How to Troubleshoot Issues with Your Pool Pump

Posted on: 8 October 2018

With those balmy, summer afternoons on the horizon, you will be itching to get outside and enjoy your backyard swimming pool as much as possible. If it's been covered up since you last used it, then you will need to start work in earnest as you prepare this playground for your family and will want to make sure that everything is in good condition from a mechanical point of view. This means that you need to pay a lot of attention to the pump, which ensures an uninterrupted flow of good quality water, and sometimes you will uncover problems. How do you decipher these issues so that you can get everything ready for the adventure ahead?

Cleaning Up

Firstly, have a good look around the pump housing and clear away any weeds, grass or other impediments may have accumulated over the winter. These pumps have to have an unobstructed circulation of air if they are to work properly, and you should never be tempted to cover them up to try and make your pool area "look better."

No Action

If you've tripped the switch and found that nothing is happening, then you will need to check that the pump is receiving power as it should. If you've checked your circuit breakers and everything seems okay, make sure that any timers or automated controls are switched off.  

Noisy

When you first switch it on, you may notice that it is quite noisy, and this may be expected during the first few moments after a long shutdown. Just check to ensure that nothing is touching the pump housing, as this could contribute to a vibration.

Leaking

If you find that your pool pump is leaking, the first thing to look at is the O-ring. This will need to be replaced from time to time, and it could be due. However, you may also find that some of the bolts or clamps are loose after a period of inactivity and you should tighten these.

Overheating

If the pump seems to be working intermittently, it is automatically switching itself off and on due to a build-up of heat. This could be caused by a jammed impeller, and you should look at this carefully, but always turn the power off before you do so. Alternatively, the bearings within the pump could be playing up, as they will wear out with age.

Next Moves

If you cannot immediately find the fault or sense that it could be internal, call out a technician such as Leisure Coast Pool Centre to provide the answer.

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