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Not completing regular maintenance on your industrial pump can decrease its life by 50% or more. Skipping routine pump maintenance doesn’t just shorten equipment life; it accelerates wear on internal components and can turn a minor fix into a major repair bill. A pump that receives consistent, scheduled attention can run reliably for decades.
Your authorized supplier should properly install and commission your unit before any maintenance schedule begins. From there, always follow the OEM recommendations for your specific pump model, including the service intervals. At a minimum, pumps should be professionally serviced yearly.
The short of it? Without regular inspections, internal components wear prematurely, energy consumption climbs, and repair costs grow. When a pump fails, downtime rarely comes at a convenient time.
A well-maintained pump, receiving consistent maintenance checks, can run reliably for 20 years or more.
Regular service keeps the pump performing within its original design parameters, avoiding flow drops, pressure drifts, and excessive energy consumption.
When a pump fails unexpectedly, it can lead to costly downtime. Planned maintenance takes the pump offline on your schedule, not the equipment’s.
Expensive repairs can often be avoided with regular preventative maintenance. Routine inspections can have you replacing gaskets or bearings rather than a full rebuild.
Failures can be preceded by small, detectable changes that a scheduled inspection would have caught.
Here are 8 pump maintenance checks to perform regularly so you’re not left diagnosing a failure in the middle of a shift.
A pump should not leak. If it does, that’s a signal to investigate, not monitor. Leaks reduce pump output and can indicate seal or gasket failure.
Common leak points include:
Add a leak check to your monthly inspection routine.
Dust and debris accumulation in motor vents restricts airflow and causes overheating. Before cleaning, shut the motor down and de-energize it completely. A high-volume, low-pressure air blast removes surface dust in most cases. If the motor is heavily fouled, it may need to go to a motor shop for professional cleaning and drying.
Schedule motor vent cleaning as part of your regular preventative maintenance visits or during a planned motor overhaul.
Vibration loosens mounting bolts over time, and loose bolts amplify vibration further. Check that all mounting hardware is tight, secure, and free of corrosion.
This check belongs in your annual maintenance schedule, though pumps in high-vibration environments may need it more frequently.
Both insufficient and excessive lubrication cause bearing failure. Check for oil leaks at the drive during your annual inspection. Inspect the gasket condition and replace any compromised gaskets.
Use only the oil and grease types specified in your operating manual. The wrong lubricant, even at the correct level, accelerates wear.
On packed pumps, some process fluid flowing through the packing is normal and necessary. Manufacturers typically recommend about one drip every 10 seconds, enough to confirm lubrication without excessive fluid loss.
Overtightening the packing can score the pump shaft. During each inspection, check the shaft for wear grooves and confirm that the packing hasn’t hardened due to insufficient lubrication. Packing does need to be replaced periodically.
Check your discharge gauge regularly and compare readings against the factory pump curve supplied with your unit. Pressure and flow are interdependent; review them together. If readings are consistently high or low, have a technician diagnose the cause before it develops into a larger issue.
The pump casing retains system pressure and protects internal rotating components. Depending on the application, it can rust, crack, or show surface discolouration over time. Cracks allow leakage and, in some applications, fluid contamination.
Inspect the casing monthly for signs of wear, fatigue, or damage. If the same type of damage keeps recurring, the pump casing material may not be suited to your operating environment. Switching to a casing material matched to your conditions will outlast repeated patching.
Bearings control shaft movement and keep the impeller and shaft seal aligned. Overheating bearings are a symptom of inadequate lubrication, misalignment, or excessive load. Check bearing temperature monthly and follow OEM specifications for acceptable ranges.
Also, check motor temperature as part of this routine. Both checks take only minutes, but flag problems well before they become failures.
Pump maintenance requires technical knowledge of the specific equipment. Canex Technologies helps keep your pumps at peak performance with routine inspections, preventative maintenance, repairs and rebuilds.
A thorough annual pump inspection from Canex Technologies covers:
Hiring our team of trained, experienced technicians and a structured pump service process protects both the equipment and your maintenance records.
Canex Technologies provides pump service in Ontario, with technicians available for field calls and in-shop repairs. If your pumps are due for a maintenance review, reach out to the Canex Technologies team to schedule a service appointment.
