Do you have a swimming pool? I do, even if I can only use it for about three months a year (we have long winters!) I still wouldn’t have my summer any other way! One thing I did learn is that a swimming pool pump can become noisy. In this article, I will show you ten ways on How to reduce pool pump noise.
In a nutshell, here is how to reduce pool pump noise. You can reduce pool pump noise by; 1 – replacing the bearings; 2 – Placing a vibration pad underneath the pump; 3 – raise the water level in the pool; 4 – Building or buying a pool pump quiet box; 5 – Keeping the skimmer and debris basket clean; 6 – Clean the impeller; 7 – Make sure the pump is full of water by looking through the little window; 8 – If all else fails, replace the pump and call it a day!
Some of these ideas on how to make a pool pump noise lower did work for my noisy pool pump. Every pool pump will get loud, it is just going to happen. If you’re lucky enough to have a quiet pump then you’ll know the bearings are going bad is after a few years you’re suddenly dealing with a noisy pool pump.
Don’t worry, they’re a way to stop this racket from ruining your relaxing swim? I wouldn’t even hear the pool pump with my three younger boys, it’s usually a #@$% show, but that’s beside the point.
And I’m sure that you are not the only one that despises the noisy pool pump. Your next-door neighbors probably can’t wait on the summer season to be over, and for their tranquility to be brought back.
That is not a solution, however. The next summer will come, as well as why else do you have a pool in your backyard, otherwise to use it to the max.
If this issue knows to you, then I may have a few tricks in my sleeve.
1 – Pool Pump Vibration Pad Installation
The very first thing you can look at for reducing the noise of your pool pump is to find out if vibration is causing the noise.
This is by far the number one issue with noisy pool pumps. You can either make a vibration pad yourself, or you can buy one. My pool pump came with a Styrofoam insert in the hollow bottom part, and that works for me. Check to see if you have one and If you do you might be able to move it around to reduce the vibration.
To find out if the noise from the pool pump comes from vibration all you need to do is place your hand firmly on the pump. That will usually stop the to prevent appropriate; you might have to push down if the vibration is more severe.
I was searching for a vibration pad online since I’ve never used one. Most supply stores sell vibration pads, but you can probably get a much better deal by buying it from Amazon. Here is an Amazon link to the one I recommend and that is almost identical to the one I saw at the pool supply store. You don’t need to buy an anti-vibration pad made exclusively for pool pumps at an inflated price, buy generic.
2 – Remember to Clean the Skimmer Debris Basket
Remembering to clean the skimmer’s debris basket regularly is essential, not only regarding noise control; but also so your pump doesn’t have to work harder because of the lack of water it’s receiving.
Usually, the basket will collect the usual, leaves and bugs. If you have a pool, then you know what I’m talking about. If you have a lot of leafy trees near the pool, then you will have to make sure the basket is clear at all times.
You will be able to tell if the pool pump is not receiving enough water just by listening to it and also by looking through the top window. The noise will be some hesitation in the rhythm of the pump noise every few seconds as its trying to pass enough water through.
You can also peek through the top of the pump and see if it’s full of water. If you see that it’s not full of water and the pipe coming from the pool only ejects gushes of water, then your skimmer debris basket needs cleaning.
There can be other causes that will cause water to gush in that same manner. Cleaning the basket and running a backwash for a few seconds followed by a rinse for another few seconds will most likely cure the problem.
3 – Clean the Pool Pump Debris Basket Regularly
The pool pump basket is another debris basket that you need to clean on a regular basis. Especially after you’ve just cleaned the pool with the pool vacuum.
When you clean the pool with the vacuum you need to remove the skimmer debris basket, so you’re able to insert the hose to receive suction. By inserting the hose directly into the skimmer, all the debris will be routed into the pool pump debris basket.
To clean the pool pump debris basket, you will need to turn off and unplug the pump. Most people skip the part where you disconnect the pump, but there has been some freak accident involving electrical shocks, so you never know.
Close the valve that leads from the pool to the pump and twists off the top pump cap. You can pull out the basket in most pool pumps these days but if you can’t physically remove the basket then grab the debris with your hands.
By removing all the debris, you will allow the pump to work more efficiently and will make less noise as a result.
4 – Make Sure There’s enough water in the Pool
This one is quite easy because most if not all pools have this part “dummy-proof.” Look at the skimmer, and you should see a line on the side that says MAX and another line below that one that says MIN.
The MAX and MIN have to do with the water level. If your pool is over the max, your pump will be fine, but you will notice that you will be losing some water from the opening between the skimmer and the rim of the pool.
If the water level of your pool is below the MIN then you will notice the pool pump becoming increasingly noisy. The reason for this is that there is not enough water entering the pool pump from the hose coming from the skimmer. The pool pump will try its best to intake as much water as it can at this point.
You will notice, however, that the water will be coming in the pump in gushes and that the pump will only have about half the water that it needs to run effectively. When this accrues you will need to add water in the pool to at least bring the water level above the MIN line.
You need to always look at the water level because the water can evaporate during a scorching day and you will also lose water as the kids (big kids too) does a cannonball! The pump will eventually burn itself out if there is not enough water coming in from the skimmer.
5 – Clogged Impeller Can Result In a Noisy Swimming Pool Pump
A clog in the impeller is something that I’ve never encountered since I’ve never really thought about it until I began writing this article. I did, however, find a YouTube video showing someone cleaning the pool pump impeller.
A clog in the impeller can also result in a noisy swimming pool pump so make sure there are no obstructions.
Cavitation is an additional possible issue that can create your pump to make a noise. This happens when there is an absence of water streaming through the pump creating air pockets to form behind the impeller blade. Your impeller is currently drawing in even more air compared to it is designed to deal with resulting in system dryness.
Cavitation can cause vapor to develop, which will inevitably impact the performance of the remainder of the pump system. Your pump will undoubtedly end up being incredibly hot creating the impeller to remove from its shaft altering its normal spinning alignment as well as therefore create a deafening grinding noise versus the face of its spiral shell.
Check your skimmer basket each day because you don’t know just what type of debris might be stuck in there. If there is enough debris, it will lookout to decrease water flow causing cavitation. Make it a habit to remove this basket on a weekly basis and always remove the pool pump basket after a pool vacuum clean.
Click on the video below for a DIY for how to clean a pool pump impeller.
6 – Replace Pool Pump Bearings to Reduce Noise
If you’ve gone through the first five steps and you’re still having noise issues with your swimming pool pump then the bearings inside the pump might be the culprit.
It is possible that the electric motor bearings are wearing out. If the noisy pool pump is a result of the bearings going bad, then you will undoubtedly have to change them.
Currently, you can either have a professional replace them, which I would suggest. It can be complicated to change the bearings if you have never done it in the past.
Changing a bearing DIY can also be increasingly difficult if the pump is older. The openings of the pump might be seized resulting in cracking the pump while trying to get it open.
If you make use of the incorrect bearing, or if you mistakenly position them inaccurately, this could do some serious and perhaps even irreversible faults and damage to the motor itself.
One more issue is that the screws are possibly rusted on the older pumps. As well as other problems comparable like tight impellers may take place also.
If you choose to replace the bearings the DIY way, here is an insightful video tutorial on how to replace bearings of a swimming pool pump motor.
7 – Pool Pump Noise Reduction Enclosure
If you know what a generator enclosure is then a pool pump noise reduction enclosure should look a bit familiar to you. You can go the DIY route, but you need to make sure you know what you’re doing because you don’t want your pool pump to overheat because of a lack of ventilation.
I was debating about placing this noise reduction tip on this list because their primary function is to reduce sun and adverse weather damage and extend the life of the pool pump and not for noise reduction. BUT it does cut some of the noise the pump will generate, and if your pump is not making excessive noise then maybe this option is for you.
If your pool pump is making a lot of noise, then these types of enclosures will not work so well to soundproof your pool pump.
Click here (Amazon Link) for the pool pump enclosure that I would recommend and that I will most likely buy shortly.
Someone did ask the question in the Amazon community if they could improve this enclosure for the pump noise reduction. The answer to that question was to place some heat resistant and self-adhesive noise reduction padding.
I’m sure it would help to reduce noise by sticking the padding on the interior of the enclosure. Just make sure there is proper ventilation and that the pads do not prevent proper ventilation.
8 – Replace a Noisy Pool Pump
Last year I had to replace my pool pump because of the bearings inside the pump were toast. They advised me that if they opened the pump it would most definitely crack because it was older and the openings were severely seized.
In the end, I decided to bite the bullet and buy a brand new pool pump. I actually saved a lot of money by buying it online because the pump failed at the very beginning of the summer and there was no deals to be had at any pool supply store.
If you need to replace your pump but can still make it work for a short period, then try to return it at the end of the swimming pool season. The pool supply stores will have huge clearances so they aren’t stuck with summer stock all winter.
The pool stores mostly focus on hot tubs in the winter months depending on your geological location of course. If you’re lucky enough to have summer all year round, then please, don’t comment and brag about it, especially if it’s February!
I bought my swimming pool pump from Amazon. Here is the link for current Amazon pricing. After a lot of research to find out which pump was the best bang for the bucks and also the quietest, I chose the Hayward SP1580X15 Power-Flo for my above ground saltwater pool.
Pool pumps work for both chlorine and saltwater swimming pools. The swimming pool pump has nothing to do with the chlorine generator in saltwater pools. The salt cell is what makes a saltwater pool chlorinate the water.
If you have an in-ground pool then you will have to buy a different type of pump, one that is made explicitly for in-ground pools. The pump I found that is highly recommended for efficiency, reliability and of course its low noise level is the Hayward SP2610X152S Dual Speed Super Pump 1.5 HP (Amazon).
Final and Important Tip if you Decide to Buy a New Pool Pump
One thing to note is that if you click on these links and decide to buy one of these pool pumps make sure that they are on sale! These pool pumps sometimes have 20% and 30% price drops. So be on the lookout for the best deal!
Conclusion
These nine tips on how to reduce pool pump noise should cure the problem. I hope one of these tips will allow you to fix a noisy pool pump and that you don’t have to go and buy a new pump.
Just a rule of thumb, keep everything clean, and have enough water in the pool and you should not have any major problems.
It’s not only you that wants a peaceful summer, but your neighbors should also be able to enjoy their backyard retreat without having to hear your noisy pool pump.
Have an Awesome Summer!