The Pool Parts Every Owner Should Keep on the Shelf
June 2, 2026 · 5 min read
Pool equipment rarely fails dramatically. It weeps at a union, loses prime through a dried lid o-ring, or drips at a heater bypass. Every one of those is a stocked-part fix.
The shelf list
Photograph your equipment pad and buy the matching sizes once.
- Pump lid and strainer housing o-rings
- Union o-rings for every 1.5 and 2 inch union on the pad
- Filter tank band gasket or cartridge lid o-ring
- Teflon tape, silicone-based o-ring lube, PVC primer and cement
- A spare drain plug set and two multiport valve gaskets
Diagnose an air leak by pressure
Air on the suction side means low pump pressure and a bubbling basket — check lid, unions and valve stems. Air on the return side means high pressure — check the filter and heater fittings.
Use silicone lube, never petroleum
Petroleum jelly swells and destroys EPDM o-rings. A tube of silicone lube costs less than one replacement pump lid and lasts years.
Know when to stop
Bonded electrical work, gas connections and heater internals belong to a licensed pro. Everything upstream of that is o-rings and patience.
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