It is common that pool pumps leak water and obviously it causes concern. Sometimes it is just a slow drip, the other times it is a steady leak. In these cases, it can drain gallons from your pool or cause erosion to the equipment. In this article, I will provide information on how to fix a leaking pool pump so that you can try and fix it at home.
#1: Leaking pump shaft seal
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A shaft seal plays an important part in any pool pump which is to prevent water from leaking along the motor shaft. However, it isn’t always at its best, even the best pool pump has its shaft seal failed sometime. As a result, you will see water running down the backside of the seal plate through the hole.
So how to find air leak in pool pump? You can easily see the leak with your eyes. Keep in mind that it is not a loose clamp band. In order to fix this type of leak, you need to check if you are having the right shaft seal for your pump first. If you aren’t, then you will definitely need to buy a new and correct one. The next thing you do is to replace your old shaft seal with the new one. It’s easy, isn’t it?
#2: Leaking pump housing
Some people call the pump housing as the volute. It comes with the impeller housing, the hair and strainer basket, that locates at the wet area of your pump. When you see leaks from the pump housing, it can be from the area where it connects to the seal plate. The reason can be either the clamp or bolts are loose, or the o-ring of the seal plate is not good. What you can do in this case is to replace your pump housing.
#3: Leaking outlet fitting
This type of leak has water running down the pump’s side and dripping off the bottom. Don’t misunderstand this leak as a shaft seal leak like many people do. You will find the leak in the area where the threaded PVC fitting screws into the outlet port.
You can replace or repair the fitting
You can fix this leak by replacing the fitting. There are some good fitting such as coupling or a MTA fitting, even a pump union with o-ring. Besides, you can prevent overheating and shrinking of the PVC fitting threads by using temperature resistant materials.
#4: Leaking inlet fitting
You can find this leak on the inlet side of the pump. The reason is because the fitting is shrunk or too loose that draws air in the running pump. Then when the pump stops, it might leak water.
Similar to the outlet fitting leak, what you can do to solve this problem is to replace the fitting. There are some options for you, including a pump union or CPVC fittings. On the other hand, if the fitting is not too loose, you can repair it. Apply Silicone or Pool Putty and keep the pump running for 24 hours, your fitting will be hardened.
#5: Leaking pump lid
This type of pump leak only appears when the pump is off. That’s why it is not easy to find it. And you need to look closely when your pump is running. To fix leaking pump lid, you can replace or repair the lid, depending on how serious the leak is. Firstly, you need to make sure that your pump lids are tight, and its o-rings are lubricated. If not, they will always dribble a little bit when the pump shuts off.
So I have provided you with a few solutions when it comes to how to fix a leaking pool pump, hopefully you have found them useful for your DIY project.
Reference:
https://blog.intheswim.com/leaking-pool-pump/
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