Diagnose and Fix your Condensate Pump

In this video we'll walk through the steps to diagnose a problem or failure with your condensate pump. In my case we turned on the central air for the first time this summer and sediment and mineral deposits clogged the check valve. You can clean or replace the check valve with little effort, and it will save you $$$.

[@CharlesJohnson-yd9ym]

Excellent Video Thanks Brother!!! Chuck in Michigan

[@glendathegoodwitch6987]

Very helpful! I love love love the old style videos where people simply help and explain without all tge intro fluff.

[@robertaburge9792]

THANK YOU from a 64 year old woman who followed your instructions and fixed my pump. I cleaned the valve and undid a kink in the tubing so I'm not sure which one was the problem but your video led me to both areas. My pump was running almost constantly and putting only dribbles of water. Who says an old woman can't fix things? Thank you for saving me $100 to $150 for a service call from my furnace guy. A+ video!

[@fhiggenbottom]

What a great post! Congratulations!

[@dannac_8888]

May you have blessings, prosperity and good karma for a 10 minute fix that saved me so much in a replacement and a service call. It's people like you who make us feel like we are not always getting the short end... 🙏

[@deniesewilliams3748]

My feelings exactly!!

[@tonytony6912]

Isn't it great when the first video you watch. Explains exactly the problem you're having? Thanks Erik!

[@ErikAsquith]

That’s awesome and thanks for watching!

[@rossteague660]

Saved me the cost and hassle of calling my A/C guy. Thank you!

[@deniesewilliams3748]

Let me tell you something. I just came across your video today. I was freezing as it is about 35 degrees outside. Trying to figure out what to do with this condensate pump for months. All I’m going to say is. YOU ARE THE BEST EVER!!!! I’ve been pumping the water out of that unit for a few months. I was hesitant to call for service as I know they would tell me I needed a complete new condensate pump. With that said, I followed your instructions exactly without dismantling the unit. Cleaned out the little black thingy. It had so much grit deposited in it, yuck. As soon as I reconnected it, the water started pumping out and the heat is on like it’s supposed to be. Yaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! I will follow you forever!!! Thank you sooooo much from a DIYer to another. Happy Holidays!!!!!

[@Angie-my4gz]

Thank you! I was so stressed out that I never thought just to remove the drain tube and turn it on. Went off like a geyser. Sure enough, line outside was frozen solid. Swapped out the tube and will drain inside until I need ac. Took 30 seconds. Video was a lifesaver.

[@janwarter]

thank you for taking the time to make this detailed video... not all heroes wear capes

[@getin3949]

Mine just died this morning 12-18-21, water all over and I had boxes in that area that were soaked. Your video is excellent in every way, you're so professional in the way you made this video and I thank you heartily for that. I've replaced that pump at least two times now, this being the third time and have never trouble shot it before your helpful video. Thank you.

[@lizzykeel2910]

Thank you! We just went downstairs and noticed water EVERYWHERE and figured out the pump wasn’t working! I watched this and followed all of the steps and, boy, was it grimy in there! Thank you for doing this step-by-step, it helped me a lot!! I knew nothing of this thing until this happened and I watched this video! 🙏🏻

[@MoRic76]

100% solved my issue (clogged check valve) - thank you for posting this!

[@MJ-ge6jz]

It was that dam check valve! Did a cleanup to get it operational. Will order a replacement. Thanks for this great instructional video.

[@JebehKawah]

Excellent! You probably saved us hundreds of dollars. Our problem was that the reservoir was filled with slimy moldy water. We emptied it out and quickly cleaned the spouts and levers. We’re good! Thank you very much!

[@sandeeakasha3269]

Thank you sooooooooooooo much! You saved me a repair service call! Even my fix doesn't work long-term, I know how to get the replacement and install a new one. You ROCK!!!

[@JohnKotch]

Thanks for this video it saved my butt in 90+ degree weather on the fourth of July. God Bless America. It works like a charm now after following your video.

[@ChrisReher]

Thank you! Turns out my valve was snapped clean off! Replaced and now it's purring like a kitten. Saved a pile of money for a new pump. Your video gave me the confidence to tackle this myself.

[@Slickpuller921]

Thanks for this ! My neighbor is a hvac tech and he tried to charge $250 bucks for this whole pump smh I did a good cleaning and q-tip that piece and now it’s pumping like a champ and a brand new one is not that price , less then $90 bucks new

[@markerbull]

Thank you so much. The video was clear and concise and very helpful.

[@boohoo5287]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been working on this pump off and on all day. I looked at numerous videos and finally found yours. Cleaned the valve as you showed, turned the pump on and water was spraying, replaced the valve and the water is flower through the plastic tubing. I'm going to buy a new valve just in case I need it later. I am woman hear me roar...thanks to you!

[@boohoo5287]

oops: Flowing

[@raularredondo5206]

I don't typically comment on videos but thank you for this video. The step by step process was easy to follow and I was able to fix the pump 💪🏽

[@terryclark5118]

Thank you. Very helpful. We also had a pipe burst at the same time. So I'm going to wait until that is repaired before trying to solve this challenge.

[@plc4012]

Thank you for this video. It is extremely helpful. Hopefully I can get my money back from HVAC repair co.

[@fridviking4493]

I was following every point you said and my pump is working really good. 😊 Thank you

[@phylcarlson2470]

Thank you for this informative video. My pump started leaking on the floor late last week, all HVAC places busy with furnace outages (it's -16 here). Found your video and used the info to trouble shoot the pump, turned out to be the check valve also found a hairline crack in the pump housing. Local hardware store had my same model in stock so ran and got one. All installed and system is up and running again. Probably saved at least $100 doing it myself. Thanks.

[@clayjones1071]

Thanks a lot Erik. So helpful. New homeowner here, so every time something like this happens I get HELLA stressed. This really helped with that. No more waking up to find the heat turned off in the night because the pump wasn't pumping!

[@DSweet101]

Thank you!! I just fixed mine it was the tube going to the pump that was completely clogged.

[@TheMule93x]

Dude, you’re a beast. Found out it’s definitely my valve. Easy $7.50 fix!

[@captainm27]

Thank you very much! I was able to follow your directions clearly. I was worried when I had a leak in my basement, but your steps here clearly solved the issue for me. Thank you!

[@wally7355]

Finally,,, a person that knows how to articulate and explain the process. 2 thumbs up :)

[@ErikAsquith]

Wally Ployer thanks! I’m glad that you found the video helpful!

[@jimsafian8400]

great video! $7 check valve Amazon delivered the next day and installed in 15 mins. Running like new.

[@susanescobar5867]

Thank you SO much! Because of your video and great details, instructions, and teaching, I was able to fix our problem!

[@Cat_Ciao]

This was SOOOO helpful!!! Bless this video. Haha! I was able to replace my pump because of this. THANK YOU!!!

[@henrygerman7858]

Thanks for the excellent video. You helped me quickly determine that the problem is a clogged drain line. I put a foot long clean length of tube into the check valve, ran it into a gallon container, filled the reservoir, and when the float turned on the pump, it pumped it all out in about two seconds. Yesterday I noticed for the first time that the pump would run for about five to ten minutes, and, as the "old woman" below said, only "dribbles" came out on the outside. I think I am going to use the old tube to pull the new one through. It's gonna be a PITA but at least I can do it myself.

[@davidmcenery9134]

Thank you from the UK. Got me out of trouble. Stay safe.

[@kimberlyshafer7931]

GREAT VIDEO!!! I am so glad I decided to view your video after watching several others that did nothing to fix my problem. You’re the only one that addressed the check valve, the easiest & least expensive part to replace. I wasn’t able to do the water test procedure by plugging in the unit away from my furnace because it’s hard wired in. But when I removed the check valve & went to clean it there was clearly no resistance inside the valve. I ordered the part from Amazon for less than $7 & two days later my condensate pump worked like new. I had even called the manufacturer of the Little Giant Pumps & they never mentioned anything about the check valve. Your video saved me a lot of money for which I’m very grateful. In case anyone else is having the same problem I had, here’s what my pump was doing. When the water in the tank reached a specific level the pump turns on to expel the excess liquid. The pump should run for about 7-10 seconds. Mine would run 19-20 Minutes! I could clearly hear the pump trying to do it’s job but the faulty check valve wasn’t allowing it to. Thanks again for your excellent video.

[@ErikAsquith]

Kimberly Shafer that’s awesome and I’m happy to hear that replacing the inexpensive check value saved you $50+

[@jordanhaggerty7868]

Thanks duder! Helped me get started at least troubleshooting the issue.

[@user-up4td6kh9k]

That was the problem...thank you very much😊

[@williamchristie7365]

Well done! Excellent video. Thank you for taking the time to record this.

[@hifromspace]

Thanks. Your video helped me to successfully solve the problem.

[@NancyLowery-wj7eo]

thank you thank you! wonderful, simple, clear explanation I just needed to clean out the check valve & voila!

[@rhess2989]

This was a big help and saved me some beer $$

[@mrhans07]

Thanks ! your video saved me a new pump ! It was only the floater that was stuck ! Easy fix.

[@gp3yt]

T-R-E-M-E-N-D-O-U-S-L-Y HELPFUL!! Exact same issue and had it resolved start to finish in ONE HOUR.

[@HARPERSSON]

....yep - you did. That was the problem. Thanks again!!!

[@JameSSpeedCo]

Thank u for posting this video. It just saved my day!

[@th3kid13]

Excellent video and guide! Great narrating + examples.

[@MoneyMikeG]

Very helpful thanks. I will be trying to fix mine tomorrow

[@adamjablonowski5217]

Thank you for this video!! Helped me diagnose and fix my pump!

[@FenderStrat19711]

This video was extremely helpful and informative. Thanks so much!

[@cindyb9410]

My parents' pump has been leaking and because of your video I can diagnose it myself! Can't wait to try it. My other fear is that it might or might also be her tubing. When I was looking at it yesterday. it looked pretty gross... :( Thank you for the video!

[@11krucinski]

Can I just drain to a floor drain or do I need a pump to pump it elsewhere?

[@allanbanyacsky1986]

Excellent presentation with a lot of helpful hints.👍👍

[@jayc4283]

need a deflector before running water without check valve. Do not put silicone grease in check valve. At most a light spray lube until spare arrives. They are $15 and you can get one in 3-4 days from online sources. you should show blowing in check valve to test it's actual main function. An overnight soak in a mild detergent/bleach solution would be better. Great video overall but those areas need better guidance.

[@hoodee_h9547]

Very helpful

[@chap5606]

Very good informative video

[@dattdude2000]

Absolutely great video man !!!!! .... thanks for the detail it's a amazing how many people do an instructional video and give no detail ... you covered it all and made it plain as far as what your were doing ... thanks again👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

[@ErikAsquith]

You made my morning! Thanks for watching and I'm pleased to hear the video helped you.

[@glendahopp]

Thanks so much! Cleaned mine and it works great.

[@henryclayton5000]

You saved me cleaned the check valve and it's working great

[@trevorhier4562]

Great video. Thanks a bunch!

[@HARPERSSON]

you may have just saved me $60....thanks

[@indianainnovation8002]

Thank you for solving my problem!

[@DevinByrnes]

My check valve was clogged up too. Glad I watched your video before ordering a new pump. Thanks!

[@ErikAsquith]

Glad this video help you out. I'm sure this is a fairly common problem when your furnace or central air has been sitting for many months unused.

[@missige]

This is an excellent tutorial! I could easily follow it. Thank you sooooo much for this heplful video!

[@ErikAsquith]

missige thanks for watching!

[@curt841]

You da mann my friend! Your video was amazing.

[@richmauceri3514]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[@link77sonic]

Thank you. Great video.

[@TheRealtordave]

Thanks. Fixed the sucker in ten minutes flat.

[@ErikAsquith]

Impressive! I wish I had this video when I needed to fix mine.

[@BlackManny23]

Great video! Thanks so much...This was extremely helpful.

[@ErikAsquith]

Thanks! I hope you were able to fix your condensate pump.

[@BlackManny23]

Looks like there maybe a clog in the hose and not in the valve. I just purchased some bleach and I'm going to try to unclog it as you suggest. Hope it works! Thx again.

[@amandamarie5199]

AWESOME VIDEO VERY INFORMATIONAL!

[@jonathan170]

Thank you for sharing this! You helped save me a service call that probably would've ran $100 - $150, labor, and maybe even parts. Let's be honest, not all service technicians are honest and they will make unnecessary sales to customers who do not know better--that's why they called the professional in the first place! This was very easy to follow and understand. Also let me add too that I have a toddler, so you helped me keep her warm at night.

[@SteveFulemule]

saved me from a plumbers bill :) much appreciated

[@robertsantana8882]

Great video. Thank you for you time.

[@jhenry48809]

Wow! Thank you thank you thank you. I can't like this video enough! My pump had been plaguing me for years, with a low flow rate and running for 10min plus every cycle. Turns out it was the check valve this whole time. I took the hose off and poked around with a Q-tip from the top side pulled a bit of black material out and now it flows like a dream, and drains the entire reservoir in 30 seconds. I don't have access to it to remove the unit, because AC lines were installed in front of it. What does the check valve do, prevent back flow of water?

[@AB-ux5mp]

Thank you for this!!!! If only I had seen this at 4am when I couldn't think of the name for the damn thing, electrocuted myself because obviously, right? Then soaked the line and furnace drain pipe in white vinegar. It dawned on me at about 9am that I should NOT look at the cost of either bc they're probably both about .99 cents. ANYWAY let's hope my dumb ass didn't f up the motor bc I'm ready to turn the circuit breaker back on......next to the gas heater... You know that home ownership class the some banks make you take before you get a mortgage? Ya this should be added. I'm sure service techs are constantly like, "if I get out this bed and go over here and this lady just needs to flip a switch.....I'm absolutely charging her 1500 dollars. " and I don't blame them. KZbin amd online videos are only useful if you know the damn name of the item you need to repair. Anyway wish me luck on not blowing up my home, I have to be to work in an hour and honestly, God can just take my dumb ass at this point lol

[@MickT]

Thanks for the help! :)

[@939Aed]

6:45: don't let the fountain splash onto the top of the pump--hold a tray or something between the fountain and the motor cover to divert the fountain sideways and away.

[@terriyoung5032]

AWESOME video helped a lot

[@pattiamaro2426]

great video perfect.

[@charlesmaitland7997]

Thanks ,great video

[@MS-kb2yt]

Thank you so much! I almost had a tech come in at $130 an hour. I just cleaned my valve and it fixed the issue!

[@tl9455]

Erik, great video. I followeed step by step to rule things out. -Pump working.. check -Check valve working...check -Drain line clean... check -Resevoir clean...check Problem: when pump turns on, it splashes water (not a lot) and it escapes/drips where pump housing meets reservoir. Never had this issue before...just started after the last time I cleaned reservoir. Total amount of water that it spits out each cycle is maybe an ounce or two....any ideas? Thanks!

[@urexpressionsphotography1082]

Great diagnosis, thanks for information.

[@wandab3843]

Terrific video!

[@nycmaverick]

Great video

[@kencook4956]

Well done. Thanks.

[@Oldndazed]

Thank you!!!!!

[@cindy68780]

Good job.

[@hamdigitalmedia]

Gonna a look at my pump and comment, but the, "If you happen to have any pool & spa lube," cracked me up. Lol. Definitely don't happen to have this lying around the house.

[@mattlco]

Super helpful video - much appreciated. Any ideas on how to extract ~1/3 of a broken check valve?? My plastic check valve somehow sheared in half a bit below the o-ring. I've ordered a new replacement check valve, but I'm going to need to get the rest of the old one out. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[@darrellcrowson5261]

Hi Mattico - I have the same problem and don't see that this question has been addressed. What did you do to get the broken piece out?

[@pauledwards514]

Great video, thanks! ... I dissasembled, cleaned and my pump runs (L.G. 20 ULS). 1) Is it normal for the pump to shut off and leave 1 inch or so of water in the resevoir tank (at all times essentially)? Meaning, it never fully emptys the tank, correct? 2) Is it normal for the clear rubber tubing to be full of water when the pump stops running? ... Mine runs for 20-30 seconds after filling it up. Most of the water is expelled outside the house (tube runs UP about 6 feet and ACCROSS the basement approx 10 feet), but the tube is full of water after the pump shuts off and eventually air "bubbles" move through the tube (gravity doing it's thing). I'm guessing this is normal, but I never had a reason to pay attention. lol

[@johnBlackwolf691]

Thank you!!!!!! we FiX ours!!!!

[@justinmack6351]

Great video. My check valve clogged up quickly I think mostly because I also drain my dehumidifier into it a well. I also read that a few annual treatments of CLR can help prevent the check valve from clogging

[@ErikAsquith]

Justin Mack I have tried CLR, vinegar, and a few other items. They may be good as a preventive if you stay on top of the treatments (which I plan to do, but then never remember to do that second treatment...), but I have found that they typically don’t work well when you get to the point where the check valve is stuck in an open or closed position.

[@justinmack6351]

I was thinking the same thing, that the water doesnt contain calcium or lime or anything, so I was wondering how well it would work. I tried soaking my check valve in boiling water, tried vinegar etc, havent had much luck yet since yesterday. I'm Still scrounging for a paper clip or something to ram down in this thing, but I think its opening up , since I can at least blow through it a little bit, but its not a geyser like yours quite yet :)

[@justinmack6351]

big thanks again for the video, definitely beats buying a new valve and waiting on shipping while my basement floods :P

[@ErikAsquith]

Justin Mack you’re welcome and thanks for watching. You might be able to use a coat hanger or some romex electrical wire if you don’t have a paper clip handy. You can also try poking around the check value while the pump is running to help clear out any obstruction.

[@austinbowles3836]

Thank you.

[@darrellcrowson5261]

Great video Erik , thorough and well articulated. My problem is that the CV 10 heck valve has broken off and I rather not have to replace the entier unit. Any thoughts on how to extract the broken check valve?

[@ErikAsquith]

Darrell Crowson would a screwout attached to a drill work, or do you need something with a thicker diameter?

[@darrellcrowson5261]

@@ErikAsquith That may have worked but, on a whim, I used the blade on my Swiss Army knife and it screwed out easily. Thanks for the reply and for the great video!

[@barrynofzinger9266]

Can you make a short video about changing the flexible condensate tubing? Preferably showing where to order the tubing, too.

[@ErikAsquith]

Barry Nofzinger good idea. I’ll try and get one created in the near future. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@vincentgonzalez2160]

This was extremely helpful, thank you. Can I ask - How much water should still be in my reservoir normally? After my pump runs it seems like the reservoir is still half full.

[@schsch2390]

Pump runs til the float valve inside drops down low enough to open the microswitch that turns on the motor. This amounts to ~2" or so water depth.

[@tombouie]

Thks & I done fixed it ;)

[@incrediblew]

Thanks!!!

[@eduardovillegas866]

Those two loose wire on the pump do they stay separated or conected

[@erok3738]

Thanks bro

[@ErikAsquith]

Eric Weiser you’re welcome. Thanks for watching.