Never servicing a pool pump reduces its lifespan from 10-15 years to 4-6 years. You’ll also pay 30-50% more in electricity as the pump loses efficiency. We see neglected pumps using $180/month in power versus $60/month for maintained pumps. The worst part? Neglected pumps fail suddenly, usually during a heat wave or before a pool party when you need them most. That $700/year service saves you $1,800 in premature replacement plus $1,400/year in wasted electricity.

Absolutely critical. A full basket forces debris past into the impeller, causing clogs that overheat the motor. We track this – pumps with weekly basket cleaning last 8-12 years, while “whenever I remember” cleaning results in 4-6 year lifespan. Those 5 minutes weekly literally double your pump’s life. Plus, a clogged impeller costs $175 to professionally clean versus $0 for emptying a basket.

Annual-only service is better than nothing but misses developing problems. Quarterly inspection catches issues when they’re $100-200 fixes instead of $600-1,400 replacements. Think of it like your car – you wouldn’t drive 50,000 miles between oil changes. Pumps run 8-10 hours daily (3,000+ hours/year), equivalent to driving 150,000 miles. They need regular attention.

Professional quarterly service includes: impeller inspection and cleaning, shaft seal check for leaks, motor amp draw testing, bearing sound evaluation, capacitor testing, o-ring lubrication, pressure system check, flow rate verification, and early problem identification. Takes 30-45 minutes and catches 90% of problems before they become expensive. The $125-175 cost prevents average of $400-600 in annual repairs.

Service plans typically save 20-30% versus individual calls and guarantee priority service during busy season. More importantly, scheduled service happens – “call when needed” usually means waiting until something breaks. Plans costing $75-100/month include all quarterly service plus emergency calls. Considering one emergency call costs $300-400, plans pay for themselves with one avoided emergency.

Cleaning the impeller. Most people never even know it needs cleaning until the pump fails. Impellers should be checked quarterly and cleaned as needed – usually 2-3 times per year in Orange County. A clogged impeller makes the motor work 50% harder, shortening life by years. It’s the difference between your pump dying at 5 years versus lasting 12 years. Yet 80% of pool owners have never had their impeller cleaned.