Construction & Contractors Blog
If your home or business relies on well water, you know that the well has to be well-maintained (no pun intended). Regular service helps keep the pump and other equipment in good shape, but something can always happen in between service appointments. If you see any of the following signs when you try to use the well pump, call for service immediately.
Low or No Pressure or Air
Any interruption in the normal flow of water is an indication something's up. On one hand, if new neighbors have just had wells drilled, there could be a drop in the water level underground. Extra demand should not cause a drastic drop if the new wells are legal -- many cities and counties require wells to have permits to ensure any new wells won't drain the underground source -- so checking that your neighbors had permits to drill is one option. If there are no new wells, another possibility is that the water source underground is dropping naturally. In that case, you need a new pump that can reach further down into the water source.
Another possibility is that something in the well equipment is cracked and either letting air into the water flow, or letting water leak out (or both). It's possible the ground has settled, moving the well equipment just enough to ruin part of it, or there may have been vandalism. There may also be a blockage in the well, such as buildup of scale if your water is very hard. All of these possibilities need to be checked out immediately so that you can restore normal water flow and not waste any water on potential leaks.
High Bills
Maybe your well seems fine, but your utility bill has suddenly shot up. While it's possible that something else in your house or business could have caused the increase (someone blasting the heater or air conditioner when you weren't around, for example), the well pump could be working overtime, too. This can happen if the pump is blocked or if the equipment is defective and just not shutting off.
Odd-Colored Water or Water With Bits in It
Sometimes well water can have extra sediment in it or be contaminated from an industrial spill, but other times the discoloration or bits of material in the water can come from the well equipment. Scale, rust, and other corrosion can send flakes of material into the water. This also needs to be inspected immediately because if the well equipment is corroding, it must be replaced before it fully breaks down.
If you are experiencing any of these problems, it's time for well service. Call a repair and inspection service or the company, such as Seismic Drilling, as soon as you can. The sooner you find out what's going on, the sooner you can return your water quality to its normal level.
Share5 February 2016
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
