POOL PUMP IS ON, BUT THE WATER ISN'T FLOWING - BUBBLES COMING OUT OF JETS
A customer of ours called in today thinking that she had to replace her pool pump motor. She stated that the pump was on, but it was louder than normal. Also, the water didn't seem to be coming out of the jets. Instead, every now and then she would see bubbles coming out of the jets. We continued to talk and she stated that she bought the motor 4 years ago. I stated that the expected lifespan of a pool pump motor is 5-7 years. Although, they can last much longer.
I looked up the replacement motor for her and provided a price quote and confirmed that it was in stock and ready to ship so she could get it as soon as possible before her pool turned green. She went on to say how she wasn't prepared to spend money on the pool again. She said she was going to check with her pool service to get confirmation that the motor was indeed the problem. We talked a bit more, about our dogs mostly. I have a Chocolate Lab that loves to swim in the pool, her dog is terrified of the pool and refuses to go in. She's been a repeat customer almost as long as we have been in business.
Before we hung up, I recalled that I actually experienced something similar to what she described years ago. My pump, for whatever reason, lost it's prime. So, I told her to try turning off her pump, opening the leaf basket, and taking the garden hose and run it for a minute or so to fill the pipes and pump with water. After that, put the basked lid back on and turn on the pump to see if that resolves the problem.
She called me back in 20 minutes to thank me for the suggestion. Her pool pump was now running again. :) I told her there is a very good chance that her pool pump motor is beginning to fail. Although, maybe not. But when a pump fails to prime itself it is a sign of the motor getting weaker OR a sign of air being in the system for whatever reason.
If you have a similar situation you may want to try this easy fix. It may solve the problem and it may extend the life of that pump that's starting to fade for a few more months or at least thru the season.
Enjoy your pool!
Gary
www.allpoolfilters4less.com
All Pool Filters 4 Less
