One of the pool pump’s significant problems is when the pump sucks in air. If this happens, the pump will lose its prime and won’t circulate water properly. Hence, making sure that the pump won’t suck air in is crucial.
However, when you catch yourself in this unfortunate situation, here are the things you can do to fix your pump and get rid of the air that enters it.
Turn Off Pump First and Close Skimmer Valves
Before you conduct any repair on your pool pump, you must always ensure that your pool pump is shut off and skimmer valves are closed.
Some swimming pools have multiple skimmers, which means that they may have separate feeds on the pump. Therefore, you should inspect each and ensure all valves are closed before you do any repairs or replacements.
Open Bottom Drain Valve
After shutting off the pump and closing all skimmer valves, the next thing to do is open the bottom drain valve on the swimming pool. Make sure that the bottom drain valve is opened completely
Start the Pump and Open Skimmer Valves
After you open the bottom drain, you can now restart that pool pump and open the skimmer valves. First, you must turn the pump on and let it run for 30 seconds to do it properly.
Second, slowly open up the skimmer valves one at a time after the pump has run for 30 seconds. You will notice that the water will fill the filter. The pump will also become quieter.
Open the Filter Bleed Valve
After you hear the pump operation become quieter, you should start opening the filter bleed valve. It is the stage where you can start to remove the air from the pump slowly by following the instructions below.
Bleeding the Air From Pool Filter
Here are the steps you should follow in bleeding the air that gets stuck in your pool filter to ensure that your pool pump will run properly.
Step 1:
Set the filter on its default setting and run it. Do not forget to check the filter’s pressure gauge and make sure it has the correct pressure. For a standard size swimming pool, the pressure should not be above ten psi. Otherwise, it indicates that there is a pressure build-up on your system.
Step 2:
Start the filter and ensure that the air relief valve is open. The valve is usually located at the top of the filter. It looks like a small handle protruded near the pressure gauge. You will notice the air will hiss as it escapes the valve. Let the filter run until the water leaks out of the air relief valve or the hiss completely stops.
Step 3:
Close the air filter valve of the pump after the pressure build-up is ultimately released. Then, while the filter is still running, check the pressure gauge once again. If you notice that the pressure is still high after releasing the air in the valve, keep the filter running for a few more minutes.
Reopen the air relief valve and repeat the procedure you did to release the air pressure. Do steps one to three until the reading of the pressure gauge is less than ten psi.
Reasons Why Air Enters The Pump
Having air inside your pool pump has many causes that you should look out for. Most of the time, pool pumps suck in the air due to:
- Low water level of swimming pool, when your water level is low, your skimmer tends to suck in air into your pool pump and filter. To avoid this, ensure that you always check your pool water level and keep it between mid to high.
- If objects or the skimmer weir is stuck on the skimmer’s throat
- When the incoming valves are either closed or partially closed
- If you haven’t tightened the lid, enough or its o-ring is damaged or missing.
- Sometimes the pump fitting sucks in air.
- Check valves and unions can also leak air.
- If the drain plugs on your pool pump are loose.
- Clogged impeller.
- Full pump basket or skimmer
- When you clean your filter, and the tank continues purging air.
Knowing these common reasons, you will be able to avoid air getting sucked into your pool pump and filter. However, always remember that prevention is better than cure.
Signs That Your Pump Sucked In Air
The number one sign your pool pump is sucked in the air is when you see a lot of bubbles in your swimming pool. This indicates that you are having an air leak on your filtration system.
When you know that your pump has air in it, you must fix it right away. If not, your pump will lose its prime, and worst it will get damaged. This scenario will require you to spend more on pool pump replacement.
Takeaway
When you think your pump sucked in air, you can now fix it by following the steps provided. Plus, you now know the common reasons and signs of sucked air in the pool pump.
