lennox g43uf drain & failure issue

[pastorray]

I have a 2 year old Lennox in a new house. This is our second winter. When the temp outside stays in the 20's, the heat fails. It also cause a spillage issue into the sheetrock. When I called the installer he said that the "90 percent units will fail when it gets too cold". What is the condensation issue? It doesn't seem logical to me that a heat unit fails because it is too cold outside. Can someone give me some technical direction. R.W.

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[Steve]

Call a pro, not just the lowest bidder thats just guessing.

[Bipolar Bear]

Just guessing okay then well I see--for fun, might as well I stick around to see what the stumped moron has to say.....

[HVAC]

So your question is why does it leak when it's cold out? It's not very clear. Here's a weird thought... Maybe the drain is FREEZING?

When I called the installer he said

[Bubba]

Logically, what you should do is call the installer back, thank him for his line of shit and inform him that due to his improper install and lack of basic knowledge, you will be sending him the repair bill from a competent company that will fix his fuquer ups. Bubba

[geothermaljones]

Your post is lacking lots of info. Lacking info, I'll ask this: Is this a condensing furnace, perchance installed in an uninsulated attic? If yes, call a decent tech, a carpenter, an electrician & a hit man. Have the Tech revise as required, Have the Carpenter build an insulated room around the furnace (please coordinate with HVAC) Have the electrician wire in a small electric heater to keep the room 35dF or warmer (coordinate with the previously mentioned trades) Have the Hit man stalk & kill the original HVAC installer & the horse he rode in on... If No, disregard & wait.

geothermaljones

[Zyp]

LOL

Insure that the condensate trap and drain are leak free. Wrap the trap [as recommended by the Mfg.] with a electric heater cord [purchased at most refrigeration / HVAC supply houses]. See the installation instructions for the unit installed.

[borealbushman]

We had a 96%-ultra-efficient unit (natural gas) installed in our house in northern Alberta, where six continuous weeks of -40C (same as -40F) was not uncommon. In the nine years we lived in that house it ran efficiently and flawlessly. In that community your installer's "90 percent units will fail when it gets too cold" would have gotten him dragged out of town behind a team of Huskies (no sleigh). You need to find a competent installer to fix the first guy's screw-up.

In our house two plastic pipes were routed out through the basement wall (one for incoming combustion air; one for outgoing exhaust). The majority of the condensate simply went down the floor drain---only a tiny bit of moisture went out with the exhaust. The only oddity we experienced was the development of gorgeous ice-stalagmites beneath the end of the exhaust pipe ... nothing a well-directed kick couldn't cure every few weeks. Possibly your out-going exhaust pipe might be incorrectly slanted (upward) and the moisture is condensing and collecting inside the pipe rather than dripping off the end?