Maintaining Pool when Pool Pump has died

How to Maintain a Pool When Your Pump Has Died

It’s the pool owner’s version of a horror movie – a week before July 4th and your big backyard pool party, the pump dies (after you just got the chemicals perfectly balanced of course).  You call the local pool company and they’re booked for the next two weeks.  They can get to you. . . after the holiday.  You decide to do it yourself and order a new motor or pump online.  That’s faster but it will still take two or three days to receive.  Meanwhile, the hottest temperatures recorded since 1843 just happen to roll into your area and settle like a wool blanket over your pool.  Now cue the terrifying green monster, also known as an algae bloom.  As the hero or heroine in any scary movie, the question is can you figure out a way to survive until help arrives?  The answer is yes, but it will take some doing to be victorious.

Blog Image - Test Water (200 x 200)Test Your Water

Ideally, you want to have solid readings on your chemical levels so you know where you’re starting from.  If you don’t already have one, get a reliable test kit such as a Taylor K2005.

Add ChlorineBlog Image - Floating Chlorinator (200 x 200)

You can increase chlorine levels using shock or liquid chlorine but you’ll need to stand in for that broken-down pump and manually circulate the water.  Stir things up with a pole or paddle to disperse the chlorine throughout the pool.  This will also prevent a concentrated amount from settling in one spot and causing damage.  A floating chlorinator is another option which will disperse chlorine by itself as it floats about.

Blog Image - Pool Brush (200 x 200)Brush, and Brush Again

Give the whole pool a good brushing 1 – 2 times per day.  This will help keep the water moving and also take care of your daily workout.

click here to find your replacement pool pump parts

Attack DebrisBlog Image - Leaves in Pool (200 x 200)

If any leaves or other debris fall in the pool, scoop them up.  Keeping organics out of the pool will reduce the food source for bacteria and algae.  Check your skimmer basket too and make sure it’s clean.

Floc and Vac It

After shocking, some flocculant (a/k/a floc) and a manual vacuum (one independent of the pump) can help clear away some dead algae.  The floc will drop suspended particles to the pool floor for easy vacuuming.


Blog Image - Dolphin Cleaner (200 x 200)Run Your Robot

If you have a robotic cleaner, you can keep it running to help circulate and filter the water.  Be sure to clean the cleaner’s filter bag or cartridge regularly.

Don’t Wait

Once you get your new pump or motor, don’t procrastinate!  Install it right away so you can get your pool back in order.

Follow these steps and hopefully, you can avoid or at least mitigate the worst effects of a dead pool pump and your pool water turning green.  We understand that pool season is far too short to lose precious sunny days, so be sure to keep us in mind for fast shipping of pumps, replacement motors, and parts – plus the tech support to back them up at 877-372-6038.

61 thoughts on “How to Maintain a Pool When Your Pump Has Died

  1. I have a 30’ above ground pool and my filter keeps losing pressure therefore is not circulating
    The water properly. Once I go out and bump the handle of my DE filter, it will begin to run again for about 15 minutes and stop. The pool is green with algae. All the chemical levels levels are good. I used a whole bottle of algeacide, and six bags of shock and the pool is still green. What can I do because I cannot vacuum by hand because of the filter not running properly. I do you have a robotic cleaner that I have been using but that doesn’t seem to be helping any. I want to buy a new filter but I do not want to invest in one and have all the algea collecting in the new filter. What suggestions do you have?

  2. pool motor stoped running how to keep it from turning green it is in the upper 90S please give me a solutions thanks william

  3. My motor died in my pump and I have a above ground pool about 4 and a half feet deep. I’ve been vacuuming it daily, adding extra chlorine and algaecide and making sure to move the water around as much as possible. So far so good 👌🏼 my 30th birthday party is tomorrow which was suppose to be a pool party but I managed to keep it clean for the time being!

  4. Thank you this great help. We are unable to run our pool pump on our 18 ft above ground pool with 2 ft of water in the pool, while we wait for a new pool.

  5. This write-up fits my situation pretty well.

    *Just got water perfectly clear after fighting mustard algae for 2 weeks.
    *Pool birthday party coming up in 4 days.
    *Pump motor died this morning.

    Motor ordered from inyopools.com and I will be running my sump pump over the skimmer basket filled with chlorine pucks and brushing a few times each day to keep things moving around until the new motor gets here.

  6. I have an above ground 10′ wide, 30″ deep kiddie pool. It doesn’t have a pump or filter. It was left covered very well for 2 weeks. When we uncovered it there are small patches of white algae floating on top.
    What is the best to clean out the algae?

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