Now that most of you are turning on your air conditioners for the first time since last fall, it is important to visually inspect inside your furnace closet for any leaks.
(This is the closet outside your unit's front door).
We have already had numerous incidents of faulty furnace/air conditioner equipment and drain pipes in hallway mechanical closets that have caused leaks and damage to common elements and other units.
Running your air conditioner (which is on the roof) results in a huge amount of condensation within your furnace. This drains into the white plastic pipe you can see inside your closet.
Many of the condos in our building still have the original equipment from when the building was constructed in 1976. This means your furnace and air conditioners might be 45 years old! Old furnaces rust and can leak water. Old pipes can become disattached and also leak water. Many furnace closets have exposed electrical wires which also create unnecessary hazards to yourself and others. We urge all residents to identify and fix these conditions.
Looking for early signs of water leaks is important to prevent water damage in the hallway and the unit below you. If you see water leaking out of your furnace you must call a service technician immediately. You must also turn off your air conditioner! AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE EQUIPMENT IN THESE CLOSETS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONDOMINIUM OWNER, NOT THE ASSOCIATION. Please, take a moment and open your closet doors and look for any signs there are issues with your equipment.
Better yet, have a seasonal inspection performed by a licensed HVAC technician to ensure the efficient and safe operation of your equipment.
It's always better to catch problems when they're small.
This is a photo of an actual furnace closet that was leaking large amounts of water from multiple parts of the equipment and pipes. You can see from the water damage evident in this photo this has been an issue for years.
Comments