Most Common Pool Pump Problems & How To Fix Them

My Pool Pump Is Make Loud Gurgling & Screeching Noises, Is It Full Of Rocks!

Having a pool pump that is making screeching and gurgling noises is not only an inconvenience and frustration to the pool owner but also their surrounding neighbors. While listening to your pool pump there are some things that can help you pinpoint what the issues may be.

If your pump sounds like it has rocks inside of it, then this might be the pump baskets way of telling you that it may be starving for water. There are a few key things that can lead to this happening.

One of the first things you will want to look into are the suction lines. Constriction of water flow through your suction lines can lead to a lack of much needed water and because of this the pool pump will begin to make noises and oftentimes become an annoyance.

The next thing you’ll want to take a look at are your skimmers. If you find that they’re full of debris or clogged you’ll need to remove any and all debris and then reassemble.

Another possible cause, and one that is oftentimes overlooked is the fact that your pool pump may be to powerful for your pool. If this is the case, you’ll need to get a pump that is less powerful to hopefully avoid any future problems that could arise.

If you find that your pump is making a screeching noise then more often than not this noise is made from a worn out bearing or bearing’s’. You can take the pump apart and identify which bearing is worn, and replace it. But this can oftentimes be beyond the scope of most pool owners skills. Generally speaking most pool owners prefer to trade out the older pool pump motor for a newer one.

We’ve Sprung A Leak! The Pool Pump Is Leaking Water!

If you find that the pool pump is leaking from the underside you will most commonly find that it is an O-ring that is leaking. These O-rings can become old and brittle over time and when that happens they need to be replaced. You’ll need to take the pump apart and inspect the O-rings.

Any O-rings that seem to be brittle or cracking need to be replaced. It is best practice to replace all of the O-rings while you’re inside the pump working to help ensure it doesn’t happen again. A good tip when replacing these O-rings is to rub some Vaseline around the O-ring before placing it in the pool pump.

This will help it last longer due to the light protective coating the Vaseline will provide as well as making for a nice, tighter fit.

Humming…Why Is My Pool Pump Humming? The Pool Pump Is Making A Humming Noise And Refuses To Start

One of the first things you’ll want to look at if you find that your pump is having this problem is the impeller. You’ll want to be checking your impeller for any debris that may be causing it to not operate. Overtime the debris can build up in the impeller and after a short duration of time this debris can block the impeller totally which will disable the pool pump.

The first thing you’ll want to do when checking the impeller is to TURN OFF THE POWER TO THE PUMP! This is a vital safety step. Next you’ll want to removal the screws that hold on the pumps middle body panel. Once the screws and body panel have been removed you’ll want to reach in and pull out the assembly from the housing. Make sure to remember how everything was taken out so you’ll have the ability to put it back in.

Once the assembly is out of the housing you’ll be able to remove the gasket away from the impeller allowing you to remove any and all debris that may be causing it to not operate. Once the debris is removed, replace everything back into the pump the same way it was removed and power it back up. The issue should be solved.

Why Is My Pool Pump Sucking Air?

In order for a pool pump to operate properly and effectively the pump must be airtight. If there is an air leak in the pump then it will begin to suck air through this leak which can become extremely problematic. One of the first things you’ll want to check is the pump lid.

If the lid is not properly seating on the pool pumps main body then the lid will leak air. If the lid is leaking air then the pool pump will have difficulty priming itself if it has the ability to do so at all. If you find that the lid is not the issue then you’ll want to check the pipes that enter into the pool pump. You’ll need to be checking the suction side of the pump and you’ll want to be looking at the O-rings and gaskets. If you find any that are old or cracking you’ll need to replace these with new ones.

Remember, if you place some Vaseline around them it helps to create a protective coating to help them last longer and create a better seal. If your pump is still sucking air after looking at the previous things there is one more step that can help you find the leak. This is an old trick but it works. What you need to do is take some soap or shaving cream and place it around the areas you believe to be leaking.

If there is a leak the soap will begin to create bubble and the shaving cream will begin to get sucked into the leak. Both work great. Keynote: don’t use soap and shaving cream at the same time, just one or the other.

My Pump Keeps Turning Off! The Pool Pump Motor Turns Off While Running Or Is Not Working

If you find that your pool pump will not start at all then there are a few things that need to be looked at and addressed. One of the first things you’ll want to do is check to see if the pump is getting power. This may seem like a very obvious thing, but even the little things can get people hung up at times.

If its getting power you’ll then want to check the pumps run time and make sure the pump is turned on and meant to be running during that time. If the pool pump is ‘on’ and there is an audible humming noise then this may be a sign that the capacitor could be bad. The job of the capacitor is to start the pump. Without a functioning capacitor the pump will not start. There are two options when it comes to replacing the capacitor, do it yourself or call in the professionals.

We recommend calling in the pros to take care of it but if you do decide to do it yourself, make sure you do so with caution. Capacitors can hold/store power inside of them so you need to be careful when handling them. Alternatively, if you have an old pump you may consider upgrading the motor or the entire unit.

If you find that the pool pump will turn on but loses power and dies then you may have a problem with overheating. One way you can try to get around this is to run your pump during the cooler night time hours. This could help with the overheating but sometimes the cooler temperatures don’t cut it.

If it is still overheating you’ll want to make sure to check the bottom of the vents of the motor to ensure that there is nothing obstructing the fans. Unfortunately if this problem continues then you may need to replace your pool motor or pool pump.

Why Is My Pool Pump Low Flow? The Pool Pumps Flow Rate Is To Low

If you find that all of a sudden the flow rate of the pump has dropped then you will want to check and make sure that there is nothing obstructing the flow of the filter or pump. You’ll first want to check the filter gauge. If you find that you are 10 psi over the clean reading which is specified by each manufacturer then you’ll want to clean out the filter which will help to reduce the pressure. This should help to reduce the additional pressure and reset the flow back to the desired levels or clean reading.

If you find that this isn’t the issue the next thing you can look into is your pump basket and impeller. If there is debris in and around this area it can easily cause a block in the water flow. In order to fix this you’ll need to follow the same steps we laid out above, here they are again: