Is your swimming pool pump sucking air from somewhere?

Signs that your swimming pool pump is sucking air are easy to notice.

The suction pipe (the pipe joining the pool weir to the pump) has to be airtight to be effective. If there is a break in the pipe, your Kreepy won’t work.

To tell if you’re getting air into your pool system, check if bubbles are blowing into your pool through the return jets.

The presence of air bubbles does not always mean that air is getting sucked in through the underground pipe. It can also be getting in through a hairline crack in the pump lid, or the weir casing itself could be cracked. Sometimes the pump lid’s O-ring gets pinched and this can cause air to get into the system.

Usually, when there is a leak on the suction pipe, pool loses water when the pump is off.

The procedure to test if your pool pump is sucking air:

• Fill the pool up to a certain spot, ensure the water is calm and the make a mark on the weir (with a pencil, pen or a piece of tape.)
• Disconnect the Kreepy and remove the vacuum lid from the weir to prevent a whirlpool from forming.
• Bypass (override) the timer so that the pump does not switch off during this part of the test.
• Run the pump continuously for 24 hours (from 7 am to 7 am the following day for example), without allowing it to switch off.
• If the water level has dropped, make a new mark on the weir.
• Now switch the pump off for 24 hours. Try not to have anyone swim during these tests as this could affect the results.
• After the pump has been off for 24 hours, if the water level has dropped, make a new mark on the weir.

If the water level in the pool drops quicker when the pump is off than when it’s on, then you may have a leak in the suction pipe. It’s best to get it replaced as soon as possible.

Dangers of running a pump with an air leak.

Running your pump with a broken suction pipe can damage the pump. If this happens, air will still be entering the pool system after you’ve replaced the pipe, but now it’ll likely be coming in through the damaged shaft seal in the pump.

If the water level does not drop during either of these tests, then air could be getting into the pool system through the pump body. Or the pump shaft seal or sometimes the pump lid.

It could still be the case that there is an air leak on the suction pipe. The crack in the pipe just closes when the pump is off, effectively preventing water loss.

One can also test for air by running a temporary pipe above the ground from the pump to the pool. Plug the Kreepy into the pipe and see if it works. If it does, then voila – you have the answer: replace the suction pipe.

We can help.

In Durban and not sure how all of this works or you don’t have the time? Call us! Blupool  031 569 2092 or +27 (82) 6986036. We are registered members of the National Spa & Pool Institute of South Africa