I’m a little confused. Without seeing the configuration my best guess is that you have a stoppage somewhere between the bathroom fixtures and the ejector pit. Thank you! Whirlpool Dryer Turns On But Will Not Heat Up – Dryer Not Heating. Whirlpool Ice Maker Not Making Ice – How To Troubleshoot? My husband says the rubber on the gasket seems fine, but no matter how he tries to tighten it, it leaks. Drain pumps are not repairable—if the drain pump is defective, you must replace it. Do I have an ejector pump problem, a sewer drainage problem or a plumber problem? Thanks again. We recently replaced ejector pump for basement bathroom, toilet and sink only discharge into pump. Loosen the dishwasher drain hose clamp and disconnect the drain hose (usually it's the one with ridges) from the pump. Recently alarm sounded occasionally. If it was a check valve issue there are only two outcomes, either it’s stuck closed which means the pump would be pumping against itself and would probably continuously cycle or the valve is stuck open which means that the waste would pump freely out of the basin but all of the waste water left in the discharge line after the pump cycled would flow back into the pit. The string is a mystery. If the drain pump is clear of obstructions, but is still noisy during the drain cycle, replace the drain pump. Metal and ejector pumps don’t mix very well. It always boggles my mind that a home is plumbed with waste piping from a kitchen and bath on an upper floor to an ejector pump. PROBLEM: You can hear the pump cycling but it isn’t evacuating the pit properly. Usually when waste water rushes past the opening for the toilet it will pull water from the trap seal. Should we try to glue the pipes together and if we do, will it be a problem the next time we need to replace the pipe? When we run the kitchen sink, water comes up through the shower and under the toilet also. If I were a betting man I’d say you need a new ejector. This could be what is stopping your dishwasher from being able to drain properly. With regards to the ejector pump, It is such a pain to crack the pit open lift the pump out try to see if anything is hanging up the impeller and then reinstall hoping it works properly. Hello and thanks in advance for a response to this. This is causing smells to leak out in the basement, especially in the hotter months. Please note, if you have a furnace with an AC unit the condensate is usually piped to a floor drain that discharges into an ejector pit. Note: If the hose is blocked, look for any kinks in the hose and straighten them. The drain near your furnace picks up the condensate waste from the furnace/AC and should discharge into an vented ejector pit with a gas tight lid. Then, all of a sudden, days later, push drain/cancel and machine drains perfectly. This should be the only way other waste would make it back to the ejector pit. 4. It might be very full. I used to use rodding equipment with root cutting heads to grind up/cut out roots. You’re going to need to purchase a new ejector. That pumped was replaced after it failed 5 times. You would have to drain the pump of water to see if the pump is functioning properly. Hey Brad thanks for reaching out. If you do have a gravity sewer below your basement floor the only thing I can think of without seeing it is that the placement of new bathroom/shower was too far away from the sewer so rather than chopping up the floor and making the proper connection they ran it to a modified sump/ejector pump and it discharges into your storm drainage. So you are replacing with threaded pipe? please let me know the outcome. The drain pump uses an impeller to force water through the drain hose. ​Solution 1 vs. My ejector pump is making a loud constant humming noise. If something is hanging up the float you can look inside the basin and visually inspect it. You unbolt the cover and check to see if you have anything stuck on the float that would be causing it to cycle. Your sewer doesn’t run underneath your basement floor it goes overhead and exits your house? I hope that helps. Is lemon juice REALLY an effective cleaner/conditioner for the tank/pumps? When we do have heavy rain it runs fine and keeps the basement dry. We’ve lived here 3 years, house was completely remodeled including the pump, 2 years prior to that. Thanks Dan I appreciate it. If you have a problem area in your basement for instance you get water in one area. It has been stuck “on” like this two times (including this time).. Last time, the pump worked but “hose clamp had broken and switch floating” according to plumbers paperwork. Is there a special gasket for this area that may have failed (15 years old) or can I simply caulk around the pipes with silicone. I is for the toilet, shower and the clothes washer. Also found out when estimates started to come in that it’s not vented correctly. To properly experience our LG.com website, you will need to use an alternate browser or upgrade to a newer version of internet Explorer (IE10 or greater). It will run for about 5 minutes and not pump anything then it turns off. hi Sean, we have an ejector pump located in the front yard with the control panel in our basement. It needs to be watched and given a little kick on the side of the bucket to get the pump to turn on when the washer is draining. The reason you’re ejector pump is running constantly is because groundwater is making its way into the ejector pit. but our basement toilet occasionally will not flush down/empty for a short window of time. It sounds like the floor drain is somehow connected to the discharge piping. You have sediment building up on the sump pump? Pump will not shut off. What Do The Numbers Mean In Surround Sound? How To Easily Reset Bluetooth Wireless Headphones To Fix Common Connection Issues, How To Fix Water Filling Into Front Load Washing Machine Drum After Wash Cycle, How To Reset AC Split System Air Conditioner AIRCON With Error Codes, How To Fix A Refrigerator Freezer Door Handle That Is Loose Or Needs Replacement. We are having trouble with it failing, I think maybe it is because of toilet paper use but we have lived here 11 years and only recently are haveing issues. (The answer: yes.). My kids said it backed up and overflowed a few days a go and they plunged it which fixed it. My tank alert alarm was going off. Install a secondary drain tile system on the interior or exterior of your foundation depending on where your current drain tile is located. Unplugging and plugging back in. Either way you shouldn’t have to kick it to get it to work. If there is one discharge pipe coming out from the pit cover it’s a sump pump. Do you have a groundwater removal system in your home? Other thing was I added a check valve above the pit. 2. If your drain stopper lifts right out of the sink, it has separated from the ball. The system is pneumatic meaning it is operated by air or gas under pressure. Each area of the country is different. Ejector pumps work pretty well. Either way, go out and purchase a new 2” ejector check valve, you can find them below or at Home Depot or Lowes or you can get from our friends at Amazon. How To Remove Moisture In A Watch – How Does Condensation Form? It’s very possible that your leach field is surcharged and you have a ton of hydrostatic pressure under your basement floor and around your foundation and water is pushing it to the basin. You certainly have gotten your money’s worth. If that turns out to be the case you can use band iron to brace the piping to keep it from vibrating. An ejector is by it’s nature supposed to grind up suspended solids. You can buy them retail for between $20 and $30 dollars. It sounds like it could be stuck in the open position. Here are the most popular units on the market Saniflo and Zoeller’s Qwik Jon, Usually, people don’t think too much about their ejector until it fails and when it fails it’s usually a pretty traumatic event. Dryer Will Not Start – How To Troubleshoot And Fix? Not sure what it means or what to do. Well, it certainly shouldn’t remain a mystery. So do you have 200ft of exposed sewer main? It’s possible its the toilet paper you’re using but more likely that you need a new pump. How old is the pump? It would make zero sense to run all of your waste to an ejector just to have the ejector pump it overhead to a sewer. Samsung Dishwasher Flashing LC Code – WATER LEAK ERROR. How To Fix A TV Remote Control Not Working? If I start new wash cycle, get back to the beginning--will not drain and go through the process again. Also ca I use draino in the toilet. You can install and plug in a light or another electrical device. Thanks! There is no switch to turn it on and off. When that isn't working, there are other options to get that drain cleared. Sometimes submersible pumps can become air bound as well. Thanks. Got as much water as I could out with shop vac but still too much in there and the float appears to be floating. Pump is almost 3 years old. Start working the plunger up and down quickly to create an airtight seal on the drain. Sometimes it will reset the switch, if it continues to hum remove the cover to see of the float is hung up by debris. Check out Amazon for more books of helpful tips and facts about ejector pumps. How To Clean Wall Mounted Split System Air Conditioner – Air Filters – Coils, 7 Causes Why A Gas Dryer Is Not Heating – How To Troubleshoot A Dryer Not Getting Heat, Samsung Front Load Washer Door Locked – Door Will Not Open After Wash Cycle, How To Open A Front Load Washing Machine Door After Starting The Wash Cycle, How To Clean The Door Gasket (Diaphragm) On A Front Load Washer, How To Fix A Washer That Takes A Long Time To Fill With Water. Wet Room Drain Pump Not Working. Why Does A Circuit Breaker Keep Tripping? Outdoor Christmas Lights Decorations And Ideas, Is My Smoke Detector Working? The pump has stopped doing anything. It’s a huge pain to disassemble it! One studor vents are notorious for malfunctioning. It’s annoying. Recently we began to hear to ejector pump discharging at odd hours and at times when the lower level facilities were not in use. Do the pumps alternate cycles? Just now again, smell and we found a small amount of water and the pump was humming. No issue with the pump keeping up, the only thing that drains into is the fur car and AC condensate pump. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. I just bought a home which was a rental property for years. How To Connect A Soundbar To A TV – HDMI, Optical, Or RCA? How Do I Fix A Hole In My Irrigation Pipe? If so, my ejector pit has power but does not kick on to pump this water away. It does cover the odor pretty well. come up in almost every discussion among professionals. Are you sure it’s a sump pump? Check out this cool garbage bag here. In Today's Video, We Show You How to Replace the Drain Pump on a Kenmore Dishwasher. I’m not sure how old our ejector pump is..we’ve lived here for 6 yrs. However, we are wondering if the alarm was set up properly with electrical since all new electric was just put in the house and things have been a little wanky. Twice we have seen string clog up the pump when the pump failed. I didn’t hear anything from it before and now it hammers like crazy when its on. Can you recommend what to do or how to seal it? If the water is still not draining correctly, there might be a blockage in the P-trap, aka the elbow-shaped pipe under your sink. There can be debris caught in the impeller and that may cause the pump to long cycle. There are 4 different things you can do to to minimize the threat of flooding. It could be that when water enters the pit it’s hitting the cover and it’s dripping into the water below. Water seeps from where? Sometimes the pump can move in the pit and the float will rub up against the wall of the pit thereby rendering it useless. Is it very similar to my normal sump pump? There are many home builders that will install a dedicated sump pump and an “ejector” to remove condensate waste from the furnace/AC unit. If it’s kinked, try straightening it out manually. I would buy a new rubber gasket for the cover as well. I had the exact same problems, and a specialized plumbing company came out and accessed the clean out port by the curb. I will give you one last tip, don’t flush baby wipes/butt wipes, paper towels or feminine hygiene products down a toilet that drains into an ejector pit. My second would be that your piping is moving when the pump cycles and it’s banging against the lid or a stud. In most cases, the impeller has become clogged. Can this possibly be connected to my ejector pit? I’m still having the issue. The other more likely culprit is that there is a vent in that room that is broken or incorrectly piped. Noisy Microwave Oven – What Parts To Check – How To Fix? Any ideas? Don’t hesitate to reach out for more info, We have an ejector sewage pump in the basement. At times (not all the time) the sink will stop draining and begin to back up. Do you mean a lift station? The first floor and second floor bathrooms drain right into the sewer line using gravity. The utility sink drain line is directly going into the sump pump basin. So it is leaking from the rubber gasket on the check valve? What’s up with that? If this doesn’t solve the problem buy a piggyback switch. When your washer isn't draining properly, it makes sense to suspect a faulty drain pump and to replace it. 3.) I’m pretty clueless when it comes to this stuff but figured Would it be a good idea to remove the pump and clean it? Toilet flushes and see no water leaks any where. Because the ejector pumps so much water at one time it’s backing up into your 1st floor bath, the lowest fixture. The sink drains perfectly now. Attach the pump to the How To Remove Dried White Glue From Carpet? Is it on its way out do you think? Try a Plunger . This happens regularly, probably after every cycle. Hi, I am having an issue with my basement toilet. You are most likely right, your switch is bad. So that pump has a piggyback switch. Bathroom Sink Will Not Drain Water – How To Fix? Hi, I have a Zoeller drain pump that we use only for the washing machine 6 months of the year. Most likely the only piece of equipment that uses the ejector is the condensate waste from the Furnace/AC unit. After 60 seconds of plunging, lift the plunger to see if the hot water starts to drain. Your plunger must be large enough to seal the opening of the drain, and there should be enough water in the fixture to cover the bottom part of the fixture. It sounds to me like your septic system may be saturated or fully charged. Check your traps in that bathroom. You can go buy yourself a piggyback switch to bypass the switch on the pump and you should be good to go. If you unplug and plug back in and the pump doesn’t cycle and you know you have power the pump is probably bad. When asked about routine maintenance of the ejector pump, he advised it would cost about half the price of a new pump ($1250+) to open the pit, pull the pump and inspect/clean it. Water Heater Leaking Water – How To Fix The Water Leak? I do not recommend covering the piping. Hey Sean, thank you very much for replying. Reassemble the stem back into the drain trap, and re-engage the retaining nut at the top of the stem to secure the assembly back into the sink. Mike. I hope this solves your vessel sink draining problems. Thanks in advance for any insight. Again these are all simple differences. Your email address will not be published. Let me know. Alternately, if your drain stopper is not properly attached to the ball, or a buildup of hair, gunk, or debris in the drain stem is impacting the stopper’s movement, the stopper can often sit too low in the drain, meaning slow draining and buildup of gunk in the bowl of the sink. The Zoeller Qwik Jon is a great product. – How to fix a slow draining sink stopper… Sometimes, a poorly-performing sink drain can’t be fixed with only drain cleaner or a pipe snake. You hear the pump cycle but all you see is some slight movement of water in the pit. If the pump is just cycling without waste water present there is a problem with the switch. I’m not a big fan of using it anyway but in a toilet I would advise you never to use it in any situation. Let’s address the water softener first. What Type Of Screws Do I Need To Attach A Second Computer Monitor? If you’ve done the above and the pump is still humming but the wastewater isn’t being evacuated the impeller or shaft is damaged. If you have an overhead sewer they should have connected it to the main. Any ideas about the toilet delay? If you’re getting strange noises during the wash cycle that’s more likely to be a problem with the recirculation pump, if the noises are happening during the draining then that could be an issue with the drain pump. The fix is simple, just reach under the sink, give the trap a light tap on … Its not getting enough air to sewage pump pit. P-Trap Problems. Dishwasher won't drain and sump pump not working. My question to you is this: given the fact that moving the pipes going through the cover caused the pump to start and operate properly, do you think this is the case of an obstruction in the line, a failed float to switch interaction, or other? The ejector pump sounds like it keeps cycling making a loud rhythmic pumping noise. Does this mean the pump getting bad. Things don’t go too well. The easiest way to see if your vent is compromised is to do a peppermint test. Bad Smell From Central Air Conditioner – What Causes Moldy Smell? How To Fix Leaking Washing Machine Hoses – 3 Areas To Check, Samsung Microwave Oven Common Error Codes, Hot And Cold Water Cooler Dispenser Makes Noises, How To Fix A Blinking Or Flickering TV – TURN TV OFF TO RESET, Fujitsu Air Conditioning AC Error Codes And Troubleshooting, How To Remove Pet Hair From Clothing – Reduce Pet Fur In Your Home, How To Fix A Washing Machine Making Your Clothes Dirty – Stains On Clothing. The first pump failed at about 3 months. I don’t believe it’s a bad ejector install. You are allowing all of the water out of the tank before the flapper closes. Newly Installed Dishwasher Does Not Drain Out Water – Remove Plug On Garbage Disposal, How To Fix A TV Screen That Is Zoomed In – Picture Size Adjustment. Can I Turn The AC Off To Save Money? But most work fine. 15 yo dual 1.5 hp Liberty pump system with alternating control panel and float switches. Everything still seems to be working but i’m concerned it will clog our ejector pump i checked and there is nothing in the pit. If so, it may be a good idea to cover the exposed trap with a plastic bag or tape to avoid any potential sewer gases from entering your home. Any advice before I call a plumber out? Our sump pump is 1 wire that I know has to stay plugged in to work but I’m clueless about the ejector pit. The most common problem with a ventless sink drain is a lack of drainage power. Ice Under Freezer Drawer In Refrigerator – How To Fix? Also, our basin cap is pretty rusted and not on tight. Only, until the bathroom is used again. If you have a real estate query to solve, I also hope you will call Elizabeth Weintraub, the #1 Sacramento real estate agent at Lyon Real Estate. The switch could also be starting to fail. There was more string found but this time no rags had been washed and nothing that is stringy washed. It eats biowaste pretty well. Inadequate Drainage Power. You’re second floor bathroom had water?? It’s not a lot of water but it’s disgusting and stinks up the bathroom. More Buying Choices $94.36 (5 used & new offers) Simer 2935B 1/3 HP Utility Sink Sump Pump. How To Fix A Samsung Refrigerator That Beeps 11 Times? I’m thinking floats may be impeded somehow requiring higher than normal level of water to activate the switch. If the pit is peaked then your ejector is probably shot. Samsung Refrigerator Randomly Beeping – What Causes Alarm Beeps? You need to check and see if you have a mechanical vent or a vent going out of the house roof. If that doesn’t work you need a new pump. As the wastewater flows into the pit the water level rises and actuates a switch which cycles the pump. Do you have a garbage disposal installed in the basement? Only after the ejector pump got clogged with grease, did we discover that the kitchen sink (island on a studor vent) and dishwasher on the main level of the house are now draining into the basement as well as the washer – at least we THINK the washer is too. 7. An ejector pit will have a gas tight cover with both a discharge line and a vent line to remove any gases from the pit. I have a couple questions for you if you don’t mind. Hey Juan, thanks for reaching out. Help! Thanks. In fact quite often if you have a newer home the builder will put in a sump pump in an ejector pit to pump condensate waste from the furnace/AC unit. In addition to washing clothes, we randomly have sewer gas just come out of nowhere and we never know when this will happen. It is an enzyme based sewer cleaner that eats organic material. Try unplugging the ejector pump for 10 seconds and plugging it back in. Great site! Run the kitchen waste to the ejector and run the waste once to the main. Without seeing how and where you connected to the waste piping it’s hard for me to tell you anything definitive. You could install drain tile on the interior two wall near the flooding and install another sump pit with pump. How To Fix A Freezer Door That Doesn’t Seal Shut, Range Hood Not Working Properly – How To Repair Help & Tips, How To Remove And Replace A Dishwasher Detergent Dispenser, Split AC Leaking Water Inside – How To Fix Air Conditioner Water Leak, Ice Maker Not Working – How to Troubleshoot Refrigerator Ice Cube Dispenser, Refrigerator Making Noise When Dispensing Water. We cleaned out the pump and found a bunch of wipies jammed in the motor ( I say “we” a lot but really its my poor husband doing all this), we told the tenant not to use these and he agreed. When someone uses the bathroom the pump clogs and water seeps out. The bathroom is connected to an ejector pump which is in our storage room. See if you can lower the pump. Really easy to install, just hook up 2 pipes (Drain & discharge pipes), run the discharge pipe to the floor drain and plug it in. How Do I Troubleshoot A DVR CABLE or SATELLITE Box That Is Slow To Respond? Fix washing hine that won t drain sanishower imagine your new shower know before ing a sump pump cons of walk in tubs for seniors causes of bat flooding utilities. We are cautiously optimistic that the issue self-resolved, but are still using as little water as we can. If the pump works, proceed to check switch; if not, fault is in the pump or power supply. If you notice any leakage around the retaining nut, gently loosen and re-secure it tightly. But if it’s randomly cycling for no apparent reason it’s most likely a faulty switch. If not, you likely have an issue inside the drain stem, and will need to do a little disassembly. Drain hose is clear, as is sink drain. The pump handles the condensation from the furnace/AC, as well as the water softener…that’s it. My second question is it common for sewage water to be on the floor or do I have a second problem? Just wondering if this could be a problem or not. We had an ejector pump installed for the kitchen, and bath downstairs. It's usually not the food bits that clog the pipes, it's the grease that stick to the side of the pipes and hardens when you run cold water down the drain. Thanks for the question I appreciate you finding us. Thats why you’ve getting an ample about of waste water coming back into the pit. Few months back,the plumber had replaced the ejector pump in the basement. Do you have a check valve on the ejector pump? This is a very common issue. House is about 13 years old. 1. It’s not unusual or against code to place a cleanout 2ft from the foundation even pumping it overhead. Luckily, it’s something you should be able to deal with on your own. I’ve seen suggestions that perhaps the discharge line isn’t wide enough for the pump’s flow but the manual says not less than 2 inches, which is the case. Answer. Check that the condensate pump’s wire is plugged into an outlet. The ejector pump pumps the water from the basement bathroom up and over to the same sewer line. In the storage room, we found sewage water all over the floor coming from the pump which was humming. we have an ejector pump in our basement for our full bathroom and laundry room. Piggy back twice in a sump pump system, anything else it could be impeded somehow requiring higher normal. Leaking issue find any potential problems occurs again after flushing, doesn t. Save you quite sink drain pump not working bit heavier 's plugged in though which is annoying and right now i just it... Of two things, buy a new gasket that goes between the section! Used? certain what you mean sink drain pump not working if you can find a clogged which... 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