Same or next day
Pump loses prime overnight
The pump runs fine once primed, but after sitting off overnight the strainer basket is half full of air and the pump spins without moving water. Water is draining back towards the pool while the pump is off, and air is taking its place.
Pool Maintenance
Normally scheduled. Equipment failures that would leave the pool stagnant are handled sooner.
Call nowBook a pump check on WhatsApp01LIKELY CAUSES
What usually sits behind this symptom, and what tells one cause from another.
Strainer lid O-ring dry, cracked or seated badly
Air visible at the lid; bubbles in the basket while running.
Leaking valve or union on the suction side
Joint is damp or crusted when the pump is off; dry when running.
Pump sited above water level with a failed non-return valve
Equipment room level checked against the pool surface; valve tested.
Low water level letting the skimmer draw air
Water level sits at or below the middle of the skimmer opening.
02BEFORE ANYONE VISITS
What you can safely check.
- Check the water level is at the middle of the skimmer mouth.
- Look at the strainer lid seal for cracks or a flattened profile.
- Watch the basket for a stream of small bubbles while the pump runs.
- Switch the pump off at its isolator before touching the lid.
03WHAT WE MEASURE
We inspect the strainer lid and seals, pressure-test and inspect the suction pipework and valves we can reach, check the pump position relative to water level, and test any non-return valve. The aim is to find where air enters, not just to re-prime.
04IN A VILLA
Villa pool equipment is often in a small plant room or an enclosure some distance from the pool, sometimes higher than the water. Long suction runs exposed to summer heat expand and contract daily, which works small joints loose.
05THE FIX
Which repair, and when.
A pump that runs dry overheats its seal and can damage the impeller and motor. Filtration stops while it is air-locked, so water quality follows.
Replace the lid seal and lubricate it correctly
The lid is the entry point.
Remake the leaking union or valve
A suction joint is drawing air.
Fit or replace a non-return valve
Pump sits above water and the line drains back.
06Typical villa pool servicing
Quoted per visit or on a regular schedule
Depends on pool volume, equipment set and visit frequency. Equipment repairs are separate and quoted after inspection. We do not carry out pool construction or full renovation.
07QUESTIONS
- Is it safe to keep re-priming every morning?
- It works short term, but each dry start shortens the pump seal's life. Finding the air leak is cheaper.
- What does a pool visit cost?
- Pool work is quoted per visit or on a regular schedule, depending on what the inspection finds.