Why You Shouldn’t Replumb the Pump Until the Leak Is Fixed

Quick Takeaways

• Leaks at the pump unions are often a side effect of a pool leak that let the water drop and pull air.
• If the pool is still leaking and the skimmer still sucks air, you can cook brand new plumbing the same way.
• The smart sequence is: confirm leak → address leak → then fix cooked plumbing.
• Doing it backwards is one of the easiest ways to waste money on equipment repairs.

How People End Up Replumbing Too Soon

The story usually goes like this:

• Water always seems a little low, but it’s easy to blame evaporation.
• You hear some gurgling at the skimmer, maybe see air in the pump basket.
• Eventually, you notice a drip at the pump fittings and think, “That’s my leak.”
• You call someone, they point at the wet spot and say, “Yep, needs to be replumbed.”

The underlying leak in the pool never gets addressed, so nothing really changes except your bank account.

Why Order of Operations Matters So Much

Plumbing at the pump doesn’t randomly decide to start leaking on a healthy, well-primed system. The usual chain reaction is:

1. Real leak in the pool → water level drops more than evaporation.
2. Low water at skimmer → skimmer pulls air on and off.
3. Air in suction line and pump → reduced flow, less cooling, hotter equipment.
4. Hot pump and PVC → unions and fittings warp, o-rings give up, leaks appear at the pad.

If you only fix step 4 (the cooked plumbing) but leave steps 1–3 in place, you’re setting up your new plumbing to live the same bad life.

The Right Sequence: Leak First, Replumb Second

Here’s the smarter way to approach it:

1. Confirm whether you actually have a leak.
   Run a bucket test and track water loss.
   How to Run a Bucket Test »
2. Talk to a leak detection pro if the numbers look bad.
   If you’re losing more than normal, get a plan for finding and dealing with the leak.
   Connect with a Leak Pro »
3. Stabilize water level and stop chronic air in the system.
   Once the leak is repaired or managed, your pump has a chance to run in a healthy operating range again.
4. Then fix the equipment plumbing.
   Replumb the pump unions or rebuild the pad knowing you’re not about to cook it all over again.

This doesn’t mean you ignore a dangerous equipment leak in the meantime. It means you understand that “fixing the leak story” and “fixing the pump” work together, and one of them has to go first.

What If I Can’t Fix the Leak Right Away?

Sometimes budgets are tight or the leak situation is complicated. In that case:

• Be religious about keeping the water level up at the skimmer.
• Shorten pump run time if your water isn’t cooling the system properly (talk to a pro about safe minimums).
• Understand that any replumb you do in this state is more of a band-aid than a long-term fix.

If you’re honest about that, you can make smarter decisions and avoid shock when a “permanent fix” doesn’t last under bad conditions.

Who Benefits When You Understand This?

Understanding the right order protects:

• You: from paying twice for the same kind of repair.
• Leak pros: by sending them customers who understand why their service matters.
• Repair techs: because they get to fix equipment that isn’t being abused by ongoing leaks.

That’s exactly the kind of clarity PoolLeakFix is built to give you — not just “call somebody,” but call the right somebody in the right order.