How to Keep Your Pool Water Clean and Clear

Troubleshooting Tips for Your Spa Pump

15 July 2019 by Cassandra Caldwell

Your spa pump does a marvellous job throughout the year. By keeping your hot tub warm and hygienic, it contributes towards your relaxation time. Usually, it's only when your spa pump starts to fail that you realise just how important it is. With a few troubleshooting tips, you can get yours up and running again.

Gurgling and Bubbling Noises

To function correctly, your pump needs to prime. Priming pushes trapped air out so that it can create bubbles. If your pump begins making gurgling or bubbling noises, it may be that it isn't priming.

In a lot of cases, failure to prime happens right after you fill your spa up. One way to troubleshoot this issue is to turn off the heat and run the jets for 15-second blasts. Repeat this process three times. If it still isn't priming, check the pump for debris. Otherwise, you may want to call a repair person to use more advanced techniques.

Water That Isn't Moving

If you step into your spa, turn it on and find that the water either barely moves or isn't moving at all, you're likely to feel disappointed. Your primer might not be functioning, but it isn't producing the tell-tale gurgling sound that indicates it needs to be primed. However, you should try following the steps above to resolve the issue.

When the primer isn't the problem, try cleaning your filter or leaf traps. If that still doesn't work, you may need to completely drain the tub and use a line flush product to clear areas of gunk. Sometimes a deep clean will address low-pressure problems, which means calling on a spa pump expert is necessary when you can't resolve the issue with simple fixes.

Motors that Lose Power

When your hot tub has been part of your home for a long time, the motor starts to wear down. The first sign of this is random periods of power loss. As time goes on, those periods will grow longer, which signals that failure is on the horizon.

Unless you're experienced in handling electrical repairs, this is one scenario where you'll need to call a professional straight away. In some cases, replacing corroded parts or faulty wires is enough. In others, it's necessary to replace the motor entirely, but by doing so, you'll experience the benefits of a fully-functioning hot tub again.

With the right care and maintenance, your hot tub should run smoothly for years to come. If you notice a problem, trying to tackle it ASAP is the best way to prevent it from becoming a big issue.

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