Most common
Electrical
A GFCI outlet that tripped and needs resetting, or an outlet that has gone bad. If it trips again straight after a reset, an electrician needs to look at the circuit.
Pond pump repair · Richmond, VA
Pond pump repair and replacement in Richmond, VA
Jordan's Water Garden Solutions repairs and replaces pond and fountain pumps in Richmond, Henrico County, Chesterfield County and Charlottesville. Jordan Blanton, an Aquascape Certified Contractor, diagnoses most pump problems on one service call. Service calls start at $275, and if the pump really has failed you get a replacement quote before he leaves the yard. Pump work is part of Jordan's pond cleaning and maintenance.
$275per service call, to start
The three usual causes
A pump that keeps turning on and off is rarely a dead pump
The pump is the heartbeat of the pond. It keeps the waterfall running, puts oxygen in the water and keeps the fish and the filter alive, so it is frustrating when it stops. The call Jordan gets most is a pump that cycles on and off with no sign of damage or age. Most of the time it comes down to one of these.
Next most common
A clog
A leaf or a stick jammed in the impeller. The pump hums, pushes less water or none, and heats up. That is a service, not a new pump. Jordan clears the intake, checks the impeller for damage and puts it back to work.
Now and then
A worn pump
Seals go, bearings wear, and a pump that ran dry during a leak may never recover. When that is the diagnosis, Jordan quotes a replacement sized to your waterfall and your filtration, and the swap is easy to schedule.
Before you call
Three things worth checking first
Spend five minutes on these before you book. If the pump is still quiet afterwards, Jordan knows where to start.
- Reset the GFCI. Find the outlet the pump is plugged into and press the reset button. If it holds, you are done. If it trips again within a minute, unplug the pump and leave the circuit to an electrician.
- Check the skimmer basket and the pump intake. Lift the skimmer lid and empty the basket. Then feel around the pump intake for leaves, a stick or a wad of string algae. A full basket starves the pump.
- Listen for a hum. A pump that hums but moves no water is clogged or has a stuck impeller. A pump that is silent with the outlet live is a motor problem. Either way, tell Jordan what you heard.
What a service call covers
Diagnosed on the first visit, from $275
Jordan comes out, finds the fault and fixes what can be fixed on the spot. A clog, a tired check valve or a loose fitting is usually sorted in the same visit. If the pump itself has failed, he measures the flow your waterfall needs and quotes the replacement before he leaves.
There is no replacement price on this page because the pump is the variable: a small fountain pump and one that pushes a four foot waterfall are different animals.
Power and outlet
Is the outlet live, is the GFCI holding, is the cord sound. The electrical cause is confirmed or ruled out first.
Intake, impeller and plumbing
The skimmer, the intake and the impeller are cleared and checked, then the check valve and the line to the waterfall.
Repair or quote
What can be fixed is fixed. If the pump is done, you get a quote for the right Aquascape pump and a date for the swap.
Already know the pump is done?
Ask for a replacement in two minutes
If the pump is old, has run dry, or a previous visit already called it, skip the diagnosis and go straight to a quote. Jordan installs the Aquascape pond pumps he builds with, sized to the waterfall and the filter, so the new one is not fighting the rest of the system.
Send Jordan these and he can quote the pump.
A few photos of the pond and the waterfall, a photo of the pump or its label if you can get to it, your street address and your email. Photos go by text to (804) 719-4761, since the site has no upload.
Keeping the next pump alive
Most pumps die of debris, not age
An Aquascape skimmer and a clean basket
The best protection a pump can have is a skimmer catching leaves and wind-blown debris before they reach the intake, and someone emptying the basket on a schedule. A pond built without a skimmer can have one added. See pond upgrades for what a skimmer does, and maintenance plans if you would rather Jordan kept the basket clear.
Fountain pumps too
The same service call covers the pump in a spillway bowl, a stacked slate urn or any other fountainscape. They clog and trip outlets the same way, and need the same sizing when replaced. See fountainscapes for what Jordan builds.
Questions
What Richmond pond owners ask about pumps
Anything else, call or text Jordan.
Why does my pond pump keep turning on and off?
A pump that cycles on and off with no visible damage is usually an electrical problem: a GFCI outlet that trips, or an outlet that has gone bad and needs an electrician. The next most common cause is a leaf or stick in the impeller making the motor overheat and cut out. Jordan's Water Garden Solutions checks both on a service call in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield or Charlottesville.
How do I know if the pump is dead or just clogged?
A clogged pump hums, runs warm and pushes little or no water; clear the skimmer basket and the intake and it usually comes back. A dead pump is silent with the outlet live and the GFCI holding. If you are not sure, Jordan's Water Garden Solutions diagnoses it on a service call in the Richmond area from $275, and a repair that can be done on the spot is done on the spot.
How long does a pond pump last?
It depends on the pump, how clean the water is and how often the intake is cleared. A pump behind a skimmer with a basket that gets emptied lasts far longer than one sucking leaves off the pond floor, and a pump that has run dry during a leak may fail early. Jordan's Water Garden Solutions in Richmond, VA sizes and installs pumps to run cool and clear.
Can you replace a pump another company installed?
Yes. Jordan's Water Garden Solutions replaces pumps in ponds and fountains built by other contractors across Richmond, Henrico County, Chesterfield County and Charlottesville. Jordan measures the flow the waterfall and the filter need and fits an Aquascape pump sized to match, whatever brand came out.
What does a pond pump replacement cost?
The diagnosis is a service call from $275, and most problems are fixed on that visit. If the pump has to be replaced, the price of the pump itself depends on its size and flow, so Jordan's Water Garden Solutions quotes it on the call once he has measured the waterfall and the filter. Text a few photos of the pond and the pump to (804) 719-4761 and he can often quote it before the visit for homeowners in the Richmond area.
Keep exploring
Related services
- Fall pond clean-out and netting
- Pond leak detection and repair
- Pond maintenance plans
- Spring pond clean-out
See all pond care: Pond cleaning and maintenance Read: When to Call a Pond Repair Specialist
Based in Richmond, working across Richmond, Charlottesville, Chesterfield County and Henrico County.
Estimate calculator
Get the waterfall running again
A few quick questions about the pond and the pump, one at a time, then pick a time for a free phone consultation with Jordan.