Your pool pump bearings and seals (also known as mechanical seals) are the single most important safety feature of your pool pump. While your pump is designed to be exposed to water and the elements, the motor isn’t. The pump bearings and seals allow the motor to spin the impeller to create the required suction while preventing water from getting into the motor compartment and damaging it. 

How to tell if your pool pump bearings and seals have failed? 

A mechanical seal failure has a signature which can be a little bit hard to spot especially if there are other PVC pipe leaks around your pool pump area. The best way to check would be to get on your hands and knees and visually inspect the area under your pool pump where the motor and the seal plate are joined. If there’s staining and water leaking then that’s a sure sign that your seals have failed. 

What causes pool pump bearings and seals to fail? 

The most common cause for the bearings and seals to fail is normal usage. Remember, this part is exposed to heat, vibration and it holds a shaft that spins at speeds of excess than 3000 rpm, so wear and tear will always be a big problem. 

Another cause for bearings and seals to fail is a clogged and damaged pool pump impeller. The heat caused by low water flow can often cause the seals to melt and fail earlier than their rated service life. 

How to replace a pump bearing and seal?  

It’s a fairly detailed process and you can check out our maintenance blog section or our parts of a pool pump post to see exactly where the bearings are located so you will have something to guide you through the process.