What to do if Your Pool Pump Isn't Priming Properly: Troubleshooting Tips
The pool pump is an integral part of the pool system. It filters water and circulates it to keep your pool safe and clean. However, if you have a pool pump that isn't priming properly, then you need to troubleshoot the issue before calling for help or just throwing in the towel. In this blog post, we will go over some common causes of a non-priming pool pump and offer tips on how to fix them so that your next swim session can be as refreshing as possible!
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Pool Pump - Troubleshooting List
If you’re experiencing trouble with your pool’s pump - here is a step-by-step instruction to figure out the issue at hand. 1. Make sure the water level in your pool is high enough so that it can flow into skimmers, otherwise you may have an inefficient system.
2. Make sure the skimmer doors (also called weirs) are not stuck or hung up. This will obstruct the flow to your pump and prevent priming it, preventing 90 percent of pumps from working properly! If you notice that something is blocking one side when trying to prime your filter-it could be an air bubble at play due to waves washing overtop causing trapped microbubbles or just old fashioned water rushing backward through some disconnected lines inside a cycled off-tank because there was too much space left behind after cycle completion. This kind of thing is more common than you might think.
3. Make sure the valve handles on your pool pump are screwed on tightly. If you have Jandy or Compool valves with thin threads at their top, be careful, don't over-tighten them as they can break easily!
4. As we now know, the pump is an essential part of your pool's filtration system. When it turns on, can hear the motor hum? If the hum is abnormally loud, there may be electrical problems with either its voltage or how fast current flows through this component which would result in reduced performance and potential failure at any time if not properly maintained.
5. If you have an Intermatic timer, do you see the gears turning on the mechanism? Intermatic timers are also known as yellow dial timers. On these timers, if the dial is directly over the “off” area, it can prevent the tab that hangs down to move to the “on” area when you try to turn the timer on manually, for your pool pump to run. 6. Check your pool pump lid and the o-ring to make sure that there are no cracks or wear’n’tear from sun/heat damage. While you’re checking for cracks - this is also a good time to lubricate the o-ring and make sure that it is clean.
7. Inspect the pump basket. Make sure there is no damage (cracks, chips, breaks, etc.)
8. After inspecting for damage, fill the tank back up with water, screw the lid on, and turn the pump back on. 9. Open up the air relief valve to see if you can feel any air coming out - this is to make sure that your pump is properly building pressure. Once you feel the air - tighten back down the air relief valve.
10. If the pump is still not priming properly, look for any leaks near the pipes/plumbing. If you suspect the plumbing to be loose, call an expert to help. If the suction side is loose, it can significantly impact your pump from priming fully, and sometimes prevent it from priming entirely. Although these troubleshooting tips might not help everyone - these steps help resolve most pump-priming problems. If any of these steps are confusing or don't result in a successfully priming pool pump - contact a pool professional.
Clean Pool Company - Central Florida Pool Pump Experts
In conclusion, If your pool pump isn't priming properly, don't panic! There are a lot of things that can go wrong with the pump and it's important to take some time to troubleshoot. If you don’t think you’re up for handling the job yourself - please do not hesitate to give The Clean Pool Company a call. We have been helping our Central Florida communities for years and are proud to be a top-rated pool company in the area.
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