condensate pump maintenance

[The Cobbler]

Wow, never thought about condensate pump maintenance.
Mine split where the fitting for the discharge line enters the pump so I figured I would take it apart & crazy glue the crack in the housing. Inside the pump was eeewww, full of crappy sludge and smelled. never thought about an annual rinse & clean but it's on the list of things to do now.
Oh, and so far the crazy glue & baking soda is working on the leak ( crack)

 

[Stuart in MN]

Yup, my furnace guy said they need to be flushed out periodically (And not just the pump and its reservoir, but also the tube from the pump to the drain.) They do get pretty scummy if you don't.

 

[rlitman]

I like to use the "mints" in condensate drains to keep the drains clear, and would assume they stop buildup in the pumps as well.

 

[Raisedonadeere]

I like to use the "mints" in condensate drains to keep the drains clear, and would assume they stop buildup in the pumps as well.

"Mints???"

 

[Robbie B]

"Mints???"

AC pan tablets. Put them in the condensate pan once a month or so and they kill off the mold that builds up. They look like little blue mints.

 

[Burl]

Where do you purchase these mints that you speak of?

 

[metaldad]

Where do you purchase these mints that you speak of?

hvac supply houses.
amazon- https://www.amazon.com/s?k=a/c+pan+...efix=a/c+pan+,aps,171&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_2_8
ebay - https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2505460.m570.l1311&_nkw=ac+pan+tablets&_sacat=0

 

[captain14]

Just in time for the néw condensate pump I’m installing after I get everything I need.

Old one failed last week. I discovered a large puddle of water in the floor.

 

[rlitman]

Where do you purchase these mints that you speak of?

Depot sells these way overpriced ones:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KM3BUY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I bought a bottle of 200 tablets a few years ago. I'll eventually go through it. I put a couple in each machine twice a season after I clean the coils.

 

[MikeF2316]

We got a condensate pump back when we had A/C installed in the house just before the first summer. The furnace was a mid efficiency model and didn't need one. I've cleaned the pump a few times, it's always pretty gross but still works like new. Last summer I bought a spare, as it's been more than 25 years now.

 

[naturalgas]

I put a cup of bleach in reservoir and add enough water to bring pump on every now and then. Keeps the grime at bay.


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[Raisedonadeere]

My minisplit ceiling cassette has some sort of condensate pump but it is out of sight somewhere in the unit. It probably gets dirty just like the standard exterior HVAC ones. But I have not read or heard anything about it. This thread has me thinking “what else do I need to learn to keep these things over the long haul. Mine is starting its third year of full time operation.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Wow, never thought about condensate pump maintenance.
Mine split where the fitting for the discharge line enters the pump so I figured I would take it apart & crazy glue the crack in the housing. Inside the pump was eeewww, full of crappy sludge and smelled. never thought about an annual rinse & clean but it's on the list of things to do now.
Oh, and so far the crazy glue & baking soda is working on the leak ( crack)

If this condensate pump is on a furnace, I would also remove the condensate trap inside the furnace and flush that out as part of your yearly maintenance. Remove the trap, dump it out, fill with hot water, shake the **** out of it, and dump it out. If there's gunk in it, repeat this until the water comes out clean. You'd be surprised at the amount of crud, gunk, bugs, etc end up in there. While the trap is off, inspect and clean out the condensate hoses as well.

 

[The Cobbler]

^^ Thanks for that

 

[LS6 Tommy]

If the condensate pump is for a furnace, there has to be a neutralizer on the furnace drain before the pump.

Tommy

 

[rlitman]

If thet condensate pump is for a furnace, there has to be a neutralizer on the furnace drain before the pump.

Tommy

There certainly should be. It's not anything real special. Just a bunch of limestone chips. You could make one yourself, though I like the see-through canisters, so you know when you need to refill.

 

[bonneyman]

After 25 years of cleaning condensate pumps every year, dealing with clogged P-traps, leaks, back-ups, etc. I stumbled upon a solution.

I found this used bottle of Goodwin's Pine Ammonia.
I remove and thoroughly clean the condensate pump pan. Re-install, and pour a cup of the green ammonia solution into the pump. What I started doing is once a month (during monsoon season when the unit makes a lot of condensate), I pour a cup of the solution through the P-trap - using one of the removeable caps - and allow it to run through all the piping into the pump.
Faithfully done, this will virtually stop slime build-up in the pump! Been doing it for several years on the home unit. Pump stays whisper clean!
When I used up that original bottle, I mixed up an alternative that I think approximates the formula. Mix 3 parts of Pine-Sol with 1 part household ammonia. I add a few drops of green food coloring to the mix so there's no confusion.

 

[The Cobbler]

the neutralizer must be a regional thing. never seen or heard of them around here .

 

[LS6 Tommy]

the neutralizer must be a regional thing. never seen or heard of them around here .

They're required nationally on any condensing fuel burning appliance. IPC 803.1

Tommy

 

[The Cobbler]

I'm in Canada

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I'm in Canada

Well, it is the International Plumbing Code...

Tommy

 

[MikeF2316]

Well, it is the International Plumbing Code...

Tommy

I've never seen nor heard of this either.