Hi I'm Vance and welcome back to Repair and Replace.
If there's water leaking from your furnace or air conditioning unit,
then it's likely that your condensate pump has stopped working.
In this episode I'll show you how to troubleshoot and replace your condensate pump.
Condenser furnaces and air conditioning units
both produce water as a by-product.
High-efficiency furnaces condense water vapor to extract additional heat from the air the air.
Air conditioners not only cool the air in your home they also remove moisture.
This excess water is best removed by gravity through a floor drain.
Condensate pumps are used when a floor drain is not practical.
As water flows into the condensate pump basin
the water level rises and triggers the float switch.
The motor then pumps the water up through the discharge tube.
When the water level drops the float switch disengages and shuts off the pump
Some models include a safety switch
which will shut the furnace off if the level gets too high.
This can be useful in the case of a pump failure
as the water can quickly add up.
A condenser furnace can produce up to 20 liters of water a day
while an air conditioner on a humid day can produce up to 40 liters of water.
To begin you might need a screwdriver, a nut driver
an adjustable wrench, and a small bucket
First clean up the water around the pump.
Fill the reservoir with a little bit of water and see if the motor starts running.
Observe if there's any water leaking from the bottom
as this could mean the plastic reservoir is cracked.
If the motor runs but the water level doesn't drop
then the check valve might be plugged.
Turn off the furnace and disconnect the pump.
Now remove the discharge tube and let any water drain into the bucket.
Next unscrew the check valve.
You should be able to feel the valve move.
If it's stuck then use compressed air to free the check valve.
Now reconnect the pump and test the unit.
If that doesn't fix the problem then the pump might be plugged internally.
In this case it's best to get a new pump
If the reservoir is full and the pump doesn't run then first check a few things.
Turn off the furnace and disconnect the pump.
It's now safe to remove the cover.
Next check to see if the float switch moves freely.
If the float is stuck it can prevent the motor from running.
Now reconnect the pump and test the unit.
If the motor still doesn't run then it's best to replace the condensate pump.
First turn off the furnace and unplug the old condensate pump.
If your pump has a safety switch then disconnect the wires.
Next loosen the mounting screws.
Now disconnect the discharge tube and let any water drain into the bucket.
Swivel and remove the inlet pipes.
Now slide the old pump out of the way.
In some models you might need to install a mounting bracket.
Other models will screw directly into the side of the furnace.
Now connect the inlet pipe and set the pump into place.
Next attach the discharge tube to the barbed fitting.
If your old pump used a safety switch then connect the wires to the new switch.
Now plug in the pump and turn on your furnace.
Finally test your new pump.
Fill the reservoir with some water to make sure it's working.
And there you go, your new condensate pump
should take care of any water made by your furnace or air conditioner.
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And if you need help you can call or visit an AMRE location
to talk with our knowledgeable staff.
Thanks for watching.