HVAC/Furnace question (to buy, prices, floor)

[njimport]

I ran my central AC unit several times on Saturday and I noticed a puddle of water coming from my Furnace. My AC unit and furnace are about 15 years old. I didn’t run the AC on Sunday and I didn’t see any water what so ever. Has anyone experienced this? Is my AC unit or furnace on its last legs?

[Badfish740]

Originally Posted by njimport

I ran my central AC unit several times on Saturday and I noticed a puddle of water coming from my Furnace. My AC unit and furnace are about 15 years old. I didn’t run the AC on Sunday and I didn’t see any water what so ever. Has anyone experienced this? Is my AC unit or furnace on its last legs?

There should be a small pump on the floor somewhere next to your furnace. This pump moves water from the drip pan under your air handler inside the furnace plenum (the heat exchanger that cools the air moving through it), usually through a plastic or copper line to the waste line in your house. When the AC is running, humidity in the air condenses on the cold air handler. This condensation drips into the pan and then has to go somewhere, hence the pump. It sounds like yours gave up the ghost-or maybe someone unplugged it.

[Retriever]

This could be as simple as a failed ejector pump or a blocked condensate drain pipe.
In either case, the condensation from the A/C would not drain to the outside, and would overflow somewhere near the furnace. Neither of these scenarios is expensive to remedy.

However, at 15 years, your system is getting to the age when it will be likely to fail in the next year or or two. Replacing the system before it totally craps-out has several advantages, including the ability to shop around for good prices rather than having to rush to buy a new system.

Also, virtually any new HVAC system will be higher efficiency than your old one, thus giving you a saving on your monthly utility bill. I replaced my central A/C and furnace proactively about 1 1/2 years ago, and I have seen a saving of ~$20 each month during the heating season, and ~$50 per month during the A/C season.

[njimport]

Thanks I will take a look at it tonight.

[TechGromit]

Originally Posted by Retriever

However, at 15 years, your system is getting to the age when it will be likely to fail in the next year or or two.

I don't agree with that. There no built in timer that makes your system blow up at 16 or 17 years. A well maintained system can last 20 or even 25 years. And usually can be fixed, at least long enough to get you by until you can get the system replaced. While it's certainly true a new system will be more efficient than an older system, this should never be the only consideration for replacing the system. If your saving $20 a month during the heating season and $50 during the cooling season, that's about $230 in savings (4 months of heating and 3 months of cooling). When you talking about spending 5 or 6 thousand dollars for a new system, the new system would have to be a LOT more efficient to make up for replacing the system 5 years earlier than you need to. I'd have someone you trust to service the unit and get there opinion of the condition of it, before just replacing it just because it's old.

[njimport]

Originally Posted by TechGromit

When you talking about spending 5 or 6 thousand dollars for a new system, the new system would have to be a LOT more efficient to make up for replacing the system 5 years earlier than you need to. I'd have someone you trust to service the unit and get there opinion of the condition of it, before just replacing it just because it's old.

Thanks. I actually called PSEG worry free program and I have set up an appointment for someone to take a look at it. I called them before when my furnace didn’t work and they changed a switch and worked ever since then. Either way it seems I have time before I make a costly decision like that. Has anyone brought these appliance through PSEG?