Your pool’s cleanliness depends on your pool pump. This motor-driven device helps move the water in your pool through a series of pipes, a filter, and much more.

Making sure the pool pump is working well is vital or your water won’t be filtered as it should, and it’ll end up making your pool’s water dirty and cloudy. Given enough time, you will not want to even touch the water because it’ll look like a swamp. If your water looks good and the water in your pool is moving well, then your pump is working.

Why Would Your Water Pump Stop Working?

It would be nice if your pool pump was invincible, but that is not the case. A pool pump could stop working for a number of reasons.

Those who think the pool pump may be going out could troubleshoot the device or have a professional do it for you if you feel more comfortable with that. To troubleshoot, consider the following:

Filter Pressure
One thing you can do is check the pool pressure gauge. The gauge is normally located on the top of the filter. There should be easy access to it. What you want to see is pressure reading consistent with what you have seen it read in the past.  Higher pressure indicates a possible filter issue and lower pressure indicates a possible pump issue.

Skimmer Basket and door
If the filter pressure is low you can turn the pool pump off and check your skimmer baskets on the side of the pool. If they are over filled with debris or the skimmer door is stuck closed this can cause the pool pump to pull air instead of water. This could be the cause of a non-functional pump.

Pump Basket

While the pool pump is off you may also want to check the internal pump basket. With the pump off you can remove the pump lid and inspect/empty the basket. Be sure not to let debris get out of the basket and into the pump or they may clog the pump impeller. Once the basket is clean you can return it to the pump and replace the pump lid. Be sure you do not lose the lid o ring and make sure the pump primes when you turn it back on.

Water level

Low water level can also cause pumps to not run. Make sure your pool water level is filled half way up the skimmer or to just below the pool overflow.

When all else fails it may be time to call a pool repair technician but with this guide you will have eliminated many of the possible failure issues.