Your pool’s health depends on maintaining circulation, so you’ll want to understand why it slows down or stops altogether. Here at Baracuda, we’ve compiled a list of potential causes for low to no water flow in your pool: 

It’s possible that your pump won’t have power:

We’ll start with the fundamentals. Although it seems obvious, this is a surprisingly typical response to the question of why pools have no or little water flow:

1. Verify that your pump is powered on and connected in
2. Make sure your home has power
3. Examine the pump’s electrical cord for any damage

Check the pool pump again:

After making sure your pump is operating, look for the following things as well:

1. Is there a lot of heat coming off the motor? (Pool pumps are hot to the touch, but if you can’t hold the motor in your hand for a few seconds without getting burned, it’s too hot!) 
2. Are there any leaks in your pool pump?

Your pool doesn’t have enough water:

Like an iron, your pool requires enough water for the equipment to operate properly. Your skimmer will suction air if there is not enough water, which might result in loss of prime or diminishing due to wind, heat, or humidity alone. How to control:

1. Make certain that your pool’s level is consistently at least halfway up the skimmer box opening.
2. Once every two weeks, check your water level.

Check for any potential leaks if you see that the water level in your pool is dropping quickly.

Blocked pump basket or skimmer box

Your pool skimmer box or pump basket being full is the most frequent cause of low or no flow. When it rains heavily, a lot of leaves and other detritus fall into our pool and wind up in these baskets.

Skimmer box basket:

1. Examine and remove any debris, such as leaves, from your skimmer box basket.
2. Look for signs of splitting or breakage in the basket.
3. You’ll need a new skimmer basket if you see any damage.
4. Make sure that the weir door, which is the skimmer box flapping door, is not stuck.

Pool pump basket:

1. Inspect the hair and lint pump basket for debris buildup.
2. Examine the basket for any damage.
3. You’ll need a new lint basket if you see any damage.
4. To enable the lid to close and prevent air from entering the system, make sure the basket is properly seated in the pump.

Pump O-ring that is dirty or old

Additionally, make sure the O-ring within the pump lid is clean and in good shape. 

1. Replace a worn ring if the O-ring appears to be damaged (cuts, warped shape).. 
2. Simply feed an old, moist towel through your fingers to clean the O-ring in the pump lid.
3. Remove any dirt from the area where the O-ring is located and from the area around the pump lid.
4. To prevent scuffing or abrasion damage, grease the O-ring. Vaseline shouldn’t be used because it will make the ring stretch and lose its shape. Instead, we advise using Hydra-slip silicone lubricant to grease the O-ring.
5. When the motor is turned back on, make sure all connections are secure and there are no leaks.

You can read our product information and instructions if you’re having a different kind of problem with one of our pool products. Happy swimming!