What Should You Do If Your Coffee Maker Is Not Pumping Water?

Last Updated on August 9, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

If your coffee maker isn’t pumping water, troubleshoot by checking the water reservoir, filter, and tubing for clogs. Descale the machine with a vinegar-water solution. If the issue persists, consult the manual or contact customer support for further assistance.

Why Does A Coffee Maker Stop Pumping Water? 

Don’t think of throwing out your coffee maker just because it is not pumping water. This is a problem that almost every coffee maker device goes through. You might notice that the coffee maker is just producing steam and not gurgling water. In such a case, you might think of calling a local mechanic to repair the machine. But that’s not necessary as you can fix the coffee maker by yourself. Before you learn how to repair the machine, you need to understand why the machine has stopped working. 

Let’s check out the main reasons behind the malfunction of a coffee maker. 

• Every coffee maker prepares coffee by passing hot water through the coffee beans that you put inside. In case if your coffee pot remains empty, but the water inside gets heated up, the machine might get clogged. 
• If you don’t clean the coffee maker on a regular basis, it might stand a chance to get clogged. While preparing coffee, a small number of coffee beans remain inside the pot. If you don’t clean your device after regular intervals, those coffee beans will gather inside the coffee pot. Later, that will be the reason for clogging. 
• Using hard water might be the reason behind the malfunction of your device. Not all coffee makers can process hard water properly. Some devices can get damaged while preparing coffee with hard water. The water pumping capacity of your coffee maker might get affected if you use hard water. 
• Sometimes a layer of water minerals gets formed due to the presence of excess minerals in the water. That kind of layer usually gets formed on the inner surface of the coffee maker. That can be the reason behind clogging as well. 

These are the main reasons behind the malfunction of a coffee maker. To fix the device properly, you have to inspect the reason for the clogging at first. 

How Do You Determine The Right Time To Clean Your Coffee Maker? 

Even if your coffee maker is working fine, you have to clean the inner portion of your coffee maker regularly. You might not be able to manage enough time to clean the coffee maker. Once the coffee maker needs cleaning, it will show some signs. Let’s see what those signs are-

• If the indicator of the coffee maker is beeping without having the coffee prepared, there’s something wrong. Generally, the indicator of a coffee maker beeps when the coffee is prepared. If it beeps abnormally, you might have to look into the matter. 
• The coffee maker will only generate steam and won’t brew water properly if it is clogged. Notice carefully if your coffee maker is gurgling water efficiently or not. If it’s not doing so, it is time to clean the device. 
• A clogged coffee maker usually takes a longer time to prepare coffee than a normal device. If your coffee maker is taking extra time to prepare coffee for a few days, check the device and clean that.
• Our coffee maker might generate sounds of brewing but won’t brew anything actually. This is also a sign of clog or congestion inside the coffee maker. 

The following chart will explain the differences between a clogged coffee maker and a normal one.

A Normal Coffee Maker	A Clogged Coffee Maker
It doesn’t take more than the required time to prepare coffee.	It takes a longer time than normal to prepare coffee.
The indicator will beep once the coffee is ready.	The indicator sometimes beeps even if the coffee is not ready.
This generates steam and brews water in the brew basket.	This generates steam but doesn’t brew water in the basket.

How Can You Unclog Your Coffee Maker And Get It Back To Normal Condition? 

As mentioned above, your coffee maker can get clogged due to different reasons. Also, different portions of your coffee maker can get clogged or congested. Based on the reason for clogging, you have to clean the coffee maker. Here we are mentioning some advanced tips to fix your clogged coffee maker. 

Unclog The Device With Vinegar 

You can create a solution of water and vinegar to clean the machine. Every coffee maker includes a water reservoir. You have to fill the water reservoir with a solution of water and vinegar. Then just turn on the machine like you’re preparing coffee. After a short period, you have to drain out the solution and clean the device with normal water. You need to repeat the process until the coffee maker is completely clean. 

Clear The Drain Hole Of The Machine 

You will find a drain hole inside the machine. Once you open the machine, you will be able to see if the drain hole is clogged or not. A clogged drain hole is a reason behind the problem several times. That’s why you need to clean up the drain hole with a sharp wire or thin stick. The malfunction of the machine might get fixed simply by cleaning the drain hole. 

Replace The Valve 

Often the valve inside the hose of the coffee maker gets damaged. For that only, the coffee maker doesn’t function properly. You can open the machine with a screwdriver and you can replace the valve to fix the issue. You can also clean the hose of the coffee maker machine at that time if necessary. 

Clean The Mineral Deposits In The Spout 

The layer of mineral deposits often leads to clogging and malfunction. You have to bring out the base plate of the machine in terms of cleaning the layer of mineral deposits. You will find a rubber elbow attached to the reservoir. The layer of minerals mainly forms on the rubber elbow. You have to clean the rubber elbow properly. Then just set the machine as it was. 

Descale The Machine 

Descaling the coffee makers fixes the problem sometimes. Therefore, you should go through the user manual that you got while purchasing the machine. There you will find the instructions to descale the machine. Follow the steps and descale your coffee maker to fix that. 

Bottom Line 

Spending a lot of money on the servicing of the coffee maker is not desirable. You can do that yourself by following the above-mentioned steps. Go through the points carefully before you start the operation. Then act as per instructions and fix your coffee maker.

References:

https://101appliance.com/why-is-my-coffee-maker-not-pumping-water/
https://hollicoffee.com/cuisinart-coffee-maker-not-pumping-water/