For homeowners who are new to having a well for their water supply, well pump issues can be mystifying. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the problem is your pump, your well, or your plumbing. Here's a look at a few things that you should know about common well pump issues that you might encounter. You can use this information to understand how to recognize and address these issues to restore consistent water flow.
Inconsistent Pressure
If you turn your water faucet on and the water pressure fluctuates as it's running, the problem could be your well's pressure tank, but it could also be the pump. Have someone stand near your pump while the water runs to listen to its operation. If the pump sounds like it is fluctuating, you'll want to have a pump repair technician come out to assess it and potentially replace it. When the pump runs inconsistently like that, or cycles on and off too frequently, it can wear the pump out prematurely and lead to complete failure if you don't address it right away.
No Water
When you don't get any water at all from your fixtures, there's a good chance that your well pump simply isn't running. Before you call a repair technician, check the power breaker for your pump. If the breaker has tripped, that cuts the power to the pump. Reset the breaker and see if that restores the water supply. If it trips repeatedly, you'll need a pump repair technician to assess the pump and see what's causing the problem.
Sometimes, a power surge can cause the pump to malfunction, leading to the breaker tripping when the pump is running. You'll need to have the pump replaced or have the wiring repaired to fix this problem.
If there is power being supplied to the pump and it still isn't supplying water, listen to see if you can hear the pump running. If it's running, you may have a problem with the water supply in the well. You can have the pump's placement adjusted if your well's water level has dropped. If the pump isn't running, you'll need a technician to determine why it isn't functioning despite adequate power and water.
Persistent Running Pump
If you hear your well pump running all the time, even when you don't have any water fixtures running in the house, it could be a problem with the pressure switch. Your well pump's pressure switch monitors the pressure tank and draws more water when that pressure gets low. If the pressure switch is malfunctioning, it could engage the pump consistently even when it isn't needed. This will eventually burn out your pump. You'll need a pump repair technician to replace the pressure switch in this case.
These are some of the most common issues you might encounter. Talk with a well pump repair and maintenance technician, like those at https://valleydrillingcorp.com, today for more information.
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