Furnace blower drain freezing up

[fracattack]

I have a Bryant gas furnace in the basement of my boat house in Wisconsin. It gets very cold in winter and the drain tube freezes from the blower and it sounds like the blower itself gets ice in it. The basement of the boat house does not stay warm and I only heat the boat house if using it as an ice shanty for fishing or entertaining. Too expensive to heat full time. There is a vent off the duct work to blow warm air into the basement but the garage door to the lake is not very insulated and it seems like a waste of heat. Not to mention all the wind blowing off the lake. How can I keep this thawed out so I can turn on the furnace when I want to use it? Would heat tape wrapped in the area help, or could I direct the furnace vent directly into the furnace itself to keep this thawed out while running? The real problem is cold start up. The first time used in the season it will start (no condensate to freeze) but then when trying to start up in dead of winter it won't start. What can be done to make this work without leaving the heat on full blast all the time? I have tried aiming a space heater at the blower but no luck. Here are some pics, of the condensate drain and blower. The white box on the side takes the condensate drain and runs it to a pump that goes up a tube into a plumbing drain trap. The black hose on the lower left of the blower is what is freezing up.

[kdean1]

That is an improper application for a condensing furnace. It must be used in an area that is above 50* by manufacturer's instructions. You should have an 80% furnace as it would have no problems.

[CircusEnvy]

Heat tape would work. But if you're to leave it alone for long periods of time in the winter, you might want to try shutting the gas supply off and while the inducer motor is running, use a shop vac to suck out water from the condensate line. That will get most if not all the moisture out of the inducer assembly and condensate trap.

The biggest concern is that you're firing that furnace in very low temperatures. That's not good for a 90% furnace or the heat exchanger.

[t527ed]

A condensing furnace cannot be left in an uncondtioned space without winterizing it.
It should never have been installed for that use. I would remove it and install an 80% furnace if it cannot be left on.

[beenthere]

Build a utility/mechanical room around it. Insulate the room, and let a little heat blow in the room.

[rider77]

X2 on the mechanical room.
Condensing furnaces have requirements for minimum space temperature and operating temp. Usually they require the conditioned space to be kept at around 50-55* or above all the time.

[snupytcb]

have it checked to be sure it is still worthy of service. there is a chance of cracks in the heat exchanger or other parts that hold water. if it is still ok you should build an enclosure around it PER MANUFACTURE SPECS. depending on the size of the enclosure you could install a couple lights in there. the incandescent bulbs will keep it warm enough to prevent freezing. this is common around here. I wouldn't install a condensing unit there but the damage is done. we have had to do it before but mostly in attics. does this sit on the water or on shore? they will need to wrap or protect the drain line from the elements as well.

[martyinlincoln]

Have quite a few condensing furnace in attics and our winter design temp is - 2. Heat tape is an approved method for keeping lines thawed. Even noncondensing furnaces require return air temps of 55 or higher as to avoid heat exchanger damage.

[catmanacman]

a modine or reznor gararge heater might be a better option

[fracattack]

The furnace sits up on a ledge that water doesn't get to. Its a dry boathouse that sometimes gets water inside when the ice thaws. I bought the place with the furnace already installed. People that lived there were very dimwitted and not handy from what I have gathered. The error that flashes doesn't allow the furnace to fire when its frozen. I like the idea of an enclosure. Id heat it full time but working in the oilfield only allows me to be there a week every month. The furnace is in basement and blows the heat upstairs into what i would call a small apartment. The furnace is already there and if it junks out from this then so be it. Doubt i can sell a used furnace for anything worthwhile. Thank you very much for the advice and i think in the meantime i will pick up some heat tape! The upstairs also has an indoor gas fireplace ( no outdoor exhaust) so i have used that when the furnace wouldn't fire last winter.

[pecmsg]

Frostex is the heat tape I recommend.

http://www.pentairthermal.com/Images...m432-26143.pdf

[comfortdoc]

Be careful putting heat tape on the rubber hoses in the unit. The safe way to correct this is build the insulated mechanical room.

[t527ed]

OP stated he only runs the heat for ice fishing or other occasions. What good is building a room for it if the whole building will drop below freezing when not in use.
I don't think you could keep everything from freezing with heat tape either.

[rcstl]

The furnace sits up on a ledge that water doesn't get to. Its a dry boathouse that sometimes gets water inside when the ice thaws. I bought the place with the furnace already installed. People that lived there were very dimwitted and not handy from what I have gathered. The error that flashes doesn't allow the furnace to fire when its frozen. I like the idea of an enclosure. Id heat it full time but working in the oilfield only allows me to be there a week every month. The furnace is in basement and blows the heat upstairs into what i would call a small apartment. The furnace is already there and if it junks out from this then so be it. Doubt i can sell a used furnace for anything worthwhile. Thank you very much for the advice and i think in the meantime i will pick up some heat tape! The upstairs also has an indoor gas fireplace ( no outdoor exhaust) so i have used that when the furnace wouldn't fire last winter.

Really? What do you use for breathing air?