HVAC Guys: What is this and how bad is it??

[HoneyBadger]

Woke up this morning and noticed the furnace had water all around it. When I saw it, there was about 20oz of water on the floor. I'm not sure if any of it or how much actually went down the drain, but apparently my builder did a crappy job of sloping the floor to drain water here.
Here's what I know:
-The water is definitely coming from the furnace (not the hot water heater).
-The humidifier is dry as a bone (only runs when heat is on, heat hasn't been on in months).
-It's not coming from the intake/exhaust pipes.
-Nothing elevated off the floor is wet. None of the inside or outside walls of the furnace are wet (as far as I can tell).
-It rained a decent amount last night, but nothing more than we have been getting any other day here lately.
-It is definitely water.
-The source of the water doesn't seem to still be leaking/draining/pissing.

Pics: (If there are more helpful pics I could take, please let me know and I'll go take them)
http://i.imgur.com/TqMQ5wX.png
The original water line didn't cross the blue tape lines. There were some things there that I had to drag out of the way.


http://i.imgur.com/j2eNTqH.png

[jslo]

Coil is iced up. If you go outside you'll probably find the compressor and line set iced up also. Air restriction or low on freon.

[HoneyBadger]

Could it be because the A/C was running when it was relatively cool outside last night?

[newracer]

Have you changed your filter lately?

[HoneyBadger]

Yeah, I change it about every 3 weeks because the furnace is a POS "high efficiency" furnace that won't work with a real filter... I have to use the cheapo green ones and I do my best to change them frequently.

FWIW, the condenser outside was relatively dry with no ice, but it is 60* outside now and I don't know how much it rained last night. A/C was probably running from 7-10pm last night.


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Edit: You're probably talking about the coil inside the stack, right? [facepalm]Is there a way i can peek inside there without cutting the damn thing open?

Thanks for the quick responses, guys.

[jslo]

Use the cheapest filters for cooling (less restriction). Open all registers and clean out fins in the outside unit. Defrost inside coil by running fan for a couple hours.

[ChunkyMonkey]

..or sell your house to me for few grands. Time to move on. That house is done.

[HoneyBadger]

Use the cheapest filters for cooling (less restriction). Open all registers and clean out fins in the outside unit. Defrost inside coil by running fan for a couple hours.
I should mention that the house is only 2 years old. There is no measurable dust/dirt in the vents or ducts as far as I can tell. I think the coil is probably already defrosted (hence the lack of recent water leakage). How can I prevent this from happening again? Was I just running it while the outside temp was too low?

[HoneyBadger]

..or sell your house to me for few grands. Time to move on. That house is done.
Okay, no prob. $400k OBO. :D

ETA: will take kidneys in a partial trade.

[jslo]

If it is determined to be low on freon make sure who ever recharges it puts puts caps on the needle valves (if they're missing), they do leak. I just had my guy out to a customers house and all 3 units were missing the caps and all 3 were way low on charge.

[Jamnanc]

Couldn't it just be a restriction in one of the condensate lines? Mine would do this if the condensate lines get plugs, fill up the pan and run over.

[jslo]

What I typically find in order of easiest and most likely causes of a freeze up:
1) Dirty or too restrictive furnace filter
2) Clogged condensing unit fins ( cottonwood areas mostly)
3) Low charge
4) Leaving doors and windows open while trying to cool. Runs constantly and can never catch up

[sandman76]

Not too sure if the water is coming from the condensate discharge pipes or from somewhere else. If it is from the condensate lines the floor drain may be obstructed.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Condensation line is blocked from the AC coil. Remove the front panel and discover that the pos carrier coil is rusting. Used compressed air to blow the PVC pipe from the inside of the coil out.

[HoneyBadger]

Condensation line is blocked from the AC coil. Remove the front panel and discover that the pos carrier coil is rusting. Used compressed air to blow the PVC pipe from the inside of the coil out.
Sorry, you lost me a bit here.

What I mean to say is: your HVAC knowledge and wisdom is overwhelming to my feeble mind. Enlighten me, Oh HVAC Gods!

[ChunkyMonkey]

Sorry, you lost me a bit here.

What I mean to say is: your HVAC knowledge and wisdom is overwhelming to my feeble mind. Enlighten me, Oh HVAC Gods!

He said, sell that house, its done. [dig]

In my experience, it's mostly plugged. When its cool outside like in the last couple nights, ice will build up pretty quick too.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

There is a drain pan located at the bottom of the coil. The cool sits above the furnace. As the AC runs it removes humidity and creates condensation. The 3/4 PVC pipe leaving the coil is more than likely plugged. You need to remove the front panel of the coil, blow compressed air into the fitting leaving the pan and you will see all the rust and goop(technical term) come out of the PVC pipe at the drain. Run a pitcher of water through the pipe to verify obstruction is cleared.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Aka sell the house.

[HoneyBadger]

There is a drain pan located at the bottom of the coil. The cool sits above the furnace. As the AC runs it removes humidity and creates condensation. The 3/4 PVC pipe leaving the coil is more than likely plugged. You need to remove the front panel of the coil, blow compressed air into the fitting leaving the pan and you will see all the rust and goop(technical term) come out of the PVC pipe at the drain. Run a pitcher of water through the pipe to verify obstruction is cleared.
Gotcha. I'll check it. I don't know how to access the coil, but I'm not the dullest crayon in the box... Thanks for the help.

[Great-Kazoo]

Okay, no prob. $400k OBO. :D

ETA: will take kidneys in a partial trade.

NOT with an HVAC unit looking like that. If that's the way your basement looks (leaks, potential concrete damage) I'd take CM's offer and don't look back.


slightly OT $400 K damnnnnnnn

[HoneyBadger]

NOT with an HVAC unit looking like that. If that's the way your basement looks (leaks, potential concrete damage) I'd take CM's offer and don't look back.


slightly OT $400 K damnnnnnnn

Buy low, sell high! I learned that from some joker than calls himself Honest Hamid. ;)

[jerrymrc]

slightly OT $400 K damnnnnnnn

So glad the boys in the hood have somewhere to go besides my dump.[LOL]

[HoneyBadger]

cleaned out the drain today. We'll see if it works.

[HoneyBadger]

Seems to have fixed the problem. I ended up sucking the dirt out with a shop vac because my air compressor recently died (it was 20+ yrs old and I paid $20 for it about 8 or 9 years ago.) Shop vac sucks. a lot.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

So where's my +1 brah? Jk glad you were able to save a trip charge and labor!

[HoneyBadger]

So where's my +1 brah? Jk glad you were able to save a trip charge and labor!
Seriously though, thank you gentlemen for your help!

...your +1 is in my signature line... ;)

[OtterbatHellcat]

win !

lol