Gary's Pool Supplies › Guides › Repair
California efficiency rules mean most replacement pool pumps are variable-speed. Here is what that means for the price, the install, and your electric bill.
The call usually starts the same way: the pump is screaming, or it won't start, and the homeowner wants the same pump put back. For most pools in California that is no longer an option.
California's appliance efficiency rules require replacement residential pool pumps of about 1 horsepower and up to be variable-speed (or multi-speed) rather than the old single-speed design. In practice, when a single-speed pump of that size fails, the replacement is a variable-speed pump.
A variable-speed pump runs most of the day at low speed, which moves the same water for a fraction of the electricity. Many owners see a noticeable drop in the electric bill, and the pump is much quieter. It can still run at high speed for vacuuming, a spa, or a water feature.
Variable-speed pumps often need a little re-plumbing to fit the existing pad, and the wiring may need updating. We look at the whole pad, quote the pump and the install as one number, and program the speeds and schedule before we leave.
Not every noisy pump is dead. A bad bearing, a leaking seal, or air getting in at the lid can often be fixed for a lot less. We diagnose first, and we'll tell you straight when a repair is worth doing.