The pump is similar in nature to a household vacuum cleaner. It sucks water from the pool out, through the skimmers and the main drain, and then it proceeds to pump that water to the filter and heater. The pump then pumps the clean, warm water back into the swimming pool. This process of circulating, cleaning and heating the pool water is essential.

It helps to prevent things like bacteria and algae from building up. It can also help to filter out bugs, leaves and other debris, as well as helping to prevent general stagnation of the water. As long as the pool in question has a heater, the pump will also assist in keeping the temperature regulated properly, by running the water through the pool's heater.

Usually the home owner is not responsible for installing the pump on their own. Instead, the company that put in the pool originally, or a similar company, will generally do that. However, in the event that the original pump breaks and needs replacement or if the home owner simply wants to know what is going on as the installation or replacement takes place, there are some important things to know about a swimming pool pump.

The first thing that any home owner needs to know, before having their pump installed or fixed, is that bigger and more powerful is not always better when it comes to a pool pump. When having a pump replaced, it is actually a lot better to replace it with the same type of pump that you already had, unless a professional advises you to change your pump type. The only exception to that rule is if the pump in question breaks down soon after it is installed. In such cases as that, it may be a good idea to try a different type of swimming pool pump.

It is natural to want as much power in a pump as possible, but a pump that is too powerful could actually prevent proper filtration from occurring. An overly powerful pump could even damage the swimming pool's filter and heater. Pipes or fittings could even be blown apart by a high-power pump installed in the wrong swimming pool. Any of those issues could cause wide-spread damage and quite a bit of added time and expense for repairs.

All of these things are very good reasons why installing or replacing a pump should be left to professionals. A broken pump can lead to all sorts of major problems and expensive bills as it is. If the home owner attempts to fix it on their own without proper knowledge they may simply create more problems for themselves and much more expense.