Emergency & immediate help
Pool equipment failure in Mallorca: pump, leak and filter
In a let property a broken pool in peak season is an economic problem: guests complain and rent reductions loom. Most cases, though, are same-day repairs and not a night-time emergency.
What you can do right now
- Pump not running: check the breaker in the consumer unit first, then the pump's strainer basket - if it is blocked, the pump shuts down to avoid running dry.
- Pump running but not moving water: check the water level. If it is below the skimmer, the pump is drawing air and will not prime. Top the water up, then bleed the filter.
- Green or cloudy water is not an emergency but a matter of chemistry: measure the pH and adjust it, then shock the pool with chlorine and run the filter for longer. One rule when dosing: always add products one at a time and with the pump running, never together and never in the same bucket - pH reducer and chlorine react with each other to form chlorine gas. Leave several hours between correcting the pH and shock-chlorinating.
- Water loss: use the bucket test first to tell evaporation from a leak - stand a bucket of pool water on the steps and compare over 24 hours whether pool and bucket lose the same amount. At Mallorcan summer temperatures a few millimetres of evaporation a day is normal.
- If the wiring at the pump or the lighting is visibly damaged: isolate the system and do not handle it yourself - water and electricity are a dangerous combination.
What a call-out should cost
Ask whether the journey is included in the price - for pools inland the travel often makes up a substantial part of the bill. For tracing leaks there are specialist firms with detection equipment.
The single best protection against overcharging: insist on a written quote before any work starts - in Spanish a presupuesto previo. Refusing to give one is the common thread running through almost every documented complaint. A reputable firm will state the call-out fee, the hourly rate and any night or weekend surcharge without being asked.
What to say on the phone, in Spanish
If only the technician on duty picks up, these sentences get you through the call. Read the Spanish out loud; the line underneath tells you what it means.
- Buenos días, la bomba de la piscina no arranca y la cesta del prefiltro está limpia.
- Good morning, the pool pump will not start and the pre-filter basket is clean.
- La piscina pierde agua y no es evaporación, ¿hacen localización de fugas?
- The pool is losing water and it is not evaporation - do you carry out leak detection?
- Tengo huéspedes el sábado, ¿pueden venir hoy o mañana?
- I have guests arriving on Saturday. Can you come today or tomorrow?
- Estoy en [localidad], la dirección es [calle y número]; le puedo mandar la ubicación por WhatsApp.
- I am in [town], at [street and number]; I can send you the location by WhatsApp.
- ¿El desplazamiento está incluido en el precio o se cobra aparte?
- Is the call-out included in the price, or is it charged separately?
- Disculpe, ¿puede repetirme el precio y la hora más despacio?
- Sorry, could you repeat the price and the time more slowly?
Companies that state out-of-hours availability
These companies state that they can be reached outside normal business hours. We show openly what that claim is based on, and we are working through them by phone to confirm it. If in doubt, call two.
- BPS - British Property Services Mallorca advertises out-of-hours service
Santa Ponsa
States a 24-hour emergency number.
Other specialists for this trade
62 further companies in the directory, 32 of them German-speaking. These do not advertise out-of-hours cover - for an appointment on the next working day they are often the cheaper choice than a call-out.
Alou Barceló S.L.
Santanyí
A long-established building services firm in Santanyí with its own showroom, offering plumbing, electrics, air conditioning and solar in four languages.
Árboles de Mallorca
Biniali
Árboles de Mallorca is a tree nursery and landscaping business near Biniali that designs gardens and builds natural pools.
Artabau
Manacor
German construction company based in Manacor, by its own account working in the north-east of Mallorca for around 30 years.
Bauko & Partner S.L.U
Santa Ponsa
Trade business in Santa Ponsa for building refurbishment, renovation and full restoration with all-round services.
Bauunternehmung Mallorca S.L.
Santa Ponsa
Bauunternehmung Mallorca S.L. is a German-speaking main contractor that has been working in Mallorca for over 20 years and is registered as an REA construction company.
Biodesign Pools
Palma
Biodesign Pools is a provider of concrete-free pool construction in Mallorca, based in Es Secar de la Real (Palma).
Christopher Behrens
Palma de Mallorca
Christopher Behrens delivers trade projects from tiling to pool construction in Palma and across the island with professional support.
Coll Gardens
Can Picafort
A garden maintenance business from Can Picafort looking after private gardens, residential complexes and fincas, pool care included.
Construcciones Armalutx
Inca
Long-established construction company from Inca, founded in 1967, with more than 50 years of experience and, by its own account, over 1,500 completed projects.
Construcciones Florio Zizzo
Cala Ratjada
A German-speaking building firm in Cala Ratjada coordinating everything from bathroom updates to turnkey new builds and pool construction.
Depur-Clor S.L.
Santa Ponsa
Pioneering Balearic business for water treatment and pools with around four decades of experience and its own chemical products factory.
Electricidad y Fontanería JS
Son Servera
A trades firm from Son Servera covering electrics, plumbing, pool technology and air conditioning across the Llevant.
Frequently asked questions
My pool is losing water - leak or evaporation?
The bucket test gives you certainty: stand a bucket of pool water on a step so that it is partly submerged, mark both water levels and compare after 24 hours. If the pool level drops noticeably more than the level in the bucket, you have a leak. At Mallorcan summer temperatures several millimetres of evaporation a day is entirely normal.
The pool pump has stopped - what do I check first?
First the breaker in the consumer unit, then the strainer basket: if it is clogged with leaves, the pump shuts down to avoid running dry. Check the water level as well - if it is below the skimmer, the pump is drawing air. If the pump only hums without starting, the capacitor is usually at fault; that is an inexpensive part, but a job for a qualified firm.
The pool water has turned green - is that an emergency?
Not an emergency, but it should be dealt with promptly. The cause is almost always a pH value that has drifted or too little chlorine, often after heavy heat, rain or heavy bathing use. Adjust the pH to around 7.0 to 7.4 first, because only then does chlorine work, then shock chlorinate and run the filter for considerably longer. After a day or two the water is usually clear again. One rule when dosing: always add products one at a time and with the pump running, never together and never in the same bucket - pH reducer and chlorine react with each other to form chlorine gas. Leave several hours between correcting the pH and shock-chlorinating.
How long does the filter have to run in summer?
As a rule of thumb the entire volume of water should be turned over two to three times a day - in the Mallorcan high summer that means eight to twelve hours, depending on the pump. Running times that are too short are the most common reason for water quality tipping over. With heavy use by holiday guests, stay at the upper end.
Who is liable for a broken pool in a holiday let?
As the landlord you owe the facilities you have promised. If the pool is advertised in your listing and unusable for any length of time, rent reductions are possible - regardless of whether the fault was your doing. That is why, in season, a maintenance contract with a named contact is worth more than looking for an emergency call-out once the guests have already arrived.