How Often Should You Have a Pump Serviced?

Pumps do not ask for attention until something goes wrong. They sit in a pump house or down a well and run quietly for years, and then one day the water stops or the field goes dry in the middle of the season. By then the repair is rarely small. A regular service check is how you find a worn part while it is still a cheap, quick fix.

Akland's FAQ gives straightforward guidance on how often to have a pump looked at. It depends on what kind of pump you have.

A schedule for each kind of pump

Domestic house pumps should have a yearly service check to make sure everything is running smoothly. This is the pump that gives your home water, so a failure shows up right away at the kitchen sink, the shower and the washing machine. Once a year is not much to ask for something your household relies on every hour of the day.

Irrigation pumps should be serviced at least every three years, or at any point when the pump is not sounding right or not producing what it should. These are the centrifugal pumps that move water through a field or an orchard. They work hard during the season and sit idle the rest of the year, and both extremes are hard on a pump.

Turbine motors should be checked every couple of years. Line shaft and submersible turbines sit deep in a well and are difficult to inspect, so scheduled attention matters more. Akland's turbine techs can handle yearly maintenance, repairs and replacements on turbines, and their lead turbine tech has over 8 years on the turbines of the Yakima Valley.

Signs a pump needs attention sooner

The schedule above is a minimum. Your pump will usually tell you when it needs help earlier, if you pay attention to it. Watch for:

• A new noise: grinding, squealing, rattling or a high whine that was not there last season.
• Heavy vibration, or a motor that runs hot to the touch.
• Water leaking where the shaft enters the pump, a sign the seal may be wearing out.
• Lower flow or pressure than the pump used to deliver, with nothing else in the system changed.
• A pump that runs longer than it used to, or cycles on and off when it should not.
• Air or sand showing up in your water.

If you notice any of these, do not wait for the next scheduled service. A small noise today is a seized bearing in August.

What a repair shop can do for you

Akland runs a full service pump repair shop in Yakima, set up for the cases where you need a total rebuild. According to the shop, the staff can repair almost all domestic jet pumps and irrigation centrifugal pumps, along with spa and pool pumps, sub turbines and turbines. Inside the shop you will find walls of impellers and gaskets, a lathe for shaft work and benches for motors and pumps.

Rudy Oberlander described a visit this way: “I had to take an irrigation pump down to them to have it inspected and to also get a seal replaced. Both tasks were completed with quality customer service. They provided me with a video of them testing the pump to show me that it was in good working order to begin with.”

A pump that tests fine is good news, and a shop that shows you proof is worth keeping.

Put your irrigation pump away right

The off season is the best time to service an irrigation pump. Once the season ends, drain it, get it out of the weather, and have it looked over while the shop is not slammed with spring work. Akland offers a winter storage program for irrigation pumps, and a pump that has been looked after over the winter is one less thing to worry about in April when you need water on the crop right now.

The same goes for your house pump. Pick a time of year that is easy to remember, such as the fall when you are getting the house ready for winter, and make it your annual check. Pair it with a look at the pressure tank while someone is there.

Not sure if it is due?

If you do not remember the last time anyone looked at your pump, that is your answer. Call the shop at (509) 452-7867 and tell them what kind of pump you have, how old it is and what you have noticed. They can tell you whether it is time to bring it in or have a technician take a look. You can also drop an irrigation pump off yourself at 3701 Fruitvale Blvd, Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 5.