Your pool pump stopped working, the water is still and the return jets are quiet. Before you assume the worst, know that many stoppages come from causes you can check yourself in a few minutes, without tools and without opening anything electrical. This guide gives you that order, shows what each finding means, and marks the point where the job belongs to a professional.
If the checks do not solve it, the pool pump repair page explains the parts that fail, what repairs cost according to published guides, and how to think about repair versus replacement.
Safety before you start. Switch the pump off at its timer or control before you touch the lid or baskets. If you see water pooled around the motor, smell burning or see scorch marks, do not touch the pump or the switch next to it: keep everyone away and call for help. Keep children away from the pool while the water is not circulating, and never leave a child alone near the water. A pool that turns cloudy or green is a drowning hazard because you cannot see the bottom.
Pool pump troubleshooting, in the order to check
Work down the list. Each step tells you what a normal result looks like and where to go if it is not normal. Stop as soon as you find the cause.
- Is the pump supposed to be on right now? Look at the timer or automation schedule. After a power outage or a monsoon storm, a clock can lose its time or a schedule can reset, so the pump may simply be running at the wrong hours. If the time is wrong, correct it and see whether the pump starts on schedule.
- Has a GFCI or breaker tripped? Check the GFCI outlet or breaker that feeds the pump. A tripped one gets a single reset, no more. Should it trip a second time, leave it off. That is the stop line, and the next step is a phone call. The CPSC also advises testing permanently installed GFCIs at least once a month.
- Is there enough water at the skimmer? Angi suggests a water line roughly at the middle of the skimmer opening. Below that, the pump can draw air instead of water. The Arizona Department of Water Resources puts open-water evaporation in Tucson at about six feet a year, most of it in summer, so a level that was fine last week can drop.
- Are the skimmer and pump baskets clear? With the pump off, empty the skimmer basket and the basket inside the pump's strainer pot. After a dust storm or a windy day, they can pack full in a matter of hours.
- Is the pump lid seated and sealed? Look at the clear lid for cracks and check that its O-ring sits evenly in its groove. Angi names air leaks, often from loose fittings or worn O-rings, as the usual reason a pump loses prime.
- Are the valves open? Valve handles near the pump control where water comes from and goes. If someone turned one recently, a closed or half-closed valve can starve the pump. Put them back in the positions your pool company set.
- What does the filter pressure gauge say? Note the reading with the pump running. A reading well above the normal clean level suggests a dirty filter that is choking flow. A reading near zero with the pump running points to a pump that is not moving water.
- Is the motor buried or blocked? Leaves, gravel, stored items or a cover over the motor can trap heat. Clear the area so air can reach the motor's vents.
What you notice and what it usually means
Not every pump that "stopped" is silent. Use the sound and the behavior to narrow it down.
| What you notice | Likely reasons | Safe for you to check? |
|---|---|---|
| Completely silent, nothing on the timer display | Tripped GFCI or breaker, power outage, timer off | Yes: timer and one reset. A second trip means stop. |
| Runs, but little water moves | Low water, full baskets, closed valve, dirty filter, air leak at the lid | Yes: the checklist above covers these. |
| Runs, then shuts off and later restarts | Motor overheating, often from a blocked vent, a packed basket or a dirty filter | Partly: clear debris and baskets. If it continues, call. |
| Hums but does not spin | Failed start capacitor, jammed impeller, overheated motor | No. Turn it off and call. |
| Screeching or grinding | Worn motor bearings | No. Turn it off and call. |
| Chopping or gurgling sound | Air getting in, the pump not primed | Yes: water level, lid and baskets. Do not let it run dry. |
| Water under the motor or dripping from the pump | Worn shaft seal or a cracked housing | No. Do not touch it while powered. Call. |
Angi warns that a pump drawing air because the water is too low can be damaged. If the strainer pot is empty of water and the pump is roaring, turn it off rather than letting it keep trying.
The filter is part of the picture
A pump and filter work as a pair. When the filter clogs, the pump pushes against more resistance, moves less water and runs hotter. That is why the pressure gauge is on the checklist. If the reading has climbed since the last cleaning, the filter likely needs attention, which is routine work for a pool service company. The pool cleaning and maintenance page explains what a regular visit includes.
The stop line: where your checks end
Fine for a homeowner
- Reading and correcting the timer or automation schedule
- Resetting a tripped GFCI or breaker one time
- Checking the water level at the skimmer
- Emptying both baskets once the pump is switched off
- Looking at the pump lid and its O-ring for cracks
- Returning valves to their usual positions
- Reading the filter pressure gauge
- Clearing leaves and clutter away from the motor
Leave to a professional
- Opening the motor, its wiring cover or the control box
- Testing or replacing a capacitor, which can hold a charge with the power off
- Anything inside the electrical panel beyond one reset
- A breaker or GFCI that trips a second time
- Taking the pump apart to reach the impeller or seal
- Any work on wiring, a disconnect or a new circuit
Arizona's licensing lines up with this split. The Registrar of Contractors' R-6 license for residential pool service and repair excludes electrical work beyond the first disconnect, so even pool companies hand some electrical jobs to an electrical contractor.
Why Tucson summers stop pumps
The same pump that runs fine in March can start shutting off in July. The National Weather Service records an average July high of about 100 degrees at Tucson, with an average of 68 days a year at or above 100 degrees (1991 to 2020 normals). A motor sitting on a sunny equipment pad has little room to cool if anything is making it strain.
Monsoon season, which the NWS Tucson office defines as June 15 to September 30, adds wind and dust. Storm outflow can drop leaves, dust and seed pods into the pool in minutes, and much of it lands in the baskets. Storms can also cut power, which is one reason a timer may be off afterward. A Tucson pool maintenance schedule that checks baskets more often in summer helps.
If your home is on a Tucson Electric Power time-of-use plan, TEP's summer on-peak hours are 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and it suggests running a pool pump in the morning or at midday. When you reset a timer, that is a sensible window to keep, but check your plan's current hours. Depending on your address, your power may come from Trico Electric Cooperative instead.
Call now if you see any of these
- A burning smell, smoke or scorch marks at the motor or the switch. Keep away and do not touch anything electrical.
- Water at the motor or pooled under the pump. Water and electricity together are dangerous.
- A GFCI or breaker that trips again after one reset.
- Humming without spinning, or screeching and grinding.
- A pump that keeps losing prime after you have checked the water level, baskets and lid.
While you wait, leave the pump off, keep children and pets out of the pool area, and if the water is starting to turn, read what to do when the pool turns green. Never add or mix pool chemicals to make up for a pump that is not running.
What to tell the pool company
A short, clear description saves time: what the pump does or does not do, any sound, whether a breaker tripped, what the filter gauge read, roughly how old the pump is, and which checks you already made. Before any work, ask which Arizona ROC license the company holds and note the number.
Look up the contractor license. Contractor licensing in Arizona is handled by the state Registrar of Contractors, known as the ROC. A residential R-6 license, Swimming Pool Service and Repair, is the one meant for servicing home pools and making minor repairs; building a pool or replacing a whole plaster or pebble interior falls under construction licenses such as B-5. Whether a cleaning-only route needs any license is not spelled out by the ROC, so it is fair to ask a company what it holds. Write down its ROC number and enter it in the state's license lookup (new tab), which lists the license status, classification and recent complaints. Tucson Pool Cleaning Pro does not run this check on anyone.
Getting help when the pump stopped working
If the checklist did not bring the pump back, this site's phone number can get you to someone who works on pumps. Tucson Pool Cleaning Pro itself never touches the equipment. Ring (520) 372-1083 at any hour and describe the symptom and your part of the Tucson area; the assistant then connects you with a pool company that is independent and locally owned, and that company handles the visit, the diagnosis, the price and the bill.
- Dial the line(520) 372-1083 is picked up by an automated assistant around the clock, holidays included.
- Say what the pool is doingGreen water, a pump that is silent or grinding, a light that will not come on, white crust on the tile, plus the part of the Tucson area you live in.
- Get transferredYour call is handed to a pool service company in the Tucson area that is independent and locally owned. It gets a quick summary of the problem before it says hello.
- Work it out with themThat company inspects, quotes, does the job and bills you itself. If nobody picks up, your name, number, area and pool problem go to the company so it can phone you back.
About this line: Tucson Pool Cleaning Pro is a free phone line, not a pool company. It answers your call and connects you with an independent local pool service company, which inspects, quotes and does the work, and which you pay directly. Companies may pay a referral fee. The line never charges you. Read how the line works.