It’s not bad to be scared of pool pump leaking. A single leak in your pump can cause expensive remedies.
Imagine, what if your heart leaks somehow? That would be a disaster! Here is the same case. Your pool’s heart is the pool pump.
So, the worst thing will happen if there’s any leak in the pump.
This is why we are here, today we will answer your question about why the pool pump is leaking. Stay with us to the last.
Without further ado, let’s get into the point!
The common leaks and ways to address them
Hence, see some common leaks and know how to address them.
Suction side leaks
If it’s about the suction side of your pump, any leaks will be air leaks. What it means is air is sucked into the system from some point between the skimmer and the impeller.
You will easily notice this kind of leak by seeing air bubbles in the strainer basket as well as the returns in the pool wall.
Before troubleshooting the entire suction side, you need to check several areas first:
1. Pump strainer lid
If the strainer cover is not perfectly sealed, the air will get a space in it.
What you can do is turn on the pump and gently pour water over the lid. If that eliminates air within the basket, you have done finding at least one leak.
All you need to do is just clean and lubricate the lid O-ring. Moreover, you will replace it if it looks worn. In addition, make sure to check the lid for any cracks.
2. Cracked valves and PVC
Some common sources of air leaks are cracks in plumbing connections and valves. To check like the above, you can pour water over this too. Replace the seal of the valve, if needed.
3. Strainer basket drain plug
Though it’s small, this plug can let the air in which is bad. Consequently, you need to inspect it and replace it if needed.
Pressure side leaks
The pressure side is located after your pump strainer. A point to be remembered, if there are any kind of leaks on the pressure side, it will be water.
This part of the system is under pressure, that’s why water will be forced out of any compromised area.
In this case, the areas to check first are:
1. Impeller
The impeller’s job is to spin on the motor shaft and to create water pressure. If it is clogged by debris or gets damaged somehow, the impeller will be a source of a water leak.
You should have an idea about when to clean the impeller and replace it.
2. Gasket or housing o-ring
If water is leaking from the meeting point of the pump housing and motor, check whether there is a worn seal or not. Replace it if needed.
3. Discharge pipe
You may have a weakly sealed fitting on this pipe or probably PVC shrinks from heat. There is a risk of having leaks if your schedule 40 pipe shrinks. Schedule 80 is recommended for preventing this situation.
Shaft seal leak
The shaft seal is very important which keeps water out of the motor. If there is any leak, it’s a potential cause of motor failure. So, it’s a must to inspect and address it as soon as possible.
If you replace the motor, don’t forget to replace the shaft seal at the same time. Because if you want to reuse the old shaft seal, it would be quite a bad idea.
Ultimately, you need to know the proper maintenance of your pool pump to prevent any kind of problem.
Conclusion
We are at the cut-off point. Have you got your answer to why the pool pump is leaking?
After reading all this, your answer should be YES! We tried our best to show you the reasons and solutions.
It’s important to keep all the things free from debris, try to replace the devices whenever needed. You will have a great swimming pool!