While most Americans would list their homes as their number one investment, they don’t always fully comprehend how to keep their residences firing on all cylinders, so to speak. It’s not just about washing the windows, cutting the grass, and changing the HVAC filter.
One critical component found in many home appliances or equipment is a pump motor. If you’re like many homeowners, you might not be certain what that refers to. It’s a device that provides the mechanical energy required to power a pump so it can move fluids through a system.
As a homeowner, you should care about pump motors since they power critical systems that keep your dwelling running safely and efficiently.
Consider the following reasons why you should, as a homeowner, be mindful of pump motors and their importance to your residence.
1. Water Supply Dependence
While most Americans live in cities or suburbs, others live in rural areas. During the lockdown period stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak, many people started working from home. That actually prompted some workers to move to less crowded rural areas.
Some companies that implemented work-from-home policies decided to keep them in place after the pandemic ended. So, there was an exodus of people who moved to the country from urban centers — as more and more homeowners took advantage of telecommuting.
Living in a rural area often means having a well system rather than a municipal water system. And if you have the former rather than the later, there’s a pump motor drawing water into your home. If that motor goes kaput, that can leave you without running water for cooking, drinking, or showering. Having a quality pump motor and properly maintaining it will increase its longevity.
2. Flood Prevention
If you want to prevent flooding — and who doesn’t? — you need a sump pump system. Such systems are powered by pump motors. If the motor malfunctions during inclement weather or a deluge of rain, your home could encounter water damage and require costly repairs.
3. Comfort and Climate Control
Depending on where you live in the country, an HVAC system might be a must-have rather than a nice-to-have. Whether the winters mean bone-chilling temperatures or the summers mean scorching-hot temperatures, you might need an HVAC in your home. That needs a pump motor.
So, too, does a circulator pump. HVAC units and circulator pumps require pump motors to move cold or hot water. If the pump fails, the efficiency of your HVAC unit or circulator pump will be compromised, the interior comfort will be lacking, and the utility bills will spike.
4. Appliance Efficiency
Pump motors are also a feature of home appliances and systems like hot tubs, pool pumps, and irrigation systems. While most homeowners don’t tend to consider pump motors when lounging in their hot tubs or watering their lawns or gardens, they’ll become acquainted with them if these pump motors fail. A faulty motor can reduce operational efficiency or fail to work entirely.
5. Cost Savings
Addressing a failing pump sooner rather than later can safeguard against more costly damage to your residence or pump system. It’s a good idea to get your pump motor serviced periodically to reduce the odds of anything ranging from efficiency issues to catastrophic failure.
Pump motors are the heart of many mechanical systems in your home. You might simply have never noticed how these devices quietly power the movement of fluids across various applications.
If you’re a homeowner, knowing the basics of how pump motors work — and the importance of getting them serviced — can keep them functioning properly.
Always consult with a qualified technician when installing or replacing a pump motor to ensure it’s ideally matched to your system’s needs.
