Looking After the Pump for Your Above Ground Pool
Ensuring that the pump for your above ground pool is working as it is supposed to is vital for every owner. The
above ground pool pump is designed to circulate water around your above ground pool, helping to prevent bacteria from lingering in the water. Luckily the work needed to fix a pump error is usually minimal and can be done at home, or otherwise will cost very little to fix.
The most commonly seen issues with pump pipes are:
- leaking joints (which will allow water to drip continuously onto the casing, thus destroying the motor)
- burned out seals which will cause the pump to not prime correctly
- defective bearings in the pump
- clogged up impeller
- lack of lubrication (on older models)—some modern pumps are usually self-oiling
Repair or Replace?
The decision to repair or replace your pool pump will depend heavily on the severity of the issue you are experiencing. Furthermore, if the pump itself seems damaged or otherwise it is not living up to your expectations, of if previous attempts to repair and error have failed repeatedly, you have to consider the possibility that the problem is not going to do the job well enough and in this case, the pump should simply be replaced outright.
Problems involving the bearings in your pump are among the simplest of the issues to fix and can often be done yourself at home. If you are not comfortable tinkering with the pump, a quick trip to the local repair store should get the pump in perfect order with just a few minutes of time and a tiny bill. However, it should be considered that problems with the bearings are often also accompanied by damage to the shaft seal and so this may be replaced at the same time.
If the impeller is blocked but is otherwise in good condition and without damage, it can be salvaged and refitted after a thorough clean out. If the blockage is so severe, however, that it has buckled the impeller or otherwise altered its shape then the impeller should be scrapped and replaced, but the rest of the pump can be kept as long as it is in good working order otherwise.
If the motor for the pool pump has already outlived its expected working life, it should be scrapped immediately and replaced entirely. An old motor will invariably need replacing at some point, so always be aware that once you are past any warranties—if applicable—then you will need to be prepared to fork out to buy a new one.
In some situations, however, the cost of trying to repair your pool pump may end up exceeding the value of the new unit entirely. Such repairs are usually numerous in natures or otherwise involve the motor in some way, and in this case, an entirely new pump is the way to go.
Conclusion
The decision on whether to replace or repair a faulty pool pump will depend largely on the severity of the damage and which parts of the pump system are in need of attention, with damage to the motor usually costing more to fix than should justifiably be spent on a repair. This being the case, an upgrade to a new pump is arguably the more cost-effective and worthwhile investment.
