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In emergency situations, it is always an added advantage to be able to know what to do and how to deal with certain issues when it comes to your investments. There may be a wide range of issues that you may encounter with your swim-ming pool system, but in most cases, we deal with the most common issues. Here are a few basic and simple trouble-shooting tips you need to know to get you through:
Is the noise coming from the pump housing (the front of the pump) or is it coming from the motor (the back of the pump)? A loud noise is usually the result of the bearings going out in the motor. But, the loud noise could also be the impeller somehow getting loose, moving out of place, and grinding against the pump housing. Either way, you will need to call your local pool professionals for a service call. But, with this troubleshooting technique, you can really help your local pool professionals diagnose the problem, which will perhaps reduce the "time" (length) of the service call, thus saving you money.
A lateral, which is positioned at the bottom of your sand filter, has either cracked or is broken, allowing sand to pass through the filter, enter the return (plumbing) lines, and enter the pool, via the return jets. Either way, all the sand has to be removed. Then, each lateral must be removed and inspected in order to determine which lateral(s) are cracked or broken. Once found and replaced, the sand has to be put back into the filter. If it has been a few years since your last sand change, use new sand-sand is fairly inexpensive, and it will save you the headache of having to do this again in the near future; new sand is typically sufficient for 4-5 years. When replacing the sand, be careful. The weight of the sand could crack or break your new (fragile) laterals, causing the same tedious and time-consuming procedure to have to be repeated. If you do the job by yourself, fill the sand filter full of water until the laterals are submerged underwater. Then, very slowly, pour the sand into the filter; the water will disperse the sand evenly. You are much better off contracting your local pool professionals who have experience handling the fragile laterals.
Other reasons for sand in the pool may include:
A heater is often best serviced by simply continually using the heater. If the heater is not used, rust will appear, spider webs and nests may be found, and mechanical parts may wear. Use your heater-that is why you paid for the expense, yet worthwhile investment. Beyond any of the above checkpoints, call your local pool professionals for a service call on the heater. With a heater, if water chemistry is out of balance, the heat exchanger could be corroded to the point of premature failure-an expensive replacement. Monitor your water chemistry
Attempt to locate the source of the leak-pump, filter, heater, automatic chemical feeder, connector fitting, any threaded fitting (plug/cap, pressure gauge, air relief valve) or the plumbing. You may just need to tighten a fitting. Anything beyond something that you can hand-tighten, call your local pool professionals for a service call.
Regardless of your pool type-concrete, gunite, shotcrete, vinyl-liner, fiberglass, or an aboveground-call your local pool professionals for a game plan of how to detect the source of the leak. They will have the best information, given the type of pool that they service on a regular basis.
If the pressure on your Pressure Gauge is DECREASING, you have an obstruction, which is typically full skimmer and/or pump baskets. To rectify, clean all the baskets. If there is an obstruction in the plumbing, call your local pool professionals for a service call.
If the pressure on your Pressure Gauge is INCREASING, you have a dirty filter. To rectify, once the pressure rises 8-10 psi above your standard operating pressure, clean your filter.
Sand filter or DE filter = backwash