Every part of your pool has an important purpose. Each piece of equipment must work properly in order for the others to do the same. One of the most important parts is the pool pump. In order to keep the pool clean, the pump circulates water through the filter and back into the pool. Because of this, the pump is known as the heart of the pool. If you suspect your pool pump is leaking you should immediately call a professional for help. Failure to do so can cause an exponential amount of damage and cost you a pretty penny in repairs.
There are a few different places to inspect if you think your pool pump is leaking. The most common areas include the shaft seal, suction line, and the return line.
Pool Pump Leaking: Common Areas
Motor Seal Shaft Leak
You will find the shaft seal where the pump connects to the motor. This seal is used to keep water from entering the motor. A leak here can lead to a damaged pump or motor so be sure to get it fixed immediately. A lot of the time this leak is caused by failure to replace the shaft seal when the motor is replaced by the pool owner. This is why we always recommend hiring a professional with extensive knowledge in order to avoid these simple mistakes. Replacing it isn’t super complicated, but if you aren’t familiar with the components, its best to get help.
Signs of a leak in the shaft seal:
- Puddle of water on the ground under the center of the pump underneath the motor connection point
- Water damage to the surrounding area
- Consistent, abnormal noise coming from the motor which could point to a bearing motor problem
Suction Side or Intake Leak
You may also find that your pool pump is leaking due to air being sucked into the closed system causing an air leak. This is often due to an incomplete seal at the pump strainer lid.
Signs of a leak at the pump strainer lid:
- Pump has a hard time moving water when you start it up
- Power is on and nothing happens
- Pump needs refilled with water and restarted more often
- Cloudy pool water
- Skimmer baskets are floating
- Filter tank pressure is lower
- Flow rate is lower because of air filtration at the pump
- Pool has to be vacuumed more than usual
- Pipe feels loose
Other Leak prone areas on the suction side:
- Cracked plumbing and valves
- Skimmer – low water levels can let air into the skimmer
- Strainer basket drain plug
Pressure Side Leak
The pressure line is the side that pushes the water out. As the name implies, this side is constantly under pressure. This pressure allows water to escape even the smallest of crevices. For example, a crack in the PVC line or a loose fitting could be the reason your pool pump is leaking.
Signs of a leak in the pressure side:
- Dripping (or spraying) water at the pipe connection to the pump
- Puddle is present under the pump or water dripping down side of pump
- Water damage to nearby areas
- Losing water in your pool
Pool Pump is Leaking – Calling Professional Leak Detectors
As a pool owner, it’s very important you are aware of the various signs of a leak. However, we advise you still contact a professional pool leak detectors to pinpoint exactly where it is and the cause of it. Some leaks are sometimes misdiagnosed or completely overlooked if extensive pool knowledge or special equipment isn’t used. At PinPoint, we are able to accurately find any pool leak, fully repair it and restore your pool to look like new. Other companies find it and require you to contact separate companies to fix it and restore your pool. Save the time and hassle and contact us today!