condensation on unit/ducts


  #1  
Old 07-31-06, 09:37 AM
R
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condensation on unit/ducts

Hello all!, I have a question about my 6 year old central air conditioner unit:
The problem that I am having that I noticed 2 things last night that my central air is doing. One, is that our fresh air flex duct (code in our state for newer houses) that goes to the outside of the house has water dripping out of it and onto the floor of my basement/furnace room. I felt the outside of it and it is dry, I felt the inside of it and it felt dry. I felt between the outside and inside of it (where the insulation is and it was soaked). I am not sure if the water is dripping from there or if it was such a small drip, that I missed it and it was soaking the insulation, or if the water is just condensing at that area. A friend suggested to me that I shouldn't be worried about it and I placed a bucket on the floor. He thought it may be hot air meeting cold air and that it is condensiong. However, we never had that problem with similar heat in the past. The drip only produced about a cup in a 8 hour period. I haven't had this before and I am not sure if this is something to be alarmed at.

The other problem (and more major) problem I am having is I noticed is that some of the furnace ducts (that are the steel and not flex type) have condensation forming on the outside of it and has a slow drip to the floor. I had this problem twice in the past, however, it was dripping faster then. Back then, the problem was the drain line was plugged. I had a repairman replace the tubes and everything was since okay. I checked this tube last night and it was flowing okay and not backed up from the unit. The inside of the air conditioner (drain pan, etc) and everything were all dry. I checked the drain tube from the air to air exchanger and it was flowing okay. Another time I had this problem was when it was very humid outside and I didn't notice my wife left the basement windows open, I shut them and the condensation went away. This time however, I noticed the condensation is very light from the main air duct leaving the unit. However, the duct, once it dips up into the floor trusses really starts to heavily condense. There a smaller duct branches out and into an outlet into a nearby room. There is alot of water condensing, and dripping down from there. The furnace room is unfinished, however, the basement is. My wife and I are afraid of alot of water dripping down onto the basement ceiling along this steel duct and causing mold on the inside of the ceiling sheet rock panel and a water leak. Does anyone know what the problem is?

The following facts should also be known:
1) The airconditioner has been working fine this summer up to this point.
2) I have made sure the outside unit has been periodically (every few days) sprayed down with hose to keep the filters clean
3) I tapped the furnace ducts and the moisture appears to be just on the outside of the duct-no water appears to be coming out of any seams
4) we have had extremely high temps the last few days, almost 100 degrees with 115 degree heat indexes also with a high dew point
5) We have noticed on the extremely hot days, the air conditioner has had a tough time keeping up. We set it at 72 and twice the temp reading went up to 78 before the air conditioner unit has been able catch back up and bring the temp back down to 72 (it would catch back up when the hot part of the day would be over)
6) the flex duct continues to be dry
7) We have left the air to air exchanger off during the summer at the last repairmans suggestion due to the fact he said it makes the air conditioner work extra hard. I have since turned it on last night to see if that helps, it is unclogged, the flilters are clean, and the condensation on the ducts haven't gotten better

If anyone knows what is going on, we could use your suggestions, Thanks

Also, I have the idea of borrowing a dehumidifier to put in the furnace room and am going to try that later tonight to see if that helps.
 
  #2  
Old 07-31-06, 11:41 AM
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Wink

First dont you have any registers outlets down there in the basement???????
One, is that our fresh air flex duct (code in our state for newer houses) that goes to the outside of the house has water dripping out of it and onto the floor of my basement/furnace room.
Take it out and plug the hole till next winter .
Like your hvac guy said Close that D** thing. We have left the air to air exchanger off during the summer at the last repairmans suggestion due to the fact he said it makes the air conditioner work extra hard. I have since turned it on last night to see if that helps NO NO NO close it
My wife and I are afraid of alot of water dripping down onto the basement ceiling along this steel duct and causing mold on the inside of the ceiling sheet rock panel and a water leak. Does anyone know what the problem is?
You cant run uninsulated duct in the basement if you dont have AC outlets there in it also. You talk about a dehumidifier that can help some. Do you have any return for the furnace down there in the basement for the AC to work down there?. Dont let all this warm high humidity air in the home . Get a return dowm in the basement.
ED my .02 cents
 
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Old 07-31-06, 12:07 PM
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Thanks

Hi Ed, Thanks for the reply. We do have outlets in the basement per MN Code. The outlets go in every room in the basement. Also, we do have a large (double vent return) from the basement that connects to the furnance.

We will also turn the air to air exchanger back off and I will plug it to see if that helps. I appreciate the suggestions and if you have any others feel free to let me know.

I did borrow a dehumidifier this afternoon and we will see if that helps.
 
 

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