Have you ever gone out to your pool equipment and found puddles of water or worse, seen water spraying out of one of the pipes? Those are sure signs of pool plumbing issues and it is best to turn off the pool equipment right away. The question is, will it be an easy pool plumbing repair or require a more costly repair or replacement. Luckily, we’ve seen most everything and can offer some suggestions to fix the issues if you’re a do-it-yourself kind of person or we always have our expert pool technicians available to come diagnose and repair the pool plumbing quickly and properly.
Above Ground Pool Plumbing Leaks
To be proactive in detecting any plumbing leaks, it is important to check on your pool equipment at least once a week. This way you’ll know what looks normal and what doesn’t if you see any changes in wet concrete or rocks where it is usually dry. The two most common issues related to above ground pool plumbing leaks are:
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Leaking Pool Pump - The pipe coming out of the pool pump is usually the culprit so check to see where the water is leaking from. This is usually caused by an issue with the pool pump seal and may require lubrication and proper placement of the seal shaft or in cases where it has dried out in our blistering Scottsdale weather, a pump seal replacement may be needed. -
Leaking Pool Filter - Leaks from a pool filter can be dangerous due to the amount of pressure a pool filter is under. If you find any part of the pool filter is leaking turn it off and it may be best to have a pool professional come to properly diagnose the issue. It could be a simple fix like o-ring lubrication or replacing an o-ring and maybe just applying Teflon tape will help seal the gauges. Sometimes the drain plugs or caps break or just need a new gasket so those are also easy pool plumbing fixes. However, water leaking from the pool filter could also be a sign of a more serious pool issue, if it’s leaking from tiny holes in the filter tank then a pool filter replacement is recommended.
Issues From Pool Plumbing Clogs
When it comes to clogs happening in pool plumbing, it is usually not a huge issue unless it is not caught in time. If clogs are left untreated they cause water flow problems which lead to larger issues with other parts of the pool plumbing and equipment. Most often we see either clogged pool vacuums or clogged pool pump impellers. When a lot of debris is blowing around, like during monsoon season in Scottsdale, it will inevitably end up clogging the pool vacuum. This will either cause the pool vacuum to stop moving around the pool or to break or it will suck the debris through the hose into the strainer. If no strainer is used, those large chunks of leaves or rocks will move into the pool pump basket to clog it! This highlights the importance of the pool strainer in keeping the pool plumbing working smoothly since it will catch large debris when used properly and help avoid a clogged pump basket.
Cracked Fittings or Pipes in Your Pool Plumbing
As we mentioned above, leaks are most commonly caused by small cracks in pipes, fittings or faulty valves. The summer heat plus an accidental move like leaving your filter on backwash instead of filter or allowing your water level to get too low in the pool will cause your pool plumbing pipes to melt. If the pipes are cracked or the fittings have melted, there is no other option than to cut out and replace the affected pipes or fittings. To help avoid the same issue in the future, always check your pool’s water level and ask to have the melted area replaced with a thicker plastic that can better withstand heat.
Hopefully you won’t find yourself in need of pool plumbing repairs but the summer heat is hard on pool equipment. If a problem does arise, feel free to call us and weekly visits from our pool techs can definitely help avoid some of these issues so don’t hesitate to ask about our service packages too!