Post by papaof2 on Aug 24, 2021 20:26:32 GMT -6
Walking through the basement to put a new fire extinguisher by the solar power system, I hear a "tick - tick - tick" metallic sound. Knowing that the only clock within 20 feet of me isn't that loud, I backtrack to find the source. Water is dripping from the condensate piping in the HVAC system? Now what?
The catch pot on the side for the high efficiency furnace is overflowing - but the furnace isn't in use when it's 90F outside so where's the water coming from? Following the rats' nest of plumbing, the condensate drain pipe must be clogged in the portion of the pipe that's inside the condensate pump to have water backing up like this.
First, some blue paper "shop towels" to absorb what's in the pan under the furnace and catch the current drips while I go dig out an alternate water catcher. Five minutes later I'm back with a 2 gallon bucket, a small self-priming 12 volt pump, a 12 volt battery, a couple feet of 3/8" tubing and a zip tie. Rest the pump on the edge of the 2 gallon bucket to get the right position and then zip tie it to the leg of a short stool for stability. Tubing from the pump to the catch pot and then the pump. Wire the pump to the battery and it's happily chugging along at 1GPM. That's good for an hour or so while I go eat and work out a long term solution that doesn't involve a trip to the home center...
The condensate drain pipe was installed to be permanent, including its entry into the condensate pump reservoir - I'll have to cut that pipe to move the pump and check whether there's a blockage in the pipe or it's blocked by crud collected in the bottom of the pump. First though, grab some old towels to catch the water and drill a small hole in the pipe just above the pump to let any accumulated water drain out slowly - there is no water so either the blockage is higher in the pipe or it's in the pump reservoir. Need to cut that pipe, so a new blade for the oscillating saw and that's done a minute later. Move the pump, use long nose pliers in reverse (expanding the tips inside the cutoff piece of pipe) to get that bit of pipe out of the pump - and the water is too cloudy to tell what might be at the bottom.
While the pump is out of the way, run a long zip tie up the pipe (zip tie is semi-flexible and should be able to get through/around the most likely debris) - nothing much on the zip tie so the problem must be in the pump's reservoir. Get a large funnel and a 2 quart plastic pitcher and pour that water into the pump as fast as it can take it out to flush the bottom of the pump. That works and I can see the black plastic bottom of the reservoir - seems that's where the problem was. Get a piece of 2x4 that's a bit longer than the pump in one hand and the pump in the other hand. Lift the pump up around the condensate pipe and then slide the 2x4 under it. The condensate pipe is in the pump far enough to be secure but is more than an inch above the bottom for good flow. Time to go put wet and dirty towels in the washer and take something for my back and legs that don't like being squatted down to work inches above the floor. Is the problem resolved? I'll know in an hour or so...
An hour later, the condensate pump has filled and emptied and there is no water dripping anywhere so all is well.
What does an emergency HVAC callout after 5PM cost? Whatever it is, I'm sure that fixing this myself - and in a way that won't require cutting the drain pipe to move the condensate pump in the future - probably saved me the cost of the tools used plus a decent hourly wage for me. If you're on a limited income, you need to know where to invest; if you have the space, buy heirloom veggie seeds because that's an investment that's guaranteed to grow ;-)
The catch pot on the side for the high efficiency furnace is overflowing - but the furnace isn't in use when it's 90F outside so where's the water coming from? Following the rats' nest of plumbing, the condensate drain pipe must be clogged in the portion of the pipe that's inside the condensate pump to have water backing up like this.
First, some blue paper "shop towels" to absorb what's in the pan under the furnace and catch the current drips while I go dig out an alternate water catcher. Five minutes later I'm back with a 2 gallon bucket, a small self-priming 12 volt pump, a 12 volt battery, a couple feet of 3/8" tubing and a zip tie. Rest the pump on the edge of the 2 gallon bucket to get the right position and then zip tie it to the leg of a short stool for stability. Tubing from the pump to the catch pot and then the pump. Wire the pump to the battery and it's happily chugging along at 1GPM. That's good for an hour or so while I go eat and work out a long term solution that doesn't involve a trip to the home center...
The condensate drain pipe was installed to be permanent, including its entry into the condensate pump reservoir - I'll have to cut that pipe to move the pump and check whether there's a blockage in the pipe or it's blocked by crud collected in the bottom of the pump. First though, grab some old towels to catch the water and drill a small hole in the pipe just above the pump to let any accumulated water drain out slowly - there is no water so either the blockage is higher in the pipe or it's in the pump reservoir. Need to cut that pipe, so a new blade for the oscillating saw and that's done a minute later. Move the pump, use long nose pliers in reverse (expanding the tips inside the cutoff piece of pipe) to get that bit of pipe out of the pump - and the water is too cloudy to tell what might be at the bottom.
While the pump is out of the way, run a long zip tie up the pipe (zip tie is semi-flexible and should be able to get through/around the most likely debris) - nothing much on the zip tie so the problem must be in the pump's reservoir. Get a large funnel and a 2 quart plastic pitcher and pour that water into the pump as fast as it can take it out to flush the bottom of the pump. That works and I can see the black plastic bottom of the reservoir - seems that's where the problem was. Get a piece of 2x4 that's a bit longer than the pump in one hand and the pump in the other hand. Lift the pump up around the condensate pipe and then slide the 2x4 under it. The condensate pipe is in the pump far enough to be secure but is more than an inch above the bottom for good flow. Time to go put wet and dirty towels in the washer and take something for my back and legs that don't like being squatted down to work inches above the floor. Is the problem resolved? I'll know in an hour or so...
An hour later, the condensate pump has filled and emptied and there is no water dripping anywhere so all is well.
What does an emergency HVAC callout after 5PM cost? Whatever it is, I'm sure that fixing this myself - and in a way that won't require cutting the drain pipe to move the condensate pump in the future - probably saved me the cost of the tools used plus a decent hourly wage for me. If you're on a limited income, you need to know where to invest; if you have the space, buy heirloom veggie seeds because that's an investment that's guaranteed to grow ;-)
