Pool Troubleshooting, and When to Call a Pro

Applies to: In-ground and above-ground home pools with a pump, filter, heater or salt system. Checks differ by model, so your own equipment manual comes first.

Safe checks only

Owner checks in manufacturer guides are mostly visible: baskets, valve settings, the filter gauge. Your own manual is the authority for your model.^[2][6][8]

Pump won’t prime or loses prime

Hayward lists an air leak on the suction side, a blocked suction line, or an impeller broken off the motor shaft.^[1]

1. With the pump’s power off (Hayward’s manual says to turn off power before working on the pump), make sure the strainer housing is full of water and the lid O-ring is clean and seated.^[6]
2. Clean the strainer and skimmer baskets, then refill the strainer housing.^[6]
3. Watch the return fittings: Hayward says suction air leaks show up as bubbles there.^[6]

Low flow or high filter pressure

Hayward points first to a dirty filter: when filter pressure rises over the clean starting pressure, it is time to backwash or clean it. Algae can also clog a filter and keep pressure high, and the filter cannot kill algae. Hayward’s manual says sand and D.E. filters are backwashed per the maker’s instructions and cartridges are cleaned or replaced, so check your own filter’s manual for when and how.^[2][6]

Above-ground systems differ. Bestway’s sand filter pump manual names a blocked strainer, a valve left on Closed, and trapped air as causes of no flow.^[8]

Heater won’t fire

Start with flow. Jandy’s JXi manual says if the heater does not start, check that the pump is on, the filter is clean and water is flowing. Hayward’s guide for its Universal H Series heaters warns never to run them below minimum flow.^[3][5]

Salt cell warning lights

On Hayward’s AquaRite, flashing Check Salt and Inspect Cell lights report low salt, solid lights mean chlorine production has stopped, and a dirty cell can misread salt, so confirm with an independent test. Its No Flow light means the flow switch isn’t seeing steady flow. Pentair’s IntelliChlor stops producing chlorine in cold water.^[9][12]

Losing water

EPA’s WaterSense guide says leaks can be in the liner, pump seal, piping or pool-to-pipe connection. It treats losing more than 2 inches a week (3 in hot, dry areas) as a likely leak, flags wet spots and bubbles in the return line, and recommends a bucket test, explained in our water conservation guide.^[13]

When a GFCI trips

CPSC calls GFCIs the best safety device to prevent electrocution. Hayward’s and Bestway’s pump manuals say a GFCI that cuts power without the test button being pushed means a ground current is flowing and a shock is possible: stop using the pump and have a qualified service representative fix it.^[6][8][16]

• Test GFCIs as your manual says. CPSC recommends monthly; Bestway says its above-ground pump’s GFCI must be tested before each use.^[8][16]
• Know where the breakers for pool equipment are and how to shut them off in an emergency.^[16]
• No extension cords: Hayward’s manual prohibits them for its pump.^[6]

Strong “chlorine” smell or stinging eyes

CDC says a “chlorine” smell is usually chloramines, formed when chlorine combines with sweat, dirt and pee; they can irritate eyes and lungs. Test the water: CDC recommends pH 7.0–7.8 and at least 1 ppm chlorine in pools, or at least 2 ppm if you use cyanuric acid (stabilizer) or chlorine products that contain it.^[4][18]

Stains

Jandy’s heater manual notes that acidic water can carry metal that may show up as brown stains on the finish of the pool bottom. Health Canada says that if you use a copper-based algicide, you must keep proper water balance and the right algicide concentration to prevent staining pool surfaces.^[3][20]

Stop and call a pro

• Electrical: a GFCI that trips by itself, damaged wiring, anything behind a panel.^[5][6]
• Gas: any gas smell, a heater that still won’t fire after flow checks, or one that has been under water.^[3]
• Structure: cracks, or water loss you can’t trace. Don’t empty the pool on your own; an empty pool can pop out of the ground where the water table is high.^[14][15]
• Chemical exposure: Poison Help, 1-800-222-1222, free and confidential, any time. Not breathing: call 911.^[21][22]
• A loose, broken or missing drain cover: nobody swims until it is fixed.^[7]
• Anything your manual reserves for a professional, such as Hayward’s pump service or a malfunctioning Zodiac robotic cleaner.^[6][23]