Hello there! Is your pond pump giving you issues? Is it plugged in but not running? Is it humming and pushing small amounts of water? You are not alone! These problems are shared by many other water feature owners. So we wrote this article to help save you the time, money, and frustration that would otherwise be spent on paying a professional to come out and look at your pump. As you read these steps below think about how these instructions apply to the layout and design of your water garden. Enjoy!

The first problem we are going to address is your pump not turning on. If this is the case immediately go and check the outlet and make sure it is still plugged in. Since water features are outside and exposed to more activity than indoor electrical products they are significantly more prone to becoming unplugged. If your pump is properly plugged in and still not turning on then check your breaker and fuses. Sometimes having too many items plugged in to an outlet can blow the breaker which cuts off the current to your pump. Finally, if you performed all of the previous steps and your pump is still not working then carefully unplug the pump and disconnect the plumbing. Gently pull the pump out of the water and plug it into a different outlet not on the same breaker switch. When you try this make sure you do not leave it plugged in because running it dry can cause damage to your pump. These are the steps to take if your pump is showing no sign of turning on and should always be performed gently and carefully. Taking extra precaution with the electrical components.

The second scenario we are going to address is a pump pushing small amounts of water. Fear not, this problem is usually very easy to fix. For most of our customers this just means that your pump’s filter cage needs to be cleaned or there is something lodged in the impeller. In either case you start by unplugging the pump and disconnecting the plumbing. From there, gently pull the pump out and if the cage is dirty then give it a good rinse with the hose. If your pump does not have a cage then evaluate the impeller and remove any debris that is blocking it from spinning. The other possible cause of insufficient water pushing can be air ­lock. Sometimes air can get trapped in the impeller chamber. This can be fixed by simply tilting the pump while it is under water. Once, the air is released it should allow the water to properly pass through the pump.

Our last potential pump problem is your pump shutting on and off. Usually this is because your pump is getting too hot and its internal thermal shut off is activated before it reaches the hazardous temperature zone. Most of the time, the source for pump overheating is low water levels. Water is used to help lubricate and cool the inside of your pump and if it is not fully submerged then this can be a problem. Sometimes our customers do not consider the needed water to fill the plumbing, skimmer box, and waterfall filter. So you may need to add a couple more inches of water than what you think. Always make sure you water level is sufficient or this can cause serious damage to your pump.

In conclusion, these are not all of the potential issues your pump could be having as every customer’s water feature is different and unique, but these are the most common scenarios. If you have gone through and performed all of these steps and your problem continues to persist then we advise you call a professional to come in and diagnose the issue. Thank you for trusting us as a source to meet your water feature needs. Feel free to call anytime and have one of our professionals help explain this information over the phone and most importantly, ENJOY YOUR WATER FEATURE!