Joel Talks - Pool Service Q&A: Air Bubble in Pool Returns? Here's What it Means and How to Fix It!

Our Service Manager, Joel Fitzgerald has been with the The Pool Man for 18 years, most of which he spent as our "Boots on the Ground" filling the role of Senior Service Technician.  With over 22 years industry experience, he's seen alot, and been asked a lot...so what better source to answer some FAQs online to help folks out?  This week, we're going to talk about how any why air bubbles get into your pool system, and what to do to fix it.

Customer Question –  “My pump has a lot of air inside and there are air bubbles coming out of all my returns. Is this an issue?”

Answer – Yes! In some cases, a little air in the returns at the pool are okay. If you have an Ozone generator, this will add air into the pool as most of the injection points are at the pool equipment. You should only see air in a few locations though. Air will follow the path of least resistance, so if your pool return manifold has multiple pipes, you could see air bubbles from each of those return spots in the pool. Typically, pool returns are connected together, so if you have 4 pool return eyeballs you would see the air bubbles coming from the one nearest the equipment. Spa common lines would be another, etc. etc. Having air coming from all the returns and all around the pool could signify a bigger issue: Pool systems are considered closed systems and air will enter on the suction side only. This includes everything from the pump lid, front drain plug and plumbing entering the pump from the suction manifold (skimmers/main drain etc.). Everything from the pump discharge pipe and rear plug through the other components (filter, heater) is pressured, so there would be a drip or spray leak. This narrows down where you need to look! Don’t forget the water level in the pool either. Most pools are equipped with an overflow grate, the water level in the pool should be just below this.

Tips/tricks – The number 1 culprit would be a dirty pump lid O-ring. It’s amazing to me how a tiny seed pod could cause so much headache. Shutting the pumps off and leaning down to listen for an air draw sound would be the first thing to do. Putting your ear up against the valves as well. Pulling the pump lid off to check the O-ring and inspecting it for debris and cracks would be the next thing you should do. Also keep in mind that there are weir doors in skimmers (swing flaps). Debris can hang them up and cause the skimmer to empty out which would allow air to make it into the pump pot. Last, filter pressures. Filter pressure should be less than 30psi. Sometimes different set-ups can allow filter psi to be at 30 but should not be over 30 normally. Dirty filters can result in preventing the pump from fully priming which could add air into the system.

Take-aways – Confirming that your pump lid O-rings are plump, supple and free of debris can eliminate a lot of air/flow issues. Ensuring the pools filter is cleaned regularly and baskets cleared is also beneficial and maintaining the proper water level is paramount!

Do you have questions you'd like help with from Joel?  Give us a call at (281) 251-2577 and ask for him by name, OR send us an email at info@poolmaninc.com and let's see what we can do to help pool ownership be a fun experience instead of a high-maintenance worry!