Heaters

Q.   Why does my spa take so long to heat?
A.  First, low gas volume is often the cause of heater inefficiency.  Check the size of your gas meter.  It should at least equal the size of your heater.  The number on the meter is the amount of gas it will provide to burn a number of B.T.U.’s.  Your utility company will normally resize your meter at no charge.  Secondly, if the gas piping is too small or the heater has been hooked up with a corrugated flem pipe, the gas flow can be too low.  If either of these conditions has been allowed to exist over time, a layer of soot may have coated the heat exchanger.  The soot acts as an insulator, slowing the transfer of heat to the water.  Finally, in windy conditions, your heater may need a down draft protector to allow the heater to work efficiently.

Q.  Why do I hear or see water dripping from inside my heater?
A.  This is usually attributed to the heat exchangers leaking.  The exchangers are made from copper and the metal is relatively soft.  The two chief reasons for the leaking is, one: the circulation pump is too powerful.  If the speed of the water in your system exceeds 8 feet per second, it will strip the copper.  Many pool construction companies have installed pumps that are way too large, thinking bigger is better.  The second problem improper chemical balance.  If your pool Ph is too low, i.e. having added too much acid, the water will eat the copper.  If you see blue stains on your pool walls and steps, this is an indication of these problems and the stain is the copper from the heater.

Q.  Why won’t my heater fire?
A.  There  are many components in a heater, any one of which can fail.  Most often, the heater won’t fire because of lack of sufficient water flow through it.  This may be due to full leaf baskets, clogged pump impellers, or dirty filters.

Pumps

Q. Why is my pump making a funny noise?
A.  When a pump cannot obtain the amount of water it requires, it creates a condition we call cavitation.  The first thing to check is that the water level in the pool is correct; at a point half way up the opening of the skimmer.  Secondly, check that the  flapper inside the skimmer throat is not stuck in the up position.  This impedes water flow into the skimmer, allowing more air into the system.  The third thing to check is to make sure the leaf baskets are empty.

Suction leaks can also cause a noisy pump or cause it to lose prime.  The repair for this can be as simple as replacing the o-ring on the pump lid to major re-plumbing if the leak is under your decking.
   
Contact a professional pool service technician for additional guidance on these and other pool care issues.