How to Maintain a Pool When Your Pump Has Died

Maintaining Pool when Pool Pump has died

February 16, 2015

3 Minute Read

It’s the pool owner’s version of a horror movie – a week before July 4th and your big backyard pool party, the pool pump dies (after you just got the chemicals perfectly balanced of course). You call the local pool company and they’re booked for the next two weeks. They can get to you. . . after the holiday. You decide to do it yourself and order a new motor or pump online. That’s faster but it will still take two or three days to receive. Meanwhile, the hottest temperatures recorded since 1843 just happen to roll into your area and settle like a wool blanket over your pool. Now cue the terrifying green monster, also known as an algae bloom. As the hero or heroine in any scary movie, the question is can you figure out a way to survive until help arrives? The answer is yes, but it will take some doing to be victorious.

Test Your Water

Ideally, you want to have solid readings on your chemical levels so you know where you’re starting from. If you don’t already have one, get a reliable test kit such as a Taylor K2005.

Add Chlorine

You can increase chlorine levels using shock or liquid chlorine but you’ll need to stand in for that broken-down pump and manually circulate the water. Stir things up with a pole or paddle to disperse the chlorine throughout the pool. This will also prevent a concentrated amount from settling in one spot and causing damage. A floating chlorinator is another option which will disperse chlorine by itself as it floats about.

Brush, and Brush Again

Give the whole pool a good brushing 1 – 2 times per day. This will help keep the water moving and also take care of your daily workout.

Attack Debris

If any leaves or other debris fall in the pool, scoop them up. Keeping organics out of the pool will reduce the food source for bacteria and algae. Check your skimmer basket too and make sure it’s clean.

Floc and Vac It

After shocking, some flocculant (a/k/a floc) and a manual vacuum (one independent of the pump) can help clear away some dead algae. The floc will drop suspended particles to the pool floor for easy vacuuming.

Run Your Robot

If you have a robotic cleaner, you can keep it running to help circulate and filter the water. Be sure to clean the cleaner’s filter bag or cartridge regularly.

Don’t Wait

Once you get your new pump or motor, don’t procrastinate! Install it right away so you can get your pool back in order.

Follow these steps and hopefully, you can avoid or at least mitigate the worst effects of a dead pool pump and your pool water turning green. We understand that pool season is far too short to lose precious sunny days, so be sure to keep us in mind for fast shipping of pumps, replacement motors, and parts – plus the tech support to back them up at 877-372-6038.

Matthew Simmons Technical Writer & Pool Product Expert

Swimming pool expert at InyoPools and host of Poolside Chat, brings over a decade of experience in the pool industry.

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Troubleshooting Topics

Controls / Automation

Chlorinators

Skimmers / Drains

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61 responses to “How to Maintain a Pool When Your Pump Has Died”

Steve

May 31, 2019

I live in Saudi Arabia and have an Intex above ground pool (16’x32′) with a sand filter and a Hayward 1.5hp pump. The pump is failing (it gets really hot) and in less than one week I will be in the US for 5 weeks. At the moment, I plan to hire someone to add chlorine tablets and vacuum it once a week while we’re away. The motor will be fine to handle the vacuuming, but it’s not ok for me to leave it running 24/7 (which would be my only other option as I don’t have a timer) in this heat and with the motor starting to run so hot. The other option would be to drain it. If draining it is the best option, I’m assuming it’s not good to leave the pool up. In other words, I’m guessing I would need to completely take it all down. What do you advise?

Reply
Roberta R

February 17, 2019

Hello Matthew,
I am renting a condo with a fabulous pool for the winter. Fabulous until over ten days ago the pool water lowered below the line of the filter level due to a mysterious leak. It is a large outdoor pool in a hot climate, it has 20 filters with baskets that are not able to function. The management is agreed to do nothing to find the leak but instead operate the pool without the filters in operation. They are under the assumption that they are adding chlorine, hand filtering from the edge nightly and maintaining the ph is adequate. My question is…is it? The pool is huge and I see over 3 dozen families using it daily and I also see floating debris in the evening pool lights and floating masses of scum and sludge on the surface collecting in the corner. It is not green though, is it safe? Thank you very much for your time.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  February 18, 2019
  
  With the information you gave me, I wouldn’t swim in the pool. It sounds like they are being cheap by not wanting to fix the issue. If you want to find out if the water is being adequately sanitized, take samples of the water to a pool store for testing. Take a sample in the morning, afternoon and the evening to see how the water is evolving (or devolving) over the day.
  
  If the chlorine levels stay low, and water quality is bad then a call to an inspector might do something. But the management may just choose to close the pool entirely instead of forking over money to find the fix.
  
  Reply
  1. Roberta R
    
    February 20, 2019
    
    Thank you.
    
    Reply
Derek

September 5, 2018

Hi. This is my story exactly. Only my Pentair pump is only 28 days old, not to mention the third one in three years. It died on Saturday, Labor day weekend. Temps in the 90’s, now it is wednesday. I have the solar cover on, which helps preserve the chlorine in the water, but it is raising the water temp into the 90’s. I have debated closing the pool for the season while the water is still clear. No one, and I mean no one is in a hurry to replace my pump. It should be under warranty but you have to provide all kinds of documentation other than your purchase receipt. They are taking their sweet time in honoring the warranty. Meanwhile the green machine is starting its agenda. Not green yet, but any day. An earlier post says add chlorine, what about algaecide? How long should I paddle the pool before adding chlorine shock? I am still in shock that I paid over $1000 to have my pump and filter replaced and it did not last a month. Help!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  September 6, 2018
  
  Yes, algaecide can be added. Brush/mix the water for 10-15 minutes a couple time a day to mix in shock.
  
  Reply
Darren

August 25, 2018

So my drive went and I put a sump pump one the first step of my pool and streached the hose to the deep end, seems to be working well, I get the replacement tomorrow which will be 3 days of non-operation. I’ll update this post.

Darren

Reply
Kandy

July 22, 2018

I have a salt water pool, my pump went out and have ordered one but will be 5 days before it gets here. It’s already trying to turn green. Can I use shock it in it or will it hurt my salt chlorinated pump?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 2, 2018
  
  Yes, standard pool shock can be used in a salt pool. The shock will have no ill effect on the water or pool chemistry.
  
  Reply
Linda

January 1, 2018

Hello, my pool pump housing is cracked and I can’t run my pool until I get a new one. Basically the pool won’t prime. Problem is, temps are in the 20’s at night and my pool had a thin sheet of ice on the top of it this morning. I broke the ice by pouring buckets and buckets and buckets and buckets, did I say buckets? Of hot water on it. What can I do to keep my pool from freezing or causing more damage while I wait for the new pool pump/housing. Thanks for any suggestions you can offer!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  The water in your pool is only part of the problem, you need to also address the water in the pipes. The water in the pipes can cause damage you can’t see and can be expensive to fix. I suggest you get a jug or two of the pool anti-freeze and apply asap. You can introduce the anti-freeze into the suction side by pouring it into the skimmer. But if your return line still has water, I’m not sure how you would get the anti-freeze applied there.
  
  The best solution is to get a replacement housing or pump as soon as you can. The article covers what to do in in the warmer months, the winter has its own set of obstacles to overcome.
  
  Reply
Gail W.

November 19, 2017

My pool pump died in September and I neglected the pool till now when I need to close it. Of course the pool is green. But without the pump I can’t vacuum nor stir the chemicals around. What can I do? Can I close it like this and deal with it in spring? What would happen?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  November 28, 2017
  
  The article tells you how to mix in chemicals when the pump has died. As for closing an already green pool, it can be done but you may have to deal with siginifcant staining come the spring.
  
  Reply
michael

October 1, 2017

Hi. Have a leak & want the water level to keep going down until we can find it. Chlorine dispenser, check. Can we circulate the water temporarily with a submersible pump until its dealt with. Would you use the sump pump to send water up to the water intake & use the pool pump as usual as the water level is low or just use the sump pump to circulate the water? 10000gal. Thanks

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  October 2, 2017
  
  If you are not sure where the leak is, draining the water may reduce your abilities to find it. If your leak is coming from the pool basin’s sidewall, skimmer joint or shallow end, where the water stops is going to help tell you where to begin looking. If the leak stops a couple of inches under the skimmer, then that tells you the leak is in that 1-2 inch ring around the pool.
  
  But if you want to hasten the process of dropping the water, use a sump pump and hook it up to a hose or some basic backwash hose and direct it to a drain.
  
  Reply
  1. michael
    
    October 3, 2017
    
    Thanks Matthew. We want to let the water level drop lower so we can find where the water stops draining. This means the pool pump is inoperable. We have the chlorine dispenser but need to circulate the water to stop it stagnating?
    1. Can we do this with a submersible pump?
    2. Or can we use a sump pump to send the water up to the water skimmer basket pump inlet so we can use the pool pump?
    3. If so whats the minimum time we can use the pump per day to keep the water ok. Thanks again.
    
    Reply
    1. Matthew Simmons
      
      October 3, 2017
      
      1) The sump can be used to keep the water churning to keep the chlorine in your water.
      2) I don’t think that would work.
      3) The runtime needed for a pump is dependent on the gallons per hour. Check the label of the pump, it should have flow ratings.
      
      Reply
      1. michael
        
        October 4, 2017
        
        Thanks Matthew youre very helpful. I think (2) might work lol. From NZ thanks.
Lisa

September 24, 2017

Can I successfully close my pool without the pump? My pump broke just before closing time and dont want to hurry run out and replace it if I don’t have to.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  September 25, 2017
  
  It depends on what you need to do. If you need to lower your water level before putting on a cover then you will need a sump pump. But you can just throw a cover on it and call it a season without a pump. Follow the steps we mention in this blog to add in winterizing chemicals.
  
  Reply
Jan

July 27, 2017

We just bought a house with an indoor Endless Pool (about 2500 gallons). If we leave for several days or more, I am wondering if I could turn off the pool pump and instead put a submersible pump in the pool (on a timer) to circulate the water throughout the pool — pumping water from the pool bottom and returning it on the surface. Even thought I have a floating dispenser for chlorine tablets, the pool cover will keep the dispenser in a fixed position, so I require another means of circulating the water. I would prefer not to have to worry about the the pump failing and/or the circulation pipes springing a major leak when we’re gone. If the idea is sound, might there still be an issue with keeping the chlorine level high enough in the circulation piping since the main pump would be off?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 1, 2017
  
  I’ll be honest, it sounds like you are overthinking it. The chances of your pump going out while you are on vacation are slim. Yes, there are stories of it happening, but there are also stories of it happening when the homeowners go to the grocery store, to only come back to a dead pump. Instead of buying a submersible pump or any other things to rig it up, close the pool if you expected to be gone for a month or more. Or ask a neighbor to see if they will check in on it, it will give you a reason to get to know them. Or just let the pool equipment do its job.
  
  Reply