Air Conditioner problem....DIY job??

[The Other Mike]

A.C. unit is about 3 years old...this morning I noticed a sound coming from the basement. Turn out it's this box about 12" x 6" that's behind the air conditioner...it has a tube coming out of it and a PVC pipe going into it. I'm assuming it's for condensation and it supposed to pump it out. It seems to be continuously running and there's some water leaking out of it. I shut off the a.c. (had to come to work) and unplugged the unit. Is this something I can go buy at Lowes and do myself or do I need a professional to fix this?

[hallerb]

condensate pump, probably under 50 bucks cheapest to just replace

theres a float that hangs up

[Mikepier]

Another possiblity is that the drain line is clogged which causes the pump to run continuosly and water to leak out of it. See if you can disconnect the discharge pipe out of the pump and check for clogs.

[RayV]

Try cleaning it out first, the cover should come off revealing a disgusting mess. The tube may also be clogged, try blowing through it.

Easy to replace, the PVC pipe is probably not glued in at least one spot to facilitate removal of the pump.

[trader4]

Sort of like saying there is a brake noise coming from my rear brakes and the car doesn't stop right. Can I fix it myself?

Both depend on your skill level, what tools you have, etc. If you have the skills, you can find what's wrong with the condensate pump and replace it yourself, if needed. Could be as simple as a clogged drain line.

[The Other Mike]

Not exactly...lots of little parts that can go wrong on a brake system...this is a single self contained unit...plus I do the brakes wrong and I die...do the ac wrong and I just get hot.

After reading other posts and your clogged drain line suggestion I now know it can wait until I get home and give it a shot instead of calling for a repairman and leaving work early. Thanks to everyone for the advice and I'll give it a try when I get home.

[bigjim]

[Tom The Great]

Good reply, was going to check if the OP could just open it, and clean it out. Save a few bucks.

later,

tom

[Stormin Mormon]

Soaked cellar, and all kinds of water damage.

[The Other Mike]

Nah...I meant that I'd turn the air off if it's still leaking after I try to fix it.

Thanks everyone for the advice...checked everything and wound up taking the pump apart. The drain valve was cracked so I just went to home depot and for $40 bought another one. All fixed...thanks again.