Swimming Pool Pump Maintenance

Have you ever thought about how much water you swimming pool pump pumps in its lifetime? You cannot even begin to imagine! The quantity runs into millions of gallons! It really bears the brunt of keeping your pool in good shape. Considering that it is the main workhorse of the pool, swimming pool pump maintenance becomes a task to be taken with that much more seriousness.

The pool pump can last you a decade and much more with proper care and maintenance. As a regular maintenance feature, the swimming pool pump should be checked on a weekly basis. Since you are dealing with electrically powered equipment here, you must take all necessary precautions when you do the checks. Remember that all bearings in the pump are sealed, and you only have to check the seals and valves. If you notice a torn seal, it needs to be repaired or replaced without delay. The pump should never be turned on if there is no water in it.

To check that your pump is working fine, turn the pump on and note the reading on the pressure gauge. A reading of 30 to 35 PSI means you better check that all valves are properly open. Of course, turn the pump off before you attempt to do this! Trouble in getting your pump primed means you have to turn to the manufacturer’s manual for troubleshooting. Use a brush or a broom to clear away leaves, dirt and cobwebs around the vents of the cooling fans.

Swimming pool pump maintenance does not involve lubrication of the motor. You might expect that since it is a machine with a number of moving parts, it would do the set some good to dab lubricant here and there on or around the motor to smoothen things out. Well, you are wrong! Any lubricant or oil you add to this area might actually damage the rubber seals and catch dirt and debris causing more harm than good. So, resist the temptation to lubricate the pump motor. However, you can lubricate the o-rings on the pump lid with a suitable lubricant.

It is normal for the pool pump to make a little noise. You can probably hear the cooling fans turning. If you feel your pool pump is making more noise than usual, it could mean that the bearings are being noisy due to normal wear. The bearing themselves may be damaged because the pool chemicals have corroded the pump seal. If the pool pump develops leaks or starts making whining noises, a gasket or bearing may have to be repaired or replaced.

Your pool pump should be chosen according to your pool size which determines how much turnover rate the pump must have to averagely pump all the pool water through the filter once in about ten hours. The efficiency of the pump is therefore calculated in GPM or Gallons Per Minute of water it pumps. Since the pump will be sending through water to the filter at a particular pressure, a mismatch between the pump power and the filter capacity can damage the latter. When you are working on swimming pool pump maintenance, you should as well check the pool filter system.

Swimming Pool Maintenance
A guide on swimming pool maintenance.