If you love to spend many a long hour poolside outside your home, then you may have installed a luxury spa. You likely look forward to evenings of indulgence as the weather cools off. While using your spa is meant to be straightforward and simple, you will certainly still need to pay close attention to the condition of the pump. What issues could arise, and what should you do to rectify any issues?

Understand Pump Components

Typically, a spa or hot tub pump will have two primary components, one of which will be sealed within a casing and the other will be outside. The impeller is designed to be immersed into the water (also known as the 'wet end') and is turned by the motor at a predetermined speed. This will vary according to the design of the spa and whether or not you have high-powered jets installed or simply rely on circulation.

Look for Leakage

A number of different seals and O-rings help to keep the water where it should be and ensure that the pump continues to operate. These will deteriorate with time and may need to be swapped out. If so, you can get a kit of replacement seals from your contractor.

Suss Out Any Weird Noise

Sometimes, you will turn on the pump and hear a humming noise. This may be much louder than usual and may signify that the bearings are on the way out. You may be able to replace the bearings without investing in brand-new parts. Or, you could simply clean the housing to get rid of any accumulated dirt.

Determine Excess Pressure and Heat

If the water pressure is low when you turn on the pump, switch everything off and have a look inside the control box. You may see some obstruction, and this might be impeding the impeller. Once you get rid of the debris, then the pump should operate as normal and generate the right pressure. If you can, figure out why this debris accumulated in the first place and take steps to avoid a repeat in the future. You will always want to ensure that clean air can flow into and out of the motor as if not, it may overheat and fail.

Get Expert Help

If you can't get to the bottom of the problem by itself, call in experts who can. They will be able to service your spa pump or replace it as needed.