During the winter season, most homeowners turn off their water pump to save energy and make the water pump last longer. Some homeowners are unaware of the risk of turning it off like for example, losing its water pressure. That’s the reason why the water pump has to be primed again so it works perfectly upon using.

If you’re facing the same concern after the winter months, fret no more. If you want to prime your water pump by yourself, we can show you an easy guide on how to do it the right way.

How to Prime the Water Pump Right?

  1. Always wear protective gear or PPE

Safety is the top priority as always. Before working on anything that involves possible risks for your safety, make sure that you wear personal protective equipment. Never perform any task without using protective gear.

  1. Shut the power off upon working

As part of the safety measures, never work with the power on. Make sure that before you begin the task, the power source should be shut down. You’re working on water pumps here. It’s no secret that water and electricity don’t get along quite well.

Take a good look at the breaker panel and the base of the pump to verify if all the power sources are shut down or unplugged. Do this with safety precautions ensuring that your hands are not wet.

  1. Find a Plumbing Fixture

To perform the task correctly, you will need to go through the pump system. For you to do so, you’ll have to search for a plumbing fixture. The plumbing fixture will help you reach the nearest fixture by the water tank.

If you have a pool pump instead of a plumbing fixture, you will need to look for the strainer basket. Take help from a friend if you need, as it will make the task easier and faster.

  1. Assess the Pump

Assess the overall condition of the pump and check for any possible damages that’s causing the problem. Check for breaks or leaks through the fittings or piping. Verify if the drain plugs need further tightening, over time it gets loose with constant use and operation. If it’s getting loose, make sure to retighten it. Also take a look at the valves and test if it’s still working. If not, you might need to fix it or replace it entirely if the damage is too much.

Keep in mind that you will need to check your pump and its hardware like the bolts and nuts from time to time if you shut it down for the winter season. The cold weather can affect the prime’s effectiveness and you can avoid this if there are maintenance checks often.

  1. Test the hose and the valves

Check one of your garden hoses and run some water through it. Keep running the water until you’re seeing a much more crystal clear clean water flowing through it. This can help you gauge whether the water pumps are working well or not.

If you’re seeing debris or discoloration from the water after a few attempts, check the hose if it needs cleaning or replacement. Careful not to drink from it since the water might be contaminated with lead or other harmful contaminants.

Also, you will need to open the valves and put a halt of its pressure. The pressure can also affect the water pump’s prime and it’s important to stop it first so it can work. Monitor its pressure gauge as well.

  1. Install the Hose

After all the strenuous checks and fixing damages, it’s about time to install the house back to the water tank source. Make sure you fit it tightly to avoid any leaks. This is only applicable if you’re using a standard water pump. But if you’re using a pool pump at home, attach the hose to the strainer basket instead.

  1. Check if it works and turn the water on

Now the moment of truth, test the water pump by turning on the source. To know if it works perfectly again, you should hear the water flowing through the water tank. Also check if the pressure gauge is increasing or moving. If it’s working well with no issues, you’re good to go.

On the other hand, test the pool pumps by checking the strainer bank if it’s filled with water. Once you notice that there’s water flowing on the other end of the hose, just turn off the water hose. It should work by now.

  1. Turn the Power Source On

Once everything goes well with priming the water pump, just turn on the power source and let it run smoothly back to its normal operation. Have the pump run some water for at least a minute. Check all the relief valves if there’s water flowing before tightening them back to its place.

If you notice that the pump turns off by itself, it’s a good sign that it has been primed. But if it hasn’t you may have to repeat the steps again until it works.

  1. Call for an Expert Plumber

If after a few attempts, it’s still not working. It’s time to call for professional help. It must be a serious problem that needs to be addressed by experts. If you’re not experienced enough to assess and resolve the problem, never attempt to fix it yourself. It will only bring damage rather than a solution to the problem. Also, don’t wait it out for a long time or else you’re just prolonging the damage. Just have it fixed immediately.

What causes a pump to lose its prime?

Leaks on the pump’s intake line as well as around the shaft seal of the pump housing itself can cause your pump to lose its prime. Obstruction-One possible reason your pump may be losing its prime is an obstruction or blockage in a line. Debris blocking the suction strainer or foot valve is the most common cause.

Do you need to prime a water pump?

Water pumps will run out of pressure and stop working if turned off for an extended period of time, such as over the winter. In order to get the pump working again, it needs to “primed”: water needs to be flushed back into it and forced through in order for it to create enough pressure to begin pumping again.

How much water is needed to prime a well pump?

Obtain a gallon or two of water to use for re-priming the water pump. If you have a little water pressure remaining in the system just run the water into a couple of clean one-gallon milk cartons (or any clean container in an emergency).

What does priming a water pump mean?

Priming simply means preparing or getting something ready for operation. For a centrifugal pump to work properly, you need to fill it up with water. Most centrifugal pumps are incapable of pumping vapours or gases and continuously doing so will damage the pump impeller.

How do you remove air from a water pump?

Fill an enclosed pressure capable tank with water. Have the water Outlet at the bottom and air pressure inlet at the top. Pump Air in and water goes out.

How long does it take to prime a water pump?

Let the pump run for approximately one minute. If you opened any relief valves, wait until water begins to run from them before closing them again. If the pump turns off naturally, it’s primed.

What happens if a pump is not primed?

Priming maintains the pump’s functionality because water, or the pumped fluid, acts as a coolant which prevents the pump from overheating. If you don’t fill the pump with fluid, it will run dry, which leads to mechanical seal failure or damage to the pump’s components.

Why is my water pump not pumping water?

Your Pump is running but there is no water coming out

Possible cause for this type of issues is that your pump has lost its prime. Turn power to pump off. Remove gauge with bushing or bladder tank from top of pump. Open faucet or hose bib at pump to bleed air from system.

How do you fix an airlock in a water pump?

If the pump is located below the available level of water column you could break the primer plug until water starts seeping out. If both the pump and the outlet are located below the available water column, I usually just let gravity prime the pump and then once flowing, turn it on.

Why do I suddenly have no water?

If you’re not getting any water in your home, it’s likely because of a problem with the water main. If you have an emergency shut-off valve, it could have accidentally triggered and stopped your water flow, or the valve could be open and impeding your water supply because it’s leaking.

What to do if water pump stops working?

Check Your Breaker Box

Your well pump may have stopped working due to lack of power. Sometimes resetting a breaker or replacing a fuse affected by a power surge or brownout can fix this. If the well pump circuit breaker has tripped, the well pump itself may be failing.

Is there a reset button on a water pump?

Hold the lever in place for one minute to allow the water pressure to build inside the pump. Your well pump is reset when you can release the lever and it continues to run.

How can you tell if your water pump is bad?

Five Signs Your Water Pump Is Failing
  1. Overheating. A deceased or dying water pump cannot circulate coolant through your vehicle’s engine and, as such, the engine will overheat.
  2. Coolant Leaks. Coolant leaks from the water pump are common and a clear sign that it’s time to replace the pump.
  3. Corroded Water Pump.
  4. Whining Noises.

What causes pump failure?

Cavitation – as liquid pressure falls below its vapour pressure, bubbles form and implode on impellers and interior surfaces, damaging pump internals, disrupting flow and leading to seal failure. Temperature – a blocked discharge can result in fluid stagnation causing a spike in temperature.

What are two common reasons for pump failure?

According to the technical report by the RKB Bearing Industries Group, by far the most common reason for bearing failure is improper lubrication (80%), causing it to overheat. Other causes include improper bearing selection, overload, fatigue and many more.

How do you troubleshoot a pump?

No liquid delivery
  1. Lack of prime. Fill pump and suction pipe completely with liquid.
  2. Loss of prime. Check for leaks in suction pipe joints and fittings; vent casing to remove accumulated air.
  3. Suction lift too high.
  4. Discharge system head too high.
  5. Speed too low.
  6. Wrong direction of rotation.
  7. Impeller completely plugged.

What will happen when not enough liquid to be pumped?

When driving the pump at fixed speed, if the equilibrium is achieved at a flow very lower than the design flow, the pump will experience flow distortions causing high vibrations and lower efficiency. Also a very low flow may be under the minimum thermal flow increasing the risk of damages.

What happens if you don’t have enough NPSH?

What happens it you don’t have enough? The reason for each pump’s minimum NPSH is dependent on the pump technology: – High-velocity pumps (e.g., ESP and jet pumps) will cavitate if they don’t get enough suction pressure. – Low velocity technologies (e.g., rod pumps and pcp) will gas lock and possibly overheat.