempts at “do-it-yourself” repairs on an in-warranty unit may void the remainder of your warranty. Other than performing the simple maintenance recommended in this manual, you should not attempt to make any adjustments to your furnace. Your dealer will be able to take care of any questions or problems you may have. A periodic inspection of your furnace should be made by a qualified service agency at the start of each heating season. In the event that electrical, fuel, or mechanical failures occur, immediately turn the gas supply off at the manual gas valve located on the gas pipe leading to the furnace before turning off electrical power to the furnace. Contact a qualified service agency.

  1. A clean furnace filter saves money. Help ensure top furnace efficiency by cleaning the filter regularly.When the unit circulates the air and your air cleaner filters the air in your home, dust and dirt particles collect on the furnace filter or your air cleaner filter. Excessive buildup forces the system to run longer to maintain your set temperature. And you end up paying for it. The manufacturer’s recommend to replace your furnace filter once every six months for top performance and efficiency of your unit. Help ensure top efficiency by cleaning the filter once a month. Clean it twice a month during seasons when the unit runs more often. You can clean the filter with a vacuum, OR you can wash it with a household detergent. NOTE: Not all aftermarket filters can be washed with a household detergent. See the instructions supplied by the aftermarket filter manufacturer. When replacing your furnace filters, always use a high velocity type which are the same size as originally supplied. Filters are available from your dealer. Where disposable filters are used, they must be a high velocity type which are the same size as originally supplied.
  2. GENERAL INSPECTION – Examine the furnace installation for the following items:
    a. All flue product carrying areas external to the furnace (i.e. chimney, vent connector) are clear and free of obstruction.
    b. The vent connector is in place, slopes upward and is physically sound without holes or excessive corrosion.
    c. The return air duct connection(s) is physically sound, is sealed to the furnace and terminates outside the space containing the furnace.
    d. The physical support of the furnace should be sound without sagging, cracks, gaps, etc., around the base so as to provide a seal between the support and the base.
    e. There are no obvious signs of deterioration of the furnace.
    f. The burner flames are in good adjustment without erratic flames. See illustration below.
    g. Fresh air inlet and vent are not blocked and free from obstruction. The horizontal or vertical vent and inlet
    must be located at least 12 inches minimum (18 inches in Canada) above the normally expected snow accumulation level.
    Contact Impressive Climate Control service technician if you feel you are uncomfortable performing any of the inspections noted in section 1 & 2.

To ensure proper operation of your furnace, the recommended furnace inspection is once a year, before the heating season. Regular maintenance must be performed by our qualified & licensed gas service technicians. The technician should perform steps 1 & 2 plus steps 1-8 once a year before the heating season. The homeowner should perform the visual inspection in step 1 & 2 monthly when cleaning the furnace filter.

Unless it is an emergency, never stop the heating system by shutting off the main power.

If the main power to your air conditioner is ever disconnected for more than three hours, turn off the thermostat. Then wait for at least three more hours after the power has been restored before turning the thermostat back on. Failure to follow this procedure could result in damage to your furnace.

  1. BLOWERS – The blower size and speed determine the air volume delivered by the furnace. The blower motor bearings are factory lubricated and under normal operating conditions usually do not require servicing. If you have an older furnace, an annual cleaning of the blower wheel and housing is recommended for maximum air output, and this must be performed only by our qualified service technicians.
  2. IGNITER – This unit has a special hot surface direct ignition device that automatically lights the burners.
  3. BURNER – Gas burners do not normally require scheduled servicing, however, accumulation of foreign material may cause a yellowing flame or delayed ignition. Either condition indicates that a service call is required. For best operation, burners must be cleaned annually.
  4. HEAT EXCHANGER/FLUE PIPE – These items must be inspected for signs of corrosion, and/ or deterioration at the beginning of each heating season by one of our qualified service technician and cleaned annually for best operation.
  5. CIRCUIT PROTECTION – If blower or gas valve fail to operate, the cause could be the circuit breaker or a loose or blown fuse. Replace fuse or reset circuit breaker.
  6. OPERATION – Your warm air furnace should not be operated in a corrosive atmosphere. Paint solvents, cleaning chemicals, spray propellants, and bleaches should not be used in the vicinity of the furnace during normal operation.
  7. CONDENSATE DRAINS – If you have a cooling coil installed with your furnace, condensate drains should be checked and cleaned periodically to assure that condensate can drain freely from coil to drain. If condensate cannot drain freely water damage could occur. Furnace drain should also be checked and cleaned at the start of each heating season.
  8. AIR CIRCULATION – To ensure increased comfort, the blower on this unit may be operated continuously for both heating and cooling. This will result in constantly filtered air and aid in maintaining more even temperatures by avoiding temperature stratification throughout the conditioned area. To accomplish constant air circulation, set your comfort control fan selector to “ON.” Continuous fan mode during COOLINGoperation may not be appropriate in humid climates. If the indoor air exceeds 60% relative humidity or simply feels uncomfortably humid, it is recommended that the fan only be used in the “AUTO” mode.

Contact our office today to set up an annual furnace maintenance appointment and have our qualified technicians to tune up your furnace for the extreme cold winters in our city “Ottawa”.