How To Know Its Time for a Well Pump Replacement
A water well pump replacement is one of the few problems well owners in New Hampshire and Massachusetts know they will eventually encounter.
Having a private well offers great advantages when it comes to receiving water. If you have a good well, you can forget about town water bans, and you'll never pay a municipal water bill. That being said, you're also responsible for the quality of your water supply, and the maintenance of your water delivery system. Sometimes you'll have to face major issues, like a low well yield during drought conditions, or mineralization clogging the fissures that replenish your well. Most often, because there are so many components of your water delivery system, you'll face more common issues, like problems with the pressure tank, switches, or your well pump.
As with any system in your home, regular maintenance can keep components functioning efficiently for longer, but sometimes parts just wear out and need replacing. Your well pump is the heart of your water system and keeping it functioning properly means keeping it maintained. Sometimes you may notice issues that point to your well pump as the cause. You need to be informed as to whether these are simple fix issues, or a major problem requiring well pump replacement.
Here are some tell-tale signs your well pump may need replacing.
Signs Your Well Pump May Be On The Way Towards Failure
Most modern well pumps are pretty robust pieces of machinery designed to operate under trying conditions. When properly sized, your well pump should operate efficiently for at least 8 to 10 years before you'll need to consider a well pump replacement. Unfortunately, unless you put in the original pump, most homeowners do not have enough information to know the age of their pump and if it may need replacing due to age.
That's why it's important to understand the warning signs of imminent pump failure. Here are three to watch for:
No water flow from fixtures
This one is pretty obvious. If no water is coming into your home from your well, and your well has not run dry, it's mostly likely a pump issue. Start by first checking the circuit breaker. Turn off the pump, reset the breaker and turn the pump back on, if it operates you're probably fine, if it doesn't or blows the breaker you need to have it looked at by your well water professional.
Poor Water Pressure
Water pressure problems can result from a number of factors including scaling on the inside of your pipes from hard water, low water levels at the well, or a pressure tank issue. It can also be the result of your pump losing efficiency and not drawing as much water from your well as it has in the past.
Your Pump is Running Constantly
This can be a sign of an issue with your pressure tank, or it can be a sign that your pump is not efficiently drawing water from your well and is constantly running to keep your home supplied with fresh water.
Troubleshooting Your Water Well System - Is a Well Pump Replacement Needed?
Often, the best, most efficient solution is to contact your well water professional when you first determine there is an issue. They can quickly assess the situation and can narrow the focus down to find the problem. If you'd like to check first before incurring the expense of a home visit, here are a few troubleshooting tips to try. As a general rule, no water is caused by one of three issues:
• Well Failure – low water supply as a result of drought or some other cause
• Equipment Failure – pressure pump issues, pump issues, or a power failure
• Plumbing Breakdown – clogged or broken pipes
As we mentioned above, the first stop when water stops flowing is your circuit breaker Often the problem can be as simple as a blown circuit. If kicking the breaker back on fixes the problem, it may have been a one time glitch. If the pump goes out again after resetting the breaker, call a professional. It could signify the pump is beginning to breakdown and may need replacing.
The second spot to troubleshoot is your pressure tank. This is where water is stored after it is drawn from your well, but before it is introduced into your plumbing. On the tank is a pressure gauge. Make sure it is showing pressure above 20 psi. Depending on the type of tank, it could be showing a higher pressure, but if the tank is showing at least some pressure, the problem is likely within your home and not a pump problem. If the tank is showing no pressure, the problem is the well pump, the well itself, the pressure tank or a pressure switch. Call your well water professional with the information you've gathered and have them check it out.
Finally, if it is a plumbing failure, you may first notice flooding in the section of your property where the pipes go from the well to your house. Your well pump will be running constantly and overworking itself. If this is the case, and you see signs of catastrophic failure like flooding in your lawn, turn off your pump at the circuit breaker immediately contact your well water professional.
A properly sized and maintained well water pump should provide you with years of reliable service. If you notice any of these signs, it may mean you need a well pump replacement. You can always try to troubleshoot the problem yourself first, but if you're unsure the best course of action is to contact a water well professional at Skillings & Sons. They are experts at identifying problems and providing cost-effective solutions!
