If you are fairly new to pool maintenance and pool pump care, you may not always know the warning signs of potential problems. Since pool pumps have a finite lifespan, it's important that you know some of the indications that your pump needs attention. One of the most common things you may notice from a pump that's in need of maintenance is a humming sound. Caused by excess vibrations in the pump, it can be indicative of many different types of problems. Here are some common issues that could be occurring with a humming pool pump.

Bearing Failure

As with anything that has a motor, your pool pump has bearings that help facilitate movement of parts. Over time, those bearings will wear out. The lubrication around them will deteriorate, and they will start making noise. You can minimize the chances of this being a problem by lubricating the bearings on a regular basis. Your pool pump maintenance contractor can tell you how often to do so.

Pump Shaft Problems

Sometimes, that humming you hear is created by the vibrations of the pump shaft. Ideally, the pump shaft should be in a fixed location, but it can become bent or misaligned over time. If the shaft is bent, the level of vibration you hear will be an indication of where the bend is. In either case, a bent pump shaft will need to be replaced right away.

If the vibration is the result of a misaligned pump shaft, that's a whole different concern. You won't necessarily know that the shaft is misaligned unless you have it inspected by a technician. However, if the pump is running hot, leaking, or exhibiting other similar signs with the vibration, that's a good indication that the shaft is misaligned and needs to be fixed.

Cavitation Issues

Ideally, your pump should have a steady flow of water at all times. However, sometimes it doesn't work this way. If the vacuum formed in the pump is disrupted, you can end up with an air pocket that replaces the water in the pump. At that point, the impeller continues to spin but the pump has no water to cycle through. This can burn out the pump motor if it's left to run this way too long.

These are some of the most common issues you might see with a pool pump that's humming. Talk with a local pump repair technician from a company like Speck Pumps today for inspection and maintenance.