Pool pumps are an integral part of a swimming pool. These pumps help the water circulation inside the swimming pool. Usually, these pumps are noisy. But it is not too loud to disturb the pool environment.
But sometimes, the sound intensity coming from the pump will be much higher. If your pump has this, then it is a warning.
This loud noise will occur if your motor brushes are down or the skimmer is clogged. The loud noise will be a sign over time, and the motor will stop working.
In this article, we will discuss the reasons causing the loudness of the pool pump and the solutions for pool pump noise reduction.
Why is my pool pump so loud?
There are many reasons for the loud noise behind the pool pump. Sometimes your pump will not stop working but will have disturbance noise coming out of the pump. This will affect our neighbors also. Some of the problems below may be the reason for this noise.
Cavitation
Cavitation can be the cause of loud noise coming out from your pump. This occurs when your pump is not getting enough water. When there is insufficient water, the impeller will be surrounded by air. Over time this will cause the pump to start making noise.
If you run the pump without water for a while, the impeller will take the most heat. This heat will detach shafts and other inner linings inside the pump, causing loud pool pump sound with worsened noise.
When the water pool levels are too low, cavitation may occur. It can also be caused by blocks preventing water from entering the pump anywhere in the line.
Vibration Noise
Where is your pump mounted? Is it on a wooden stand? This may be the reason for the nosiness. Pool pumps must be mounted on a solid concrete pad with strong bolts, and wooden stands can resonate and increase the sound.
Blocked Pump
There will be many scraps like leaves, insects, twigs, etc., on the pool. Make sure to keep out these items. But sometimes, These scraps will enter the pump.
Scraps can easily block the smooth-running impeller and become nosier. This will leads to the hard running of the pool pump. Sometime the pump will stop working.
Damaged Bearing
Mainly two bearings come inside a pool pump, a front bearing, and a rear bearing. Both these bearings are the reason for the smooth running of the rotors.
The lubrication inside the bearing will thin and degrade over time, and this will cause the bearings to start making noises.
You can replace these bearings. Bearings are less expensive.
How To Reduce Pool Pump Noise?
We have discussed the problems causing the loudness. There are some ways of fixing these problems. Here, we have discussed some practical methods to quiet a noisy pool pump. Any of these solutions will help you to reduce pool pump noise.
Installation of Anti-Vibrations Pads
Installing an anti-vibrating pad under the motor can make pool pump quieter. The pad is made of rubber, reducing the resonation and vibration. Installing this can’t entirely stop the noise of your pool pump but can reduce it to a limit.
You can easily install anti-vibrating pads. Just unbolt the bolts from the base. And after that, lift the pump. Place the rubber pads under the motor, bolt the pump above it, and secure the bolt tightly. Now your pool pump will have less noise than before.
Clean Blocked Skimmer Basket
Make sure that your skimmer basket is clean. It is essential to clean this regularly. The skimmer basket will be clogged with debris like leaves, grubs, and bugs.
Debris can prevent the water flow to the pump, and this can cause cavitation.
You want to make sure that all the pool area around the skimmer baskets are clean. This will allow the water to flow correctly, and the pump will work with less noise.
Clean Pool Pump Basket
The pool pump basket is as important as cleaning the skimmer basket we have discussed before, and You should do this at a fixed interval.
First, switch off and unplug the pump to clean the pool pump basket. This can prevent accidents and the chances of getting an electric shock. Then close the valve from the pool. After that, uncap the top pump cap. In most models of pool pumps, you can pull the basket up. If your model can’t physically remove the basket, then carefully remove the debris with your hand.
Your pump will work smoothly, and less noise will come out from your pump by removing this.
Top The Water Level of Your Pool
This problem is not common, but you want to check the water level of your pool. In the skimmer, there will be two lines, MIN and MAX. If your water level is at the MAX level, you don’t want to bother.
If the water level is below MIN, this can cause noise from the pump. The noise is that the pump is not getting enough water from the skimmer hose.
You can avoid this by looking after your water level. Check that the water level is higher than MIN. If it is under MIN, add water to the pump to avoid cavitation.
Level the Pump and Filter
If your pump is not fixed correctly, this will result in causing vibration and heavy noise disturbances. Check that your pump is set correctly and bolted tightly. If it is not, you can easily fix it by unbolting the pump and fixing it incorrectly. You only need some DIY skills and tools.
Call a professional to fix this if you can’t do it yourself. They will also make sure there are no other problems and inform you if any.
Check the Impeller of Your Pump
We have already discussed the cleaning of the skimmer basket. An impeller is a rotating part inside the pump that spins forces to water through the system. Sometimes this impeller will be clogged by debris from the skimmer basket, resulting in heavy noise coming out of the pump.
For checking the impeller, you want to remove the cover of your pump. Make sure that your pump is unplugged. Then check the impeller; if there is any debris, remove it. And also, check if the impeller is damaged. If so, replace it immediately. A new impeller will reduce the noise.
If the impeller is not getting enough water, cavitation will occur, forming air bubbles. These air bubbles will make the system dry. In some time, vapor will occur, resulting in hotness inside the system. Because of this heat generated, the shaft pickings and other material inside it will degrade, and these degraded particles will fall into the impeller causing tremendous noise.
This can only be avoided by keeping the skimmer basket clean on a regular base. Be sure to remove all debris.
If you keep looking at this, your pump will have a long life and a less noisy environment.
Tighten the Mounting Bolts
If your pump is causing the vibration, it doesn’t mean you should buy another pump or vibration pad. Check the bolts that mounted the pump to the base. Over time the bolt will lose because of the constant long run for hours. You can simply fix this.
To fix this, you need the correct tool. Don’t use any other tools; this can damage the leverage. You can rent it or buy it from a hardware shop. Using the tool tighten the bolts to the base as much as possible.
These bolts can be loose in the future. So if your pump starts making any noise, don’t forget to check this.
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Replacing a Worn Out Bearing
Mainly pool pumps consist of two bearings, one front bearing, and one rear bearing. These bearings help the rotors to run smoothly. In time the lubrication of these bearings will become thin, causing them to wear out.
These bearings are less expensive, and you can buy them from the shop. It is better to replace the shaft seal whenever you replace a bearing because this will also be in bad condition.
Although these parts are less expensive, replacing or bearing is a task. You want to have additional tools for this, and it is better to call a professional to change the bearing. If you are doing it yourself, there are plenty of chances of getting irreversible damage to your pool pump.
Soundproof Enclosure around Pool Pump
A soundproofing enclosure around the pool pump can reduce noise a lot. You can make this enclosure in the DIY route.
Using thick plywood, you can build an enclosure. To make it soundproof, add green glue inside the box, and this can absorb the sound. You can also add a foam layer to make it even better, preventing the sound from getting outside the enclosure box.
When you are making this, don’t forget about the ventilation. Make sure that the pump is getting enough airflow. Create some ducts for the airflow without changing your sound reduction qualities.
If you can’t build one in the DIY route, this type of enclosure is available in the market. Please find it and buy a suitable enclosure for your pump.
Making a Shed for Pump and Filter System
Making a shed is not an easy task. But this can reduce a lot of sounds, and the noise will be less when your pump and filter are away from the pool and house.
When making a shed, add sound-absorbing materials like acoustic foam sheet and MLV sheet, which can reduce the noise.
Check the Seals Are Unbroken
Broken seals can cause noise. Seals can crack due to high temperatures occurring inside the pump or by running the pump without water for hours, leading to water leakage.
Check the seals inside the pump. If there is any, replace the broken seals with new ones. An expert will be able to handle this job better.
Put a Pool Pump Cover
Putting on a pool pump cover is an easy solution. Pool pump covers are available in the market. Buy a pump cover suitable to your model. A pump cover can block pool pump noise by keeping noise inside it.
Pump covers acting as external protection layer also prevent the pump from foreign elements. Make sure that the pump cover has sufficient ventilation.
Use Cartridge Filter
The old sand-filled pool filters have ports. Through these ports, water flows, and this can cause extra noise. You can fix this by replacing it with a Cartridge filter.
Cartridge filter has less noise than the traditional sand-filled filters. They have no ports, and this is a small unit that makes less noise because of the design. By fixing the cartridge filter, you can reduce the extra noise from the pump.
Keeping Filter Far Away from Pool
Hearing it’s not an easy task. But if you are building a new pool, make sure to keep your filtering system away from the pool.
Buy New One
If any of the above solutions are not helped, it is better to move to buy a new pool pump. This will be the best solution if you have a traditional pump. As the technology improved, companies added many new features, and it will also work with less noise and energy consumption.
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Final Words
Your pool pump can make a lot of noise. This is not only happening to your pumps; many others are also suffering. Several things can damage your pump. One of the main reasons is the debris. Ensure that the waste does not reach your pump, check this regularly; it is best for less noise in the long run.
In this article, we have covered many problems and their solutions. We hope your issue is fixed, and if it is not set, it’s better to buy a pool pump.