It is impossible to imagine life without water. Thus, if your water well’s pump stops working abruptly, you know you are in deep trouble. Homeowners who use water wells to fulfill their everyday water needs are, therefore, advised to take good care of their water well’s pump. In this article, we discuss some tips on what to check first and how to get the pump running if it stops working abruptly.
Always check the Power Supply First
If your water well’s motor pump stops running abruptly, the first thing you must check is whether or not it is getting power. If the pump is not working, the first thing you must check is if the electric supply in your house has been interrupted. If the electric supply is on and the pump is yet not working, check the pump’s circuit breaker — it may have tripped. Move the switch back and forth — if doing so, makes the pump start working again, call an electrician and ask them to check the pump as your water well’s pump may have developed a short.
Check If the Pump Has Access to Water
It is common for the water table to run low during certain seasons. Similarly, sometimes when the well isn’t dug appropriately low, the pump cannot get access to water. Thus, if your pump isn’t working, check if there is enough water down there. How to check if the pump is getting enough water? Tie a string to a piece of weight and lower it down into the pit. If there is enough water, the string will come back wet. If it comes back dry, you are dealing with insufficient water. In such a case, you can either wait for the dry season to pass or get water into the well from a secondary source. You can also call a well expert and ask them to dig deeper.
Check the Pump Intake and Water Pressure
If the pump is not working, it may also be because sediment and other small materials have blocked the intake pipe. If that’s the case, flush your intake pipe. If that doesn’t work, you will have to remove the intake pipe and clean it properly.
Homeowners should also know that all water wells have a pressure tank that creates appropriate air pressure with the help of a rubber bladder for the water to move. When the pressure is too low, the water is unable to move into the house’s plumbing system. If you are dealing with a faulty pump, check the air pressure in the pressure tank with the help of a normal tire pressure gauge. If the low pressure has caused the rubber bladder in the pressure tank to burst, you will have to replace the tank altogether.
If All Else Is Fine, Get Your Home’s Plumbing System Checked
Finally, when you have checked everything and everything with the pump seems alright, try and hear a clicking sound. If the water well’s pump is making a clicking sound, the pump is working and the problem lies elsewhere. Chances are the problem is not with the pump, but with your home’s plumbing system. If this is the case, you will have to call an expert as solving this problem will require tools and detailed knowledge.
Conclusion
The pump is the most important component of the water well. Thus, homeowners must make it a point to keep it in healthy shape. Regular maintenance is key here. If you are a water well owner, have a local expert check your water well pump from time to time. This will save you from trouble in the long run.
Give Ries Well Drilling Inc a call to answer any questions you may have about well water drilling, well water maintenance, or anything well water-related. We can be reached at (586) 784-9516!
We provide Water Well Drilling Services in the following Michigan Counties: