A pool pump motor is a mechanical device that is used to pump water from a pool through its filter and then circulate the water back into the pool, thereby making the pool clean and debris free. If properly installed and maintained, while operating, you can hear some noise from the pool pump motor, but the noise should not be a distraction to you, your family and especially your neighbors. When the noise demands your special attention and begins to sound irritating, it means there’s a problem that you need to address. Unpleasant pool pump noise is not an uncommon phenomenon because as a machine, it’s prone to wear and tear over time. Pool pump noise is not something you should worry too much about; but you should learn how to troubleshoot the motor to find out what is causing the noise and take the necessary actions to counter its negative effects. Fortunately for you, this post will tell you about that.
Check the Pool Pump’s Filter Base
Sometimes the solution to a noisy pool pump might be as simple as adjusting and securing the base of your filtration system. Check the filter base to confirm if the pool pump was installed on level ground. If that is the case, you are good to search for another source of noise, but if the filter system were placed on an uneven base, the internal moving parts would cause the entire motor to vibrate, thereby causing unwanted noises. Even on a relatively leveled ground and on a concrete pad, you can introduce an old piece of carpet, or a rubber pad beneath the pump motor to absorb the noisy vibrations.
Clear Pump and Skimmer Baskets + Raise Level of Water
With a garden hose, rid the pump and skimmer baskets of all debris. This is because a filled pump or skimmer basket causes the pool pump motor to work twice as hard when sucking out water from the pool and trying to push it through the filter. Overworking of the pool pump motor will definitely breed noise. If water isn’t reaching the skimmer openings, you want to raise the level of water of your pool. Inadequate water on your pool has a similar effect to create noise as a blocked skimmer or pump basket.
Examine the Impeller of the Pool Pump
If there’s any item or debris caught inside the impeller, your motor will start to screech. Therefore, it is important that you examine and clean your impeller as one of the troubleshooting measures you should ensure while trying to reduce your pool pump noise. However, before you undertake this step, you need to turn off the filter and totally unplug the pump from an electricity source. You could try turning on the pool pump to be sure that you have unplugged it rightly. Now, open the pump basket lid or the clear lid and pull it out.
Using your fingers, or a bent wire coat hanger, reach down through the tube that leads from the pool pump basket to the impeller. You can reach down with your fingers to try to determine if there’s any clog with debris then use the hooked piece of wire to clear out the dirt. If the impeller is wobbly, an adjustment or replacement of the impeller might be the best course of action. Replace the pump basket lid after you are done removing the debris and turn on your swimming pool pump afterward to see if that has solved the problem of noise.
Replace the Bearings
This is usually necessary if all of the above did not work and the noise persists. When pool pump bearings begin to fail, they could cause the pool pump motor to start to scream, and screech, or basically give a whining sound. That is an indication that it’s time to replace the bearings. Unless you have had a good experience with replacing bearings (the process is intricate), it is advised that you seek the services of a professional pool pump repairer or a motor repair shop to get it done perfectly. Any misplacement of bearing could cause permanent damage to your pool pump motor.
It is unlikely that you should still have the irritating noise coming from your pool pump motor after you have ensured all of the steps stated in this post. A persistent noise after all these steps could spell doom for the motor, and it probably needs to be replaced with a new swimming pool pump motor.
Happy Troubleshooting!!!