I have an Aprilaire humidifier hooked up to my furnace (natural gas)
and this morning I found water on the floor under the condensate pump
where the humidifier drains. The pump is attempting to run, but it
isn't draining - the reservoir is full and not emptying.

As it was 5.2 degrees (Fahrenheit, not Celsius) this morning and
hasn't been above freezing for a few days, I suspect the drain line,
which empties outside next to the a/c condenser unit, froze and is
blocked.

Question 1: any suggestions for how to thaw the line well, with little
risk of refreezing? (Sunshine is not a thawing option, as the line
comes out under the back deck and never sees direct light.)

Question 2: since the furnace is in the laundry room and there's no
other drain (such as a sink) in the room, is it a good idea to maybe
re-route the condensate drain into the pipe where the clothes washer
drains?

Kyle wrote:

I have an Aprilaire humidifier hooked up to my furnace (natural gas)
and this morning I found water on the floor under the condensate pump
where the humidifier drains. The pump is attempting to run, but it
isn't draining - the reservoir is full and not emptying.

Pump? Mine works on water pressure. There is a solenoid that you
might hear clicking. One click on, one click off. If you hear a hum
like a motor you might need a new solenoid.


As it was 5.2 degrees (Fahrenheit, not Celsius) this morning and
hasn't been above freezing for a few days, I suspect the drain line,
which empties outside next to the a/c condenser unit, froze and is
blocked.

Question 1: any suggestions for how to thaw the line well, with little
risk of refreezing? (Sunshine is not a thawing option, as the line
comes out under the back deck and never sees direct light.)


'Little risk of freezing' might be tough. I'd saddletap it into the
cellar drain if it is possible. You are using hot water, right?
Also something like 1 1/2 pvc is a lot less likely to freeze than a
smaller pipe- though the smaller pipe will handle the volume.

To thaw- us a hair dryer on the end 5-10 minutes should do it.

Question 2: since the furnace is in the laundry room and there's no
other drain (such as a sink) in the room, is it a good idea to maybe
re-route the condensate drain into the pipe where the clothes washer
drains?

That's where I'd go with it. Quick and dirty with a saddle-tap of
some sort.

Jim

Kyle wrote:
I have an Aprilaire humidifier hooked up to my furnace (natural gas)
and this morning I found water on the floor under the condensate pump
where the humidifier drains. The pump is attempting to run, but it
isn't draining - the reservoir is full and not emptying.

As it was 5.2 degrees (Fahrenheit, not Celsius) this morning and
hasn't been above freezing for a few days, I suspect the drain line,
which empties outside next to the a/c condenser unit, froze and is
blocked.

Question 1: any suggestions for how to thaw the line well, with little
risk of refreezing? (Sunshine is not a thawing option, as the line
comes out under the back deck and never sees direct light.)

Question 2: since the furnace is in the laundry room and there's no
other drain (such as a sink) in the room, is it a good idea to maybe
re-route the condensate drain into the pipe where the clothes washer
drains?

Yes to the second question if the laundry drain inlet is lower than the
humidifier outlet.

On Feb 9, 7:38*am, LouB wrote:
Kyle wrote:
I have an Aprilaire humidifier hooked up to my furnace (natural gas)
and this morning I found water on the floor under the condensate pump
where the humidifier drains. The pump is attempting to run, but it
isn't draining - the reservoir is full and not emptying.

As it was 5.2 degrees (Fahrenheit, not Celsius) this morning and
hasn't been above freezing for a few days, I suspect the drain line,
which empties outside next to the a/c condenser unit, froze and is
blocked.

Question 1: any suggestions for how to thaw the line well, with little
risk of refreezing? (Sunshine is not a thawing option, as the line
comes out under the back deck and never sees direct light.)

Question 2: since the furnace is in the laundry room and there's no
other drain (such as a sink) in the room, is it a good idea to maybe
re-route the condensate drain into the pipe where the clothes washer
drains?

Yes to the second question if the laundry drain inlet is lower than the
humidifier outlet.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That doesn't matter. Read the post, he has a pump already.

The washer drain is fine. If there is room you can just stick the
discharge hose into the drain. But check the pump first with another
piece of line and a bucket. Soemtimes those thing sound like they are
running but really are broken.

On Feb 9, 8:02*am, jamesgangnc wrote:
On Feb 9, 7:38*am, LouB wrote:





Kyle wrote:
I have an Aprilaire humidifier hooked up to my furnace (natural gas)
and this morning I found water on the floor under the condensate pump
where the humidifier drains. The pump is attempting to run, but it
isn't draining - the reservoir is full and not emptying.

As it was 5.2 degrees (Fahrenheit, not Celsius) this morning and
hasn't been above freezing for a few days, I suspect the drain line,
which empties outside next to the a/c condenser unit, froze and is
blocked.

Question 1: any suggestions for how to thaw the line well, with little
risk of refreezing? (Sunshine is not a thawing option, as the line
comes out under the back deck and never sees direct light.)

Question 2: since the furnace is in the laundry room and there's no
other drain (such as a sink) in the room, is it a good idea to maybe
re-route the condensate drain into the pipe where the clothes washer
drains?

Yes to the second question if the laundry drain inlet is lower than the
humidifier outlet.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That doesn't matter. *Read the post, he has a pump already.

The washer drain is fine. *If there is room you can just stick the
discharge hose into the drain. *But check the pump first with another
piece of line and a bucket. *Soemtimes those thing sound like they are
running but really are broken.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Agree. Use the existing hose if it's long enough and you can just
cut off the inside piece. Otherwise get a new hose at HD, etc. and
route it into the washer drain. Other suitable choice could be the
sump pump pit if you have one. I have mine just routed over to the
french drain at the edge of the wall without any pump.

The drain outside is definately frozen. Either re-route the drain
somewhere else or don't use the humidifier until the drain thaws out.

Mikepier wrote the following:
The drain outside is definately frozen.

Do you live next door to him and walk over to check the drain?

Either re-route the drain
somewhere else or don't use the humidifier until the drain thaws out.



--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

On 2/9/2010 9:35 AM, willshak wrote:
Mikepier wrote the following:
The drain outside is definately frozen.

Do you live next door to him and walk over to check the drain?

Either re-route the drain
somewhere else or don't use the humidifier until the drain thaws out.


It doesn't take much of a dip in the
line to freeze. Here where the weather
is 20 degrees warmer I added a piece of
hose to drain the condensate pump into
the drain line for the down spouts. It
froze just where it was coming through
the wall. The dip was less than a 1/4".
In my case the furnace shut down
because the installer wired the pump
overflow sensor to shut down the
furnace. I don't have a humidifier but
I do have a condensing furnace that can
produce quite a bit of water. When the
weather warms up, I will put a more
permanent solution with no dips. BTW,
it was pretty easy to thaw the line
using the heat of my hand .... the only
problem was that when the ice cleared,
it got me right in the shirt.

There may be a legal issue with dumping water like that into
the sanitary sewer (washing machine drain). Particularly for
the AC condensate, when summer arrives. That said, I'd go
ahead and run the condensate pump line into the drain. What
they don't know won't hurt you.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Kyle" wrote in message
...
I have an Aprilaire humidifier hooked up to my furnace
(natural gas)
and this morning I found water on the floor under the
condensate pump
where the humidifier drains. The pump is attempting to run,
but it
isn't draining - the reservoir is full and not emptying.

As it was 5.2 degrees (Fahrenheit, not Celsius) this morning
and
hasn't been above freezing for a few days, I suspect the
drain line,
which empties outside next to the a/c condenser unit, froze
and is
blocked.

Question 1: any suggestions for how to thaw the line well,
with little
risk of refreezing? (Sunshine is not a thawing option, as
the line
comes out under the back deck and never sees direct light.)

Question 2: since the furnace is in the laundry room and
there's no
other drain (such as a sink) in the room, is it a good idea
to maybe
re-route the condensate drain into the pipe where the
clothes washer
drains?

Stormin Mormon wrote:
There may be a legal issue with dumping water like that into
the sanitary sewer (washing machine drain). Particularly for
the AC condensate, when summer arrives. That said, I'd go
ahead and run the condensate pump line into the drain. What
they don't know won't hurt you.

Heck that water is a lot better than the stuff coming from one's washer.

On Feb 9, 11:54*am, LouB wrote:
Stormin Mormon wrote:
There may be a legal issue with dumping water like that into
the sanitary sewer (washing machine drain). Particularly for
the AC condensate, when summer arrives. *That said, I'd go
ahead and run the condensate pump line into the drain. What
they don't know won't hurt you.

Heck that water is a lot better than the stuff coming from one's washer.

The volume of water from anything but a washer is so small as to be
inconsequential.