This was very helpful. I knew nothing about how any of this worked in my house and after watching the video I feel as if I can identify and understand how my well works. Thank You!
Thanks so much for your very clear explanation of the water system. I bought an old mobile home with similar system and I didn't have a clue what I was getting myself into. Thanks again
*Thank you* for taking the time to do this video - we've just taken over care of my parents' house, which has well water to part of the house. I needed a primer (ha!) on what's what with the system..
Very informative. Thank you. Im about to buy a new home and watched your video to help me understand the components of a well system. And yes, I learned a few things. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your video this was extremely helpful. I have been looking at well videos for over an hour yours is the only one that actually explain to me what I was looking at in my pump house thank you so much.
I have checked it again this morning and it is staying around 55 on the gauge .No leaks either .That really worried me that 1 of the connections would leak .I found out why the other tank failed,some of the connectors he used were galvanized with the T being brass and had almost closed up with iron deposits and the pressure switch piece had rusted through and broke off in my hand .I replaced everything with new parts .I flushed every thing out with the hose before I turned on the new pressure tank .I wish you could see how clogged up the galvanized pipe was .I don't even know how i got water to the house since the hole that water came through was no bigger then a pencil opening
I know this is an older video, but thanks so much! I moved into a house that has a well and I had no idea "how" is worked other than it had electric ran to it. Thanks!
There are lots of different setups, so you always need to examine the system in question. In this type of system, the pressure tank acts as a buffer and for storage of pressure, not unlike a battery in an automotive electrical system.
When I saw videos of people pulling their pumps up to replace them, it was a mystery how the water left the well below the freeze line. I looked at more videos and asked several people and got some cockamamie answers. Various illustrations that I saw online were no help either. Finally I saw an illustration that labeled something called the pitless adaptor several feet down which was the answer to my mystery. I wish someone would make a thorough explanation of wells instead of so many that are just overviews.
After watching your video ( and about a dozen others on the subject) I was able to be the site expert on my sons dead well water system. Replaced pump. Recharged tank. Replaced pressure gage and drain spigot. Could not have done it without you. Thanks about $1000 dollars.
enduringcharm great video, here is my issue. My well feeds 3 sprinkler heads and that's been working fine for the past 5 years. This season i noticed that when the pump is idle (water off) I'm at 58-60 PSI. As soon as I open the sprinkler it instantly drops to 40 PSI and then within 30-45 seconds I'm under 30 PSI and then down to 15 PSI. At 30 PSI the sprinkler is done with because the water isn't pushing beyond 1 feet or the Sprinkler heads won't even pop up due to no pressure. Now the pump starts running immediately but it can never catch up to bring the PSI to around 45-50 anymore which what it used to be before. Do you think the pump doesn't have enough power to push enough water or is it the tank?
Thank you for the video. I have a well and municipal water plumbed in together and I was wanting to know how the well worked in case I wanted to see if it still runs
That would be highly unusual and not a great idea to have municipal and well water tied together in the same system. Typically that is not allowed at all, but perhaps some kind of backflow prevention was installed or somebody didn't get permits for the work. Or perhaps it is plumbed as an either/or installation--one or the other but not both? The problem is that you don't want cross contamination from the well to the municipal supply. Plus, I'm not even sure you you would handle two pressure sources if they are not separated. You might want to have a pro check that out and make certain everything is on the up and up.
Thank you for this thorough video! I've been working to familiarize myself further with the way well systems work since I have one and have usually had to deal with the problems myself since we bought the house 13 years ago. At the beginning it was just the pressure switch getting ants in it and I'd go outside (in South Florida we usually have our systems outside) and spray and use some vaseline beneath it to keep the critters out of it. Then a few years ago, the switch needed replacing and a plumber did it. I could have saved some money, but oh well! You don't know what you don't know. Then the tank needed replacing and I got one of those fiberglass ones to replace the metal one we previously had. Our pump is also fairly new and working OK it seems. But this morning after we put a load of laundry in the water stopped in the whole house. I went out back to try to troubleshoot. I turned the ON/OFF on the pressure switch to off and removed the casing to see if ants had gotten in. Nope, it was clean. I tapped on the contacts and then turned the unit back to ON and the pump went on. But after many minutes of this, it continued. Would not turn off. I turned it off and then back on a few times. I did let it run about 10 minutes and figured that something's got to be wrong as the pump would never be running that long. We have no water now and if my troubleshooting doesn't work I'll be calling the plumber. Was hoping to save a costly service call if at all possible. Any ideas for me? Thank you again for sharing your knowledge .
Well, you need to start with the basics and work your way around the system. Obviously you want to make certain you have stable electric to the pump. A meter can show that you have power to the pressure switch. As you already know, the pressure switch can be an issue, whether it's bugs or just worn out springs, etc. If the pump is coming on, you must have some power and the pressure switch is at least half working! Ideally you'll have a pressure gauge mounted on the incoming pipe so you can watch the pressure rise when the pump kicks on. If the pressure is not rising, then you may have a problem with the pump or you could have simply run out of water in the well. In either of those cases you need a pro. If the pump doesn't come on at all, it can be shorts in the electrical wiring down to the pump or a flaky pressure switch. If the pressure is rising, then the pump is working and there is water there. However, if the pump won't kick off at the high setting then your pressure switch is malfunctioning. The pump would keep going until the safety bleeder releases pressure or the pump burns out. In your case you indicate that you hear the pump running, but it won't shut off and you have no water pressure. If you've checked these things above already, it's time to call a pro and have them check your pump and the well itself. If you've actually run out of water they can sometimes lower the pump in the well if there is room. Otherwise, you either wait for the water table to rise or you dig a deeper well. But, more likely it's the pump itself.
Thank you so much for your very thorough response. I appreciate your kindness. We did end up calling the pro in. He took care of it in 5 minutes. The tank ran out of water and he said that was the bad news. Bad news because he doesn't know what caused it. But he fixed it by priming it. I had to use one of my gallons of bottled water to do so! LOL So the fix cost us $75 for the service call plus $.89 for the bottled water. I will keep a gallon of tap water back there in the future! Although truthfully, I wasn't watching how he primed it. I know WHERE the water goes but not which way all the different valves should be set, etc. He also mentioned we have a lot of extra pipes and valves that he can't figure what they're doing there. He thinks it might be that the previous owner had set up lines to feed the house (which would go through the water softener) and another line for outdoor use - sprinklers and 2 hard water spigots around the house - the previous owner did warn me about washing my car with 2 particular faucets and watering the plants with 2 others. One day I will figure this all out. In the meantime I'm glad it happened on a Saturday and not Sunday! $$$$ Thank you again!
Okay, that sounds like an oddball setup! Do you have a submersible pump or a so-called "jet pump" with the pump located outside the well itself? A submersible pump doesn't need a prime, but a jet-pump might. Jet pumps were used with shallow wells and are no longer used in most areas. Either way, with all the rest of what you describe going on I suspect your relationship with this pro hasn't ended!
I guess what I have is a jet pump then! Yes, my pump is outside the well. I guess South Florida is the exception to the rule. I'm a real estate broker and see homes all the time with pumps outside, not submersed. I've learned a lot from you today. Thank you! And, yes, I think you're on target that I'll be seeing the plumber again. =)
You may just happen to live in an area of shallow wells where the water table is naturally high. In lots of areas of the country well depths are into the hundreds of feet and a jet pump won't work. If you do have the plumber back sometime, see if he can cut out any unused piping and label the rest. Well worth the time and money down the line.
thank you also I noticed some people have a check valve and wondering about that because out side I have 1 of those hydrants not far from my well and wondering if it can possibly drain the inside tank instead of pulling water from the well
You've lost me there--I'm not sure what you mean about the hydrant. Check valves or foot valves are used in shallow wells with pumps located in the house--that would not apply to your situation.
Thank you. We are in a house with a well for the first time. Complete mystery to me. I learned a lot from your very clear video which included a system very similar to mine. One thing I learned is that my system probably needs to be serviced. The pump is working and seems to cycle on and off a reasonable amount of time so the pressure switch and tank bladder may be ok. But the pressure gauge is not working so I can't read the pressure level there. Also, my system does have a filter, which needs frequent changing and fills with a gritty mud. Question - since you like to leave out a filter, what about all of that dirt and rust that goes to the house system and to the pool. Thanks again for the informative and clear video.
The pressure gauge not reading is pretty common when they get old. It can be replaced easily by shutting off the electric, draining off the pressure, and then unscrewing the pipe on which the gauge is mounted. Sometimes the gauge just quits or sometimes that pipe gets clogged up with gunk. Now, your other issue may be a bigger deal. A properly functioning well doesn't have a huge amount of dirt or grit coming through. One place dirt can gather is the bottom of the toilet tank. I often look there to judge what amount of dirt is coming in. If you started with a clean tank you should be able to go year or so before noticing any kind of build up there. If a month goes by and you have an 1/8 inch of sediment on the bottom, you have a problem with the well. Similarly, a clean particulate filter should not be getting clogged up in a matter of weeks or months. If you see actual mud or visible grit building up quickly, you have a problem. So what kind of problems might they look for? A well that is simply too shallow may produce excess amounts of dirt. If the well casing (which typically goes down 25-30 feet) has failed then that can produce excess dirt falling in from the surface. If the well walls have become enlarged, or the standoffs they use to secure the well pipe from moving around have failed, or if they didn't use the standoffs, then the action of the pump coming on and off may be causing it to jostle around down there and create dirt. If the aquifer has been disturbed recently by local construction or other well digging, that can cause excess dirt. And, it's possible what you are seeing is not dirt at all, but rust or corrosion from the holding tank. I'd suggest finding a local well installation/drilling company, rather than just a plumber. The dedicated well people are more experienced diagnosing these systems and they have specialized experience in the aquifer which most plumbers do not have.
@@enduringcharm Wow, thanks for the detailed and helpful response. I did not expect an answer at all since the video is over seven years old, and certainly not within a couple of hours. I doubt it is corrosion from the holding tank, which appears to be one of the newer components of the system. There actually is a fair amount of new construction in our area and one new well going in less than a mile away. Family members had suggested that as a potential source of the problem, which I thought implausible. Interesting to hear that could actually be the trouble. Most of the other well components are not new so any of the other things you suggested could be the problem also. I have already researched local well specialists and will be calling for an inspection and servicing. Thanks again.
Thanks for the video! We just bought a home and this is my first experience with a well. When my well hits the cut off pressure (mine was wet as 40/80), there's a LOUD clunk. I notice it most in the utility room where the pressure switch is, but I can't seem to tell exactly where it's coming from. Any tips?
Very interesting video and answers to comments. I have just moved to a house in Malta in the mediterranean in Europe where it is common for there to be rainwater collection cisterns dug out under the houses which used to provide water before the area was supplied with mains water. My house has such a cistern well and I would like to use it for toilet water and possibly all non potable supply in the house. Could you suggest any schemes that would allow me to switch toilet water supply between well and mains water supply (for when there is little water in the well in the summer)? Or do I need to choose all well or all mains? If I use all well for showering, washing and toilet supply etc, what sort, if any, of water treatment system should I instal/use - I assume a bag of chlorine every now and again would not be good...... I look forward to your thoughts. Paul
+smilerman1 Building codes can vary greatly all over the world, so I don't pretend to know what they are in your area. I do know that there are rainwater collection systems used in modern buildings, but they tend to be somewhat experimental and some may skirt the laws. In any case, it's probably not a great idea to mix your cistern water with your street supplied water. If they share pipes at all, there is danger of one contaminating the other, and then you'd have a difficult problem. Here in the US I do sometimes see an abandoned cistern or old well used to provide water for other purposes, like landscaping sprinklers or for filling a pool. In that case, however, the drinking water system and the landscaping water system are completely separate. If you really want to use your cistern water for something like toilet flushing you'd need to separate that system with different supply pipes from your street supplied water. I doubt it's worth the effort. Instead, see if you can pump your cistern for use in landscaping or washing cars, etc.
+enduringcharm we are having problems with our well system. It is taking hours to cycle back on. WAY longer than it should. What should I look at? Could the pressure tank perhaps be too small? (We do have a couple more people in the house now) Could a solenoid go bad like a car? I appreciate any advice. Thank you. Jon
Does your well system look similar to the one in the video? If so, your system has an electric pressure switch that is supposed to turn the pump off when it reaches a high pressure (typically 40 or 50 PSI) and turn the pump on when it reaches a low pressure (typically 20 or 30 PSI). The well tank is just a buffer so that the off/on cycle doesn't have to happen as frequently. If your well tank bladder goes bad and the air escapes, then your pump will cycle on and off frequently when you run the water. What you are describing is different. I presume when the pump comes on it correctly kicks off at the high pressure point, but as you use the water it never comes back on at the low pressure point and therefore the system will lose all pressure until at some time later the pump suddenly and randomly kicks on? That description sounds like either a faulty pressure switch or a clogged pipe which attaches to the pressure switch. You can turn off the electrical breaker to the switch, double check that electricity is off, and then unscrew the plastic cover of the switch. Once in a while you'll see something obvious such as a spider nest in one of the solenoids or burn marks indicating a poor electrical contact. In that case you may be able to repair the switch. But, these switches are inexpensive so you might just replace it. Just make certain you know what your pressure range is (like I said, typically it's 20 to 40PSI or 30 to 50 PSI and the air bladder in the tank should be set to 2 PSI below the low pressure mark when measured on a drained tank.) I have also seen where the small copper or brass pipe the pressure switch attaches to has built up crud inside, and the water pressure no longer reads correctly. Always make sure this pipe is clear before you screw on a new switch. The only other possibility I can think of is a broken wire leading to the pump which provides an intermittent power connection to the pump. Less likely and a much bigger pain. Try the pressure switch first.
If the pressure relief valve functions to release water in case of a system malfunction, isn't it possible to get a major flood if the valve outlet is not plumbed to a drain or outlet?
I’ve got a well house that looks awful about 30 feet from my basement and my pump is bad so I’ve got to do some replacements. Can I move the pressure tank/regulator/control box into my basement just by adding length to the electric wires to the pump? I need new wiring anyway, thanks for any advice.
The answer is maybe/probably. What you need to concern yourself with is overall length of the wire to the pump, which also depends on the depth of the well (assuming you have a submersible pump). Electrical resistance increases with wire length. So, if you were on the borderline with a 120V pump before, it's plausible you'd need to go with a larger gauge wire along with a larger breaker or else go to a 240 volt pump. The other issue is length of the plastic pipe to the pressure tank. The pump will be rated for a certain pumping height in feet, and horizontal length counts for something too. You have to look at the pump specs to make sure you aren't exceeding the pump rating.
I was there and helped when the pump was pulled and I measure the pipe in the well when it was pulled and marked it every 100 ft and when we dropped it back in we actually hit water at 200 ft but I told them to keep dropping it since I have 6 neighbors that had wells that were 200 ft and 2 of them went completely dry and the other 2 had to put down new pipe and wiring .This hydrant you just pull the lever up and the water pumps up to it .There is only 1 pipe in the well and 1 pump and the pipe is a 1 inch pipe .Do you think that may have some how pulled the water out of the pressure tank instead of the well .I am wondering if i should use it any more .
Oh, well, there is a style of outdoor spigot that looks like the old-school mechanical pumps. If you just lift or push the handle once and water comes out under pressure, then the spigot is connected to your house system. A mechanical pump requires repeated up and down motion to draw water and the water stops as soon as you stop pumping.
I purchased a home in July with a water system I am not familiar with. I have spent a considerable amount of time reviewing and researching how this system works. The system contains: pressure tank, (2) retention tanks, filter tank and a solution tank (with it's own pump) The actual well has a submersible pump that controls the flow to the house. My problem is that we periodically run out of water and I cannot contribute the loss to over use or climatic conditions. In other words, we run out of water regardless if there has been several days of rain and little usage or vise-a versa. The system does correct itself overnight if left alone. I have been shutting off the breaker for approximately 2 hours and normally that will do the same as 8- 10 hours without doing so. Is this coincidence or is this possibly a pressure switch issue? I was thinking that lowering the limit would cause the pump to cut in earlier and not interrupt the flow. Am I on the right track or am I completely off? Any suggestions or clarification would be greatly appreciated.
No, you don't want to adjust the limit switch. That is set up as a function of the pump and system design and the setting will have nothing to do with your problem. It's typically set to a 20/40 PSI cycle or a 30/50 PSI cycle. I surmise from your description that you have water softener system attached to your well system, hence the extra tanks you describe. That is also unlikely to be causing your problem. When you say you have no water, you need to narrow down what that actually means. Is it that the well itself has gone dry? Is it that the pump has an electrical or mechanical problem? Is it that the pressure switch is failing? The first thing to check when you open the tap and nothing comes out is the pressure gauge. Is it reading zero or is it reading something in between the 20/40 or 30/50 cycle? If it is the latter then that points to an obstruction or mechanical issue of some sort after the tank. If the reading is zero, that means that the pump never kicked in when the pressure got to the lower limit. In that case, the next culprit to check would be the pressure switch. Is it getting electric? If you take the cover off is there any signs of burned contacts or a spider's nest? Spider nests often prevent the contacts from closing. If the pressure switch and electric check out, then you're into the well itself. The wires going down the well to the pump can get brittle and short out. The pump wears out after a period of time. You'll need an expert to check those items. Finally, it is possible that your well is just not deep enough in the aquifer. The aquifer is not really connected to the weather. A rain storm doesn't refill the aquifer, it's a matter of months or years of climate trends which affect an aquifer. But, it does happen that a well goes dry or an aquifer changes. Many times you'll notice heavy dirt collecting in your toilet tank or in a filter if you have one when the well is going dry. Happily, I would say that this is the least likely scenario and it's more likely you have an electrical issue or a worn out pump. In any case, you need to approach the problem systematically and eliminate each component of the system before going to the next.
WHAT causes a pressure switch to turn off and on rapidly in a few seconds Sir ??? As if the pressure resurges from the pressure tank. Would using a 20 gallon stainless steel pressure tank increase the life expectation of the tank Sir ?? Nice video John !!
One possibility is that your pressure tank bladder has failed, in which case the whole tank will fill with water and there will be no cushion of air. The pressure switch may be reacting to very small changes in pressure because of that lack of cushion. You can rap your knuckle on the tank and listen for a hollow sound where there should be an air pocket, and you can also drain off the water pressure with the pump off and then use an air gauge on the tank to see if there is any air pressure. If the bladder has failed you need a new tank. Another possibility is that the electrical contacts of the switch are corroded, dirty or covered in a spider's nest. You can cut the power, pull the cover off, and take a close look.
Thank you Sir. I will be doing work on this system this weekend. What stainless steel tank brand would you recommend Sir ?? Would this item last longer then regular coated steel ?? Peace vf@@enduringcharm
In my area painted steel tanks are the norm. Remember, there is an internal bladder so a tank made of stainless material would only be preventing rust or corrosion on the outside of the tank. Perhaps in a coastal or wet area that would be important. I don't think there is a significant difference among name brands.
Is one of those gate valves a drain? Personally, I like having a sediment filter and especially a charcoal cartridge as well, but different strokes...... Also, I'm a fan of fiberglass pressure tanks. If/when the bladder fails, you don't get rust in your water. Thanks for the vid. Well done, as always.
In my part of the country relatively few people have a filter installed only because they tend to fill up so quickly with the red clay soil in our area. Many people install a UV light to kill bacteria, though.
Yup, they aren't for everyone, but for me, I dropped to a 20 micron sediment so I could use a charcoal filter too with my UV and then drink my tap water. Thanks again for all the hard work you put into your vids. A great public service.
Great video I live in a house with low water pressure. The pressure increases and decreases as I shower. I want to increase the pressure. Should I look to pumping air into the tank bladder or adjusting the solenoid... Or both? Thanks in advance
So you have a well and a well tank similar to the video, I assume. There are a number of factors which go into the pressure you have at the shower head. Some of them are unrelated to the well, such as the size of the piping leading to the shower, the number of bends, the length and rise of the pipes, and the shower valve itself. As far as the well system itself, it is designed for a particular pressure range and you can't necessarily change that. Typical ranges are 20-40 PSI, 30-50 PSI and so on. But if you have a system designed for 20-40 PSI, you can't just adjust the regulator for a higher amount. The tank and the pump must work in balance and not all pumps can handle higher pressures. Beyond that, you may have a system which is designed well enough but that has a problem, such as a failed tank. What you need to do, or have a plumber do, is to drain the pressure from the system and check the tank to make sure it is functional and dialed in to the right pressure. Then you'll check to see what pressure the system is set for. If that pressure range is a lower one, such as 20-40 PSI, and the tank is confirmed in good order, then you may just need a higher range to keep up with your demand. But that could mean a different pump or a bigger well tank.
Good explanation of how a typical system works. I understood that the water pump is between 100 and 300 ft down. Is this below ground or down the line.
Depending on the area in which you live, a submersible pump is located down a drilled shaft between 80 and as much as 400-500 feet below the surface. It just depends on where the aquifer is located. Of course, the pump has to be sized to handle the depth of a particular well. That's a lot of weight pushing down from a column of water in the pipe.
how do you decide what size pressure tank to use? I just bought a house with a well, and the pressure tank is a little tiny thing. it looks like only a few gallons. However I do construction work and i'm exposed to a lot of other systems and noticed that the size of the pressure tank varies a lot. I have one left over from a remodel that I recently did that's similar in size to the one in the video. would it be beneficial to swap them?
blosom2315 Typically the pressure tanks are sized by the number of people or bedrooms in the house, on the theory that more people equals more water use and more stress on the pump. Sometimes the size of the pump or the recovery rate of the well play a part in the decision too. A plumbing supply store can help you figure it out. I'd be leery about reusing a different tank. You don't know the condition, how old it is, or what bacteria was growing in it when it was sitting around.
im tring to find the pipe that leads into my house, the house was built and the well hand dug in 1919. would the information be filed to the county and would they still have the plans or documents? also im confused about the catchment system that comes from the roof. basically it goes into one cisterns (that's above ground) which flows into another smaller well and also into the larger well. why is it set up like that? there is also a concrete cove that runs from one end to the other so that the running water from the guttering runs down it and under the house but I cant figure out where it goes? could that be where it inters the house?
+Melissa Russell There are LOTS of different types of well systems. This video describes a very common modern system, but what you are describing sounds a bit different! I doubt your county has anything useful if they have any paperwork at all from 1919. If you truly have a hand-dug well and it was never updated since it was built, then it would be a shallow well perhaps only 10-20 feet deep. You are also describing a cistern system meant to capture and reuse rainwater, although the two systems aren't necessarily connected. A shallow well typically has a "jet pump" which is located in the basement or utility room of the house and makes a racket when it runs. By contrast, a modern drilled well has the pump submerged into the well itself. If you have a big motor and pump that runs in your basement you may have the shallow well. If you don't, it may be that your well system was updated at some point and you just didn't realize it. Also, it would be unusual (and not too bright) to have rainwater directed into a groundwater well as you seem to be describing, which makes me wonder if you are misinterpreting what you see. Start at your well tank and work backwards. If there is no large motor and pump (a foot and a half long and 8-10 inches in diameter) next to your tank then it probably isn't a shallow well. If the tank and related pipes looks something like what is in the video then you have a modern deep drilled well somewhere on the property. It could have been drilled in the area of the original well or it could be somewhere else. An updated well may be recorded in your county but sometimes if no well head is visible you just have to dig and trace the pipe from the house until you find the end.
Jason Gravelle That would be an unusual and perhaps problematic setting for a pressure switch. Typically they are 20-40 or 30-50. I've not heard of a pressure set higher than 60. I would suggest turning off the pump with the electrical switch or shutting the valve to isolate the pump and then draining down the system pressure. Check your tank to make sure it isn't waterlogged (when the air bladder leaks internally). With the water pressure bled off at a faucet upstairs there should still be water left in the tank and the top section of the tank should sound hollow with air. Then put a tire gauge on the schrader valve on the tank to check for air pressure. It should be 2-3 PSI below the lowest setting on your pressure switch. Next, take a look at that pressure switch. You may just want to replace it (inexpensive) with a new one set to one of the more typical pressure ranges. 80 psi is really high and could certainly cause the thunking pipes when it cuts off. Finally, sometimes pipes are just noisy anyway when pressure shuts off, perhaps from being loosely strapped to the structure or clattering against each other. The high pressure will only make this worse.
+enduringcharm Thanks for the tip. I'll try that in the morning when I get home. I did secure the pipes (they were almost all loose), but still does it. Almost sounds like the sound is originating from outside the house ?? I'll do what you suggested and provide an update for anyone else having the same issue.
thats not true you can get different pressure switches we install wellrites with 38psi and switches set at usually 45 65 sometimes 50 70 and you can go higher depends on your bladder strength and the amount of air pressure you have in your bladder you alwas want to have you air pressure 2psi lower than your pump start up psi
Participant / sediment filter is very important, always install, otherwise those particles will end up in other device in the house like Dishwasher, refrigerator, water dispenser and ice maker, washer machine, toilets and your body if you drink and use the water for cooking or drinking...
There are two sides to the filter solution. Yes, a filter can capture particles of dirt, which are a normal part of well operations. However, depending on the well, the need to change the filter frequently can outweigh it's utility. In my area I would guess that around 80% of well owners choose NOT to have a filter. The effect on appliances such as washers or dishwashers is minimal, especially since they often have their own filters installed inline with the supply. Cleaning out the faucet screens in generally necessary from time to time. Anyway, I wouldn't say a well filter is necessary--it's a choice that some homeowners make and that others avoid. Much depends on how much particulate matter your well generates.
@@be236 For most homes it really isn't a problem. A glass of water from the kitchen tap will appear clear. If you have cloudy well water or significant particles, it indicates a problem with the well or the aquifer. And, not for nothing, you might be surprised to learn what comes through a municipal water system!
@@enduringcharm I just bought a house that has existing water well system, and I see it does have a sediment filter just before the pressure tank, and another one just after the water softener... Looking at my sink faucet, the water looks clear to me... and the filters look brown with dirt/sediment.... I need to flush those spin-down filters (looks like a Rusco brand) soon... so I think those filters are doing its job to stop the sediment going thru the pipes and to the house...
It would be unusual to have two filters arranged like that. What you don't know is how long it took for the filters to become dirty. You'll have to keep an eye on that, but I would suggest having a local plumber or well specialist take a look at your setup to see if it can be improved.
Question, I am closing on a slab house(no basement) in Minnesota. I want to build a garage in the back yard but the driveway will be between the well head and the house. Will it be OK to drive over the submerged pipes? I know you can't drive over septic but how about the well?
Presumably in Minnesota the well pipe is buried fairly deep, probably four or more feet. If you have a modern system with a continuous plastic supply pipe then it would likely be okay under a driveway. However, you are precluding future access to the pipe by building the driveway and I'm not certain how your local code officials will see this. If you ever needed to replace the pipe you'd have to go around or under the driveway. And, you don't mention how close the well head itself will be to this driveway. I would want to see at least 30-35 feet clearance and your local codes might also have something to say about that. You don't want snow plows, stray cars, road salt or other hazards near your well head. I'd suggest asking your local building department about any rules you need to be aware of since you'll need to talk to them about the garage anyway.
enduringcharm OK thank you for the response. The driveway will be gravel and will be 5 feet from the house and 10 feet from the well head. The house was rebuilt in 2002, but the well might be from the 50's. I'm assuming the pump and pipes were replaced in 2002. May I ask why I should be 30 ft. away? Does the pipe come out at a angle or straight down? A garage in the front yard would completely block the view and this is the only path I have. Is there a way to protect the well from only 10 feet away?
Oh, okay, I was picturing an asphalt driveway. With a gravel bed it would be easier to access the pipe if need be. If the pump was replaced in 2002 it should be a continuous plastic pipe, but you can check where it enters the house to see if it looks like black plastic. Usually there's one line for the water and there may be a second as electrical conduit. There's nothing magic about the 30 feet distance, I was just thinking a car or truck is 20 feet long and I'd want a little extra so if a vehicle parks off the driveway for a party or something he doesn't drive over the wellhead! I'd also be concerned about contamination. If a car in the driveway has a problem and shits the bed by dumping antifreeze from a cracked radiator or dumping oil from a bad gasket, you don't want that reaching the well head area. There is a casing for most wells, but ground contamination can spread. By having some distance to the driveway you buy yourself some time and space for clean up. Given your situation you might talk to a landscaper about a decorative rock wall or maybe you could build a decorative well house to protect the well head. Check out my recent video about replacing a cedar roof on a well house to see what that would look like. Incidentally, here's what Minnesota recommends as general rules for spacing: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/construction/protect.html
enduringcharm THANK YOU! I have been trying to research this and have found nothing until you! You have been extremely helpful with your expert knowledge.
No, the pressure switch is just connected to the main pipe with a little manifold of sorts that allows the pressure switch and the gauge to "see" the water pressure. There's no valve in there. You may be thinking of the "foot valve" that used to be installed in older style wells with external pumps. With submersible pumps they typically have a similar function built in so that water doesn't drain out.
Good catch--you're absolutely right, that one is a one-way valve. I thought I had remembered correctly, but after looking at the video again I see what you saw!
Hi, I have a well system that works well (no pun intended ;) but need a replacement 75 gallon propane water heater. A local plumber is saying I need to pay for a new 5 gallon thermal expansion tank for the new water heater but I do not have one now and have not had issues with the water heater relief valve. One plumber on You tube said that unless you have a check valve between the water heater and the well tank (I do not) then there is no need for this thermal expansion tank because the well tank bladder serves this function. This would appear to be an integral feature of typical well systems and important to mention, but do you all agree?
Let's see if I can clear this up. First, the well system components and the hot water heater are really two different systems. The expansion tank for the hot water heater is designed to allow some "give" to the system when hot water expands in a closed system so that pressure doesn't rise and fall dramatically and put stress on the pipes, the joints, the faucets, etc. In some installations there is a check valve, or backflow valve which prevents water from the house flowing back into the supply. These are typically installed where there is city water and are required by some codes. In that case, the expansion tank acts as a buffer so that pressure doesn't rise, since the water cannot flow back into the city water supply. I suppose that with a well tank and with no check valve installed the tank bladder would act as somewhat of a buffer, although if the tank is already at full pressure (like after the tank is filled and the pump shuts off) and then the hot water expands you are now asking the bladder and the whole system to maintain a higher pressure than it was designed for. In that case a thermal expansion tank would be useful. How much higher the system pressure goes depends on a variety of factors. I would surmise that your plumber is suggesting a thermal expansion tank because either: he intends to install a check valve now because it is required by local code, or he knows that the local inspector likes to see the tanks, or because he wants the extra protection for his installation so he feels comfortable guaranteeing it. It certainly can't hurt to have one. I very much doubt he's trying to "upsell" you something just to make more money, if that's your concern. If this fellow is otherwise good, I'd suggest just asking him what his rationale is. If he suggested it out of force of habit he may back down from the need, or he may be able to give you a valid reason. 75 gallons is a lot of hot water with a lot of expansion capacity, so I would feel more comfortable having the expansion tank too.
What is the rationale behind the 20 psi difference between cut-off and cut-on pressure? The drawdown doesn't change linearly meaning a pump would be working on a recommended cycle under one setting but not on the other, which of course could make it fail prematurely, and how much the pipes themselves are affected varies depending on how high the pressure goes so I'd like to know if it's just a rule of thumb that for the most part works, people in general prefering to have such variation or some other thing.
I don't know the history of it, but that spread has been built into the engineering for switches and pumps and seems to work pretty well in most households. It's a balance struck between number of pump cycles in a period versus the desired water pressure at the tap. The pressure switch has mechanical springs and action, so it isn't like some electronic device where you can have infinite variability. They are designed to be slightly adjustable, but that general range is part the design. Of course, pressure at the tap can vary with other variables such as pipe size and vertical rise.
If you mean a shallow well pump, often referred to as a "jet" pump, you can install a water pressure tank but you'll need to check what pressure range is acceptable for the pump.
Do you mean samples for testing water quality? The kitchen sink is a typical collection point, since that's often used for drinking water. Another common place is an outside spigot for a hose.
Dude! I was recently looking at a house to buy and discovered a big round cement lid covering a well in the basement, I couldn't tell if the well was brick lined because the lid was too heavy to move, but with a flashlight we could see down through where the pump pipes go and the water level look like it was approximately 5 feet below the concrete basement floor.. is this bad news? should this be updated with a new well drilled in the yard?
I'd need more information to tell you for sure, but I'm highly skeptical you were looking at a well for drinking water. More likely you were looking at a cistern. As far back as colonial times cisterns were used to collect rainwater, often from a roof, and store it for use, including for drinking. They were installed on the side of the house or in basements for easy gravity feed from the roof or other area. I have a client with a 1750 house who has one. They were basically a shallow tank, with hand pump, and could store enough water for household use. There were installed in some places up into the early 1900s. In more modern times, after electric well pumps came into play, these cisterns were either abandoned or re-purposed for use in garden irrigation or water for animals. Water for drinking then came from shallow wells drilled on the property (using a "jet" pump in the basement) , or deep wells with submersible pumps. In 2020 it would be very rare indeed to find a cistern being used for drinking water other than in a house built off the grid or built with eco-friendly philosophy. In fact, even shallow wells with a jet pump are rare these days. In my area I haven't seen one working in probably two decades. Probably what you were looking at was a cistern that had been re-purposed for garden use--a curiosity from an earlier time. Drinking water likely came from a deep well somewhere on the property. You'd need to follow the plumbing and electric to confirm this. If, in fact, this cistern was being used for drinking water it should be replaced with a proper well unless you are located in an area where water is scarce and local codes allow for rainwater collection for potable water.
yeah it's confusing because the home was built in 1964 which is the time period that they would utilize the typical drilled well.. (it was strange, it had an above ground pump and tank system with dual black polyethylene pipes going down into the 3 foot diameter well (I need to make another trip down there to remove the lid and investigate further.. Thanks for your response.
Well, the sixties were a strange time, so nothing is impossible! You are wise not to assume anything, though. If that is really used for drinking water it should be updated for a number of reasons, including health.
Good video, but I have an above ground pump with pressure switch, and one pipe running into a Galvanized water tank, and out the other side, so how do I install a newer air bladder style pressure tank with an above ground pump? I want to replace the old style one, thanks.
You probably have a "jet" pump, which is a specialized type of pump used only in shallow wells, often under 30 feet. Unlike a submersible pump which pushes water up from the bottom of the well, a jet pump pulls the water up. As such, it needs to have a "foot valve" at the bottom of the well which keeps a column of water available in the pipe. It also must be primed because it uses a venturi effect to create the suction. Anyway, you can still have a pressure tank with this shallow well system and your galvanized tank may very well have a bladder in it. Otherwise, it may have the top filled with air to accomplish the same task. Based on your brief description I think you can probably just replace your galvanized tank directly. However, I would urge you to have a local well expert come give you an estimate for a modern submersible pump, which may involve digging your well deeper. Your shallow well system is noisy, it's an electricity hog, and you are risking contamination with shallow wells. A deep well with submersible pump avoids these issues and will likely last much longer. A local well expert can tell you how deep you'd have to drill and the approximate cost. Some areas of the country require new wells to be the deep kind, and existing shallow wells like yours are only used for farm or yard. It is also possible that you have a deep enough well right now, because there are some above ground pump systems designed for deeper wells. In that case, you'd be crazy not to just install a submersible. Your local well expert will be able to tell you off the top of his head what's going on because they become familiar with an area and the aquifers.
I think it's about 250' deep, I pulled it once to replace the foot valve. The galvanized tank has air in the top, but no bladder, and sometimes you have to drain some water out to get the air pressure right. The other problem is, I'm getting some fine sand in the water, so I will try filters first before drilling a new well.
Oh, my goodness, then you should definitely use this opportunity to convert to a submersible pump. The bulk of the cost is the drilling, but you already have the depth. All you need now is the pump, the wiring and pipe to get to the bottom of the well, and the new tank that you need anyway. You'll save on electric costs and you won't be replacing foot valves ever again! Really--call a local well guy and get an estimate.
The water pressure fluctuates a lot in my house. When I'm taking a shower, sometimes I have a lot of water pressure sometimes I have a little water pressure. Does that mean the pressure switch might be going Bad or that short piece of pipe under the pressure switch is clogged?
A 20 PSI swing between 20 and 40 or between 30 and 50 is a lot, so varying water pressure is normal. You can have one person monitor the pressure gauge as you have another person in the shower. The pressure should slowly draw down to your base pressure before the pump kicks in. It should take a matter of minutes to cycle, though it depends on your tank size and the flow rate of your shower head. If the pump cycles on and off every 15 seconds or every 30 seconds, you may have a waterlogged tank with a bladder that doesn't hold air anymore. If the pump comes on and off erratically, rather than in a constant 20 PSI cycle, you could have an issue with your pressure switch. Most likely, though, what you are experiencing is normal.
most likely your pressure tank is waterlogged the way to check it to turn off the breaker for you well pump and then open a faucet till the water runs out and stops then use a tire gauge to check the air pressure but knock on the side of the tank and if it sounds hollow like you get a echo then its still good if it sounds solid then its water logged you have to do this with the pump breaker out and have opened a faucet till it stops running out of the faucet
Hello! Ok so if a house has well water and a water softener is it possible to tap into the plumbing and install a faucet before the softener so I can have access to both hard and soft water inside the house?
There's no reason you can't plumb a water circuit before the water softener. You may want to have an exterior hose bib for a garden, for example, without the expense of softening the water for your flowers.
I'm trying to figure out the kind of well I have. I have 2 water pipes running down my well. I'm on city water now but want to get to the well if possible.
Shallow wells with the actual pump itself located in the basement could have two pipes. You could also be looking at an older pipe no longer used. A modern submersible pump only needs the one water pipe, plus the conduit for the electrical.
I just bought a house with a well. The water is still off. I seem to have a second pump. Jet pump? Water is puddling around the housing. Is it broken?? Why do I have 2 pumps? Thanks
I'd need more information to make a determination. If you just bought the house, presumably it was checked for potable water before sale, or was this some kind of auction "as-is" house you purchased? In many states it's a requirement that the well water is tested as part of the sale. Anyway, I can only speculate about what you are looking at. A jet pump is only used for shallow wells and it would be located in the basement or a nearby outbuilding. A submersible pump is located in the well itself, and obviously you would not see it. If there are two physical pumps in the basement to look at, possibly one failed and was replaced. It's also possible somebody drilled a second shallow well if the first one failed. Jet pumps and shallow wells are not the best idea for drinking water anymore. Better to replace with a drilled, deep well and install a submersible pump.
Once your tank bladder gets a hole in it, the air gradually dissipates into the water as the tank is used. Eventually you'll get to the point where it's just water in the tank and you'll notice the pump constantly cycling on and off in quick succession as you use water. You can test the bladder by turning off the pump and draining off the water pressure from a tap. There's a schrader air valve (like on a car tire) located on the tank and if you put a tire pressure gauge on that valve you should get a reading just below the lowest setting on your tank (probably 20 or 30 PSI). If you get very low or no pressure you can try pumping up the bladder with a bicycle pump or air compressor and see if it holds. If the pressure does not hold, your tank bladder is done.
I just bought a house with well water. I has a filter and a softwater system, who would I call to do a check up on the system? a plumber or a softwater company? and I really think it has iron in the water because I can smell it. thanks in advance for your response.
Typically a plumber can and will service a water softening system, and your filter too. I know my plumber subcontractor who works on bath and kitchen remodels for me routinely works on water softeners. They are actually pretty simple systems and you can likely call in a plumber to check over yours, fill it with salt, and show you how to operate the system yourself in the future. Some wells do have excessive iron, which often leaves rust stains in sinks and toilets. However, the smell could be from other things too. Presumably you had a water test as part of the home sale (or the seller provided one) so take a look at that report and see if it indicates excessive minerals or other contaminants. There are filters to treat various water conditions, but you need the right one for the right problem. You may also have a basic filter meant to keep out dirt and other particles. I have mixed feelings about these, since they sometimes do more harm than good. If not frequently changed they can get nasty and even clog up. Another thing to understand is that older water heaters and tanks themselves can start to contaminate the water with rust, or collected dirt from years of use, etc. My advice is to find a local plumber recommended by neighbors (a good conversation starter!) and have him come for a visit to verify your water softener is working and to educate you on what you can do to improve the taste and smell of your water. There are a lot of variables I haven't even mentioned. Show your plumber the water test report and see what you can figure out. It will be $100-200 to have him come out and evaluate the system with you. Incidentally, companies that specialize in water treatment aren't necessarily bad, but there are quite a lot of them who are more about sales pressure than solving problems.
Hello I was wondering if you can help me at all I'm trying to get my work building water pressure tank to 0 (leaving building for winter( I shut the water off but I'm missing a step that shuts the pressure tank off. It's a 38 psi
The tank is typically located before the water shut off, so you'll want to cut electricity to the water pump or else the tank will be refilled as you try to drain it! Once electric is off you'll need to find the drain valve somewhere near the bottom of the tank or in a low pipe right near the tank. With the water main shut off you'll prevent water in the pipes from draining back and with the electric to the pump shut off you'll prevent the tank from refilling. Open the drain valve and you can now drain the tank. Obviously you'll want to connect a hose to the drain or use a large bucket to catch the water. When the water stops flowing, the tank is drained and you can check the air pressure.
enduringcharm thanks you for ur comment I really really appreciate it. About how long should it take to empty the tank? I tried but it must be filling back up. The pressure keeps going to 60/40 60/40 over and over. So I'm thinking I have another electricity switch I'm missing. I'll go have another look and try figure it out. Thanks for such a quick response.
I don't know how big your tank is, but it should take a little while. The immediate pressure should drop fairly quickly, but then gravity will take a little while to drain the tank. If you are leaving the building empty for a period of time and there will be no heat (assuming you are in a cold weather area) then draining the pipes by opening the main valve and letting them drain back is a good idea too. In any case, your pump should have both a switch located somewhere near the tank and also the breaker for the whole circuit.
enduringcharm ok thank you so much for your help. I will do all steps you provided. If I'm still having troubles I will contact a local pluming/heating company. Thanks
sorry a hydrant is like a spigot out near the well and it has a handle you pull up on to water your garden .They are used by farmers and stuff here to fill water troughs here for animals .They sell them at tractor supply and and lowes also .So that does make sense a little .My pump is 400 ft in the ground and pumps up to the pressure tank and shallow well pumps will pull the water up to the pressure tank .I get it now .Thank you for all your help .I lived in NJ and we had city water and now i live in VA with well water . thank you so much for your help .I wish Fergusons where i bought this would have answered my questions this well .I guess they figure I am just a women so it does not matter .I need to understand these things .I just dealt with getting a new heat pump after 10 years with the other one and that was confusing enough.I dealt with traditional heat and air not this stuff .They put a 10 seer in the house new 10 years ago and they convinced me that would be enough .Well it wasn't now have a 16 seer with a 9.5 hspf .live and learn
The mechanical pumps, like the old-school lever action style you describe, are only good for very shallow wells. Possibly you have a shallow well in addition to your deeper drinking water well.
I installed a new well pump and it pumps water well. But as soon as I open the valve to the retaining tank to fill it, the pump "stutters" like a "katonk, katonk" noise. What could be the issue there?
If you just replaced the pump and this is the first fill, it's possible you have some air trapped in the lines that need a little time to get out. Another possibility is the pump or the lines rattling against the side of the well casing or the ground. They make spacers for the lines to avoid that. Sound is tough to diagnose, and even tougher over the internet!
I just had a pressure switch go bad. The gauge was reading over 100psi. Changed the switch. The problem I'm having is that relief valve between the spigot and blue tank. Mine comes off right under the pressure switch. My switch is 40-60psi. Why would water still be dripping out of that relief valve?
If memory serves those pressure relief valves are set to pop off at around 75 PSI, which is curious if your gauge was reading 100PSI! Now, it's quite possible your gauge is inaccurate and you didn't reach 100 PSI, or maybe it's inaccurate in the other direction and reads low. That could mean your pressure switch is set wrong if you are going by the gauge. Neither the pressure gauge or the relief valve are expensive and I think if I was in your shoes I'd probably go ahead and replace them both. Better safe than sorry.
The black rubber looking pipe that is the supply from the outside well, what type of pipe is that?...Mine is leaking at the connection and needs to be replaced. Thanks in advance
That's polyethylene plastic. Hopefully you can saw off a little of the end of it and re-fit the connection so it doesn't leak. The alternative is digging a trench to get the old one out and opening up the well to connect a new one!
You have to look where your pressure gauge is located. If the gauge is located before the shut-off to the house, then it will continue to read whatever water pressure is there because that has not changed. However, you can bleed off pressure in the rest of the pipes after the shut-off by opening up a faucet and letting it drain off for a minute.
My water well is 100' away from the house, where do I install the pump and the tank? Can I install a external pump (3/4) by the well and the tank (30 gpm) inside the house?
It's not the distance from the house which is most important, it's the depth of the well. If you have a shallow well, which is really not a great idea in this day and age, you'll have an external pump. A shallow well might only be 30-50 feet deep, and an external pump can provide enough suction to draw water up that distance through a foot valve inside the well. But, a shallow well is more susceptible to chemicals, bacteria and contaminants from the surface, so they aren't generally installed any more. An external pump and the tank must be installed somewhere protected from cold, typically in a basement or sometimes in an outbuilding. A deeper well, say 100 feet or more, uses a submersible pump which pumps the water up from the bottom of the well. This pump will be sized to handle the vertical water column in the well and any horizontal length. The deeper the well the more powerful pump you'll need. A deep well with a submersible pump is far more reliable and offers better protection against pollutants. The first 30-40 feet of the well will be a casing, and then the earth acts as a filter below that. The pump goes in the well, the tank goes in the home. If you have a shallow well you should consider drilling deeper and using a submersible pump.
@@enduringcharm im located in south Florida and my well is 70'. Water system was stolen and I want to use the same well. I would like to put the pump and tank inside the house but I'm not sure because the well is 100' from the utility room 🤔🤔🤔 any recommendations on the size of pump and tank?
Yeah, that sounds like a shallow well. You have an external pump. I would encourage you to contact a local well drilling company to see what it would cost to go a little deeper. They will have knowledge of your local aquifer. It is possible you could go with a submersible pump at 70 feet, so you should consider that as well. It's unfortunate somebody stole your gear, but now is the time to upgrade your system so you won't have problems down the line. Nobody is going to steal a submersible pump! Find a local well company and ask them what options you have.
That's actually a plastic pipe. A very tough plastic pipe! In the old days a galvanized steel pipe was sometimes used, or maybe other metal pipe as well. They fared poorly because of rust or corrosion. They also were subject to breaking because of movement of the earth. Remember, this pipe goes underground towards the well. The specialty plastic pipe that you see in the video is a fairly thick walled design that is one continuous piece between the well and the tank. It can move with the earth and not break and it is immune to corrosion, of course. These flexible plastic pipes last much longer than the pump or the tank, that's for sure!
I have a "rubber" pipe also. I looked everywhere to find information on it. You are the only person to give infor on this type of pipe. Thank you very much. My builder did things the correct way and was wonder why he skimped and did not put in a sturdier pipe. Thanks to you I understand what I have.
Question. We were doing remodeling on the bathrooms today and had shut the water off. Got the new toilet installed, flushed a few times, good to go! I washed dishes and ran dishwasher, saw low pressure, then no water. Husband said the breaker was thrown, put it back on. NOTHING. no pressure, Not sure if it is even getting electricity. What do we need to check or do? It is a Saturday night and I will need water before Monday morning business hours! :(
Cindy Watters You don't say how you shut your water off. If you used the main valve to shut the water off, it's possible that the valve is damaged and did not open back up when you turned the knob or flipped the lever. If you flipped a breaker to shut the pump off, it's possible that you have an electrical issue. It's possible that your tank was full of sludge, which moved to block the pipe after the water was run down. You have to start at the tank and check the basics. Does the pressure gauge register pressure? If so then your tank is okay and perhaps you have a bad main valve. No pressure on the gauge? Then move back to the electrical and make sure your pump is operating. Use a multi-meter at the pressure switch to check for voltage. If there is no voltage then you have a problem at the breaker box or perhaps you left a switch off. If there is voltage then you may have a problem with your pump. You have to backtrack through each system to eliminate possibilities until you find the issue.
Thank you for replying .He had turned the water off at the main valve We switched a breaker out on the 220 and the pump didn't come on, pressure guage registering no pressure. So now thinking it is pump?
Cindy Watters Well, you need to eliminate the electrical system before the pump. Since you have a 220 volt pump, you need to remove the cover from the pressure switch, make certain the breaker is on, and measure the voltage across the terminals with a meter. If voltage is 220 there, then you know the electrical system up to that point is good. If so, that leaves only the pressure switch itself or the pump.
What condition would I expect to have if there was too much air pressure put in my tank? I understand that it should be 2psi lower than the cut-in pressure.
454something When the air pressure is above your pressure switch setting the pressure switch will become confused. Depending on how great the differential is you might get poor system performance to something as bad as a continually running pump that burns out. Keeping the air pressure 2-5 PSI below the cut in pressure on the switch insures that the switch is operating based on the water pressure rather than an artificially high air pressure. Remember, the air pressure is measured after releasing the water pressure with an open tap and the pump turned off.
enduringcharm Thanks for the reply. One more question though: I will check the pressure after turning off the pump and releasing the water pressure with an open tap but how low should I let the water pressure get to before checking air pressure? Do I let the water run until it stops at the tap?
454something Yes, drain all water pressure from the system by opening up a tap near the pressure tank. Perhaps an outside spigot is nearby or there is one plumbed at the tank. Needless to say you either need to cut power to the pump or to close a main valve from the pump if one exists. With the water pressure at zero you can use a tire gauge tester at the schrader valve at the top of the tank. Before you do any of this, though, double check the pressure cutoff values at the electrical switch by observing the water pressure gauge through a full cycle. Typical residential values are 20-40 PSI or 30-50 PSI.
Hello ! For the first time I will be draining all the water from my seasonal shack in the Laurentians back into the artesian well using a reverse vacuum gadget located down the artesian well pipe, and which I lift with a cord to initiate the vacuum drainback. The well people said it will work , but I have forgotten what the exact instructions are, and also we were talking in French (not my forte !). Any idea what this gadget is called and who makes it ?
We bought a new water system for our well five years ago. It was doing great until a few days ago. I washed clothing and the whites came out all brownish. Water from the well to the system is fine, a little cloudy is all. Water in the softener brain is fine. After it leaves the system it's brown. Could it be the filter system failing? Some guy told me I wasn't putting enough/the right salt in my softener system. I don't think that has anything to do with it.
I'm not certain I have a handle on your concern. You say the water is coming out brown, but where exactly are you seeing that? Is your tapwater brown or is it that your white clothes are turning brown? It's not uncommon for wells to get dirt in the system from time to time, especially if the underground water table gets low or if there is nearby drilling activity in the aquifer. Even the pump turning on and off can sometimes dislodge some dirt that comes through in the water. This often shows up either in your filter or in your toilet tank. Sometimes it gathers in the hot water tank or the well tank and comes out your tap when there is a surge of water. But, if you are seeing brown that isn't particles of dirt another possibility is that iron content in the water is your issue. I think some bacteria can also cause discolored water. Maybe with more information I could be more helpful.
+enduringcharm Thank you for your reply. Sorry, I meant to say all of our water inside the house is brown/orange in color. I checked the water coming directly from the well but it was pretty clear and didn't have a smell. I dug through the salt in the softener tank and the water in there was clean (edit: the tank is very clean too). I then checked the water coming out of the entire system and it had the orange color and smelled like rust. I know this is probably impossible to diagnose over the internet, but I'm just trying to rule a few things out. 1) Someone said it's the salt I'm using for softener (Morton's Rust Remover) or 2) that I'm not 'using enough' even though I keep it half filled. I'm skeptical on both points. Our system goes from the well, past the pressure tank, into a filter, into the softener, then into another filter then into the house. I'm leaning toward it being an issue with the second filtration system, or maybe years of build up in the pipes finally 'breaking free'. I'm also thinking it could be the softener regeneration (not enough backwash to flush out the gross stuff), though if that was the case wouldn't the water in the brine tank also suffer?
You have two filters? That's weird. Makes me wonder why! It is certainly possible you are seeing rust breaking free from either the hot water tank or from pipes themselves if you have an older house with galvanized supply lines. Most galvanized pipes in my area were replaced in the 70s, but I still see them once in a while. They are notorious for rusting. You can flush your hot water heater (carefully!) by attaching a hose to the spout at the bottom and opening it up carefully so you don't burn yourself. Turn off the electric or the gas to it first so you don't have a surge of cold water following the hot going out. Direct the hose into a bucket where you can see what comes out. The pressure tank can rust too if the bladder has gone bad and water is leaking out into the metal tank. It's tough for me to help much more over the interweb, but a local plumber wouldn't charge that much to come take a look for you.
enduringcharm Thank you for your help! I'm going to go ahead and replace the pipes, because the water coming out of the system, had someone help me disconnect the things today, is coming out clean. So probably the pipes. Thanks again!
Sometimes I see multiple filters installed for no reason that I can discern. You may want a pro to take a look and see if your system can be redesigned and cleaned up.
Well water comes up from the ground at around 50 degrees at all times of the year. Hot water is handled just like houses with town supply--a hot water heater fueled by electricity or gas. The hot water systems in houses with wells are identical to those with town supplied water.
+Ronell Oropesa In the old days when the pump was located in the house, there was a "foot" valve at the bottom of the well that kept the water from draining out. With the pump now located in the well itself, there is a check valve built in to the pump.
If you install a filter it needs to be after the pressure tank and in a horizontal run. The cartridge mount needs to be secured to a wall. You wouldn't install it before the pressure tank because you would run the risk of the filter becoming clogged and the pressure switch failing to sense the correct pressure, which could lead to pump damage if it isn't shut off. Personally I'm not a big fan of sediment filters. While some wells can produce a lot of sediment which may clog faucet screens or leave residue in toilet tanks, most wells do not. Sediment filters tend to get clogged up and left because the homeowner doesn't replace them, and they can also be a place for bacteria to breed since the filter change procedure itself can introduce bacteria.
Air compresses, liquid does not. Without a cushion of air the pressure in the tank would quickly spike as it filled and cause the pump to shut off as the pressure switch reached it's maximum setting. Conversely, when water is drawn from a faucet the pressure would quickly dive down to nothing, causing the pump to come on from the low pressure. So, you'd have the pump constantly cycling in short bursts in order to keep up with demand. That would burn out the pump and cause sudden pressure swings at the tap. Indeed, when an air bladder goes bad and leaks out all the air, the symptom is a quick cycling pump and pressure swings. When the air bladder is functioning, it allows the air to compress as the pressure rises to the cut-off (usually 30 to 50 PSI, depending on the system design). Then as you open a faucet the compressed air expands and keeps system pressure in the desired range, forcing stored water out of the tank as it expands. Only when the air pressure is exhausted below the set threshold does the pump come back on.
Occasionally in the late summer months when we haven't had rain for awhile my well will run dry. It always recovers but never really increases the well supply so we have to conserve until the water table increases and we have plenty of water. I'd like to install (not me personally) a water storage tank that will alleviate this problem. I would appreciate any comments you may have for something like this.
+Wes McDermott You are barking up the wrong tree. The solution to your problem lies with the well itself, not the tank. These tanks exist only to "buffer" the supply of water so that the pump is not constantly cycling and that the system maintains a range of pressure. They are not intended or effective as large storage containers. I'm assuming you have a submersible pump in your well and not a "jet pump." The latter is used only with shallow wells and the pump itself is located in the house. If you have a submersible pump it is located in the well itself, and the well is typically at least 60-80 feet deep and often much more. To solve your problem you need to take a look at your well depth and the depth of the pump. You also need somebody knowledgeable about the aquifer in your area. Sometimes it's a simple matter of lowering your pump in the existing well to get to a more stable water supply. If the well is 160 feet deep and your pump is located at140 feet, you may be able to drop it 10 feet and have a more stable supply. Sometimes you need to drill the well deeper into the aquifer, especially if the original well was not very deep. Depths of 300-400 feet are not unheard of in some areas. Sometimes you just have a poorly located well and the only solution is a new one located somewhere else on the property. In all these cases, a driller who is familiar with your local aquifer is a must. Take a look in your house around the existing water tank to see if the depth of the well or the pump is written down somewhere, It's common practice for the installer to write the information on a tag or on the side of the tank or cut-off switch. If it's a low number, say under 100 feet, there's a pretty good chance the existing well can be reworked in some way to make a solution. If it's a high number, like many hundreds of feet, there's a good chance you are into a new well. In any case, find a local well driller with a lot of experience. They can likely tell you with a single visit what's going on.
yes, you absolutely can add a storage tank. since this comment is over two years old, i’m guessing the OP has already come up with a solution. however, the rely is wrong! adding in a storage tank, booster and a device called “pump saver” is extremely less costly than drilling a new well or even deepening an existing well. some existing wells can not be deepened if they are cased with pvc casing and cased with 4 1/2” pvc.
The earth filters the water! There's no need to filter well water if it comes from a healthy well. It is good to test for coliform bacteria and industrial contaminants every so often, but if your well is deep and working properly in an area with a clean aquifer then the water comes out ready to drink. In fact, it will be more pure than municipal water, which is treated with chlorine and other chemicals.
Actually, well water is considered healthier. Residents of Flint Michigan would likely agree! Different aquifers offer different quality of water, so a well in one area can have a different ph and mineral content than another, but overall well water is not only safe but cleaner.
What side of your pressure tank should a shut-off valve be placed? Mine is before gauge & switch & was installed by professional. But I'm being told that's wrong by another...So where should it be? Ty, SL
You may or may not have a hose bib or spigot plumbed into the system that you could use for flushing. Turn the electric to the pump off and open up the spigot (if you have one) into a bucket. However, pressure tanks don't typically need flushing. The rubber bladder does not rust or corrode, so the only source of debris in the water would be the pump itself, which can push through small amounts of dirt from the well. If you have a particularly dirty well you can plumb in a particulate filter to catch it before it goes into your house. Dirt in the pressure tank tends to work itself out rather than collect, in most cases.
No, not at all. In fact, the downsides can outweigh the upsides. Well water can vary widely in mineral content, some wells offer a good balance between "hard" and "soft" and others may have very high mineral content which causes problems in the plumbing system. Adding a water softener can help ameliorate those problems, but water softeners also waste water in the process and can add sodium to your drinking water. You really need to look at each individual well and the circumstances within a household to determine if a softener system is appropriate.
since I am new to this stuff I am getting confused .New well pump was put in 1 hp and well is 400 ft deep and pumps 12 gpm and i was told the old pressure tank is dead .I bought a proflo 44 by amtrol 38 psi and a 40 /60 switch .I got a new T fitting and and new pressure switch .The T fitting has an out let i am guessing by your description for a relief valve .It has the top openings for the pressure switch and the gauge .I want to make sure the plumber is doing this 1 right .My well pump burned out because the old pressure tank was only a 20 gallon and they said the pump was coming on to much .The whole system is only 10 years old
Well, it is not uncommon for a small well tank or one that has failed internally to cause the pump to burn out. More pump cycles equals a shorter life. There are many factors affecting pump life, and some last as little as ten years anyway for other reasons. 20-25 years would be an amazingly long life for a pump. It sounds like you are installing a bigger tank, which is good. Just make sure the tank is correctly pressurized with air before you fill it with water, make sure the pressure switch is working correctly to cycle on and off at the right pressure, and make certain to install the pressure relief valve. Finally, make sure the installer(s) put chlorine down in the well to kill off bacteria introduced by the new pump and new tank install.
we refer to this as “an ugly tee” water in, water out and tank connection. there should be two 1/4” threaded holes on the top, one for a pressure switch and one for a pressure gauge. if you do not trust a professional to do a job, then why hire him? additionally, the life span of a submersible well pump is 7-15yrs depending on starts and stops, and if it pumps any sand/sediment
It should be made clear to anyone watching this video that this is an air driven tank, where these days, most tanks have an actual bladder (rubber) to separate the air and water, and don't become waterlogged.
I'm not sure we're on the same page here. The tank in the video has a plastic (polypropylene) liner and a rubber diaphragm to separate the air from water. It's an Amtrol Champion tank and very common. These tanks when they age can become waterlogged if the rubber fails and the air and water are no longer separated by a physical barrier. Eventually the air can dissipate into the water.
That's sulfer you smell, and there could be many causes. If you have well water it could be from the aquifer. Or, if it's only in the hot water it could be bacteria reacting in the hot water heater, or if it's only in the cold water it could be bacteria on that side of the system. You need a pro to come out and take a look. You could try turning up the temperature on your hot water heater on the hope that the problem is just bacteria there, but if that does nothing then you need to have a pro investigate. There are various filters available if it's from the aquifer and there are ways to kill the bacteria in the system if that's the issue.
Giovanni Peirre Good question! In the old days when the pump was in the house and just a pipe went down into the well there was a "foot valve" that prevented backflow. With a modern submersible pump there is a one-way check valve either built into the pump itself or installed near the pump. This only lets water flow one way toward the tank.
Filters aren't necessary and in my area, anyway, the vast majority of systems do not have whole house filters installed. After all, well water is already filtered by the earth. However, some well water can have a lot of particulates (dirt, basically) which can be cleaned up with a filter. Or, if the water has various problems with smell or taste or contamination there are various filter options available.
It's really not a must. In my service area I see less than 10 percent of homes with wells that have a whole house filter. Other regions may be different depending on soil conditions, well depths and other factors.
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Thank you for making such an informative video. From someone that doesn't know anything about wells, I'm extremely thankful.
Have an amazing day!
This is an excellent video. Straight to the point, no fluffing around.
Thank you for posting. VERY good work.
This was very helpful. I knew nothing about how any of this worked in my house and after watching the video I feel as if I can identify and understand how my well works. Thank You!
Thanks so much for your very clear explanation of the water system. I bought an old mobile home with similar system and I didn't have a clue what I was getting myself into. Thanks again
*Thank you* for taking the time to do this video - we've just taken over care of my parents' house, which has well water to part of the house. I needed a primer (ha!) on what's what with the system..
Very informative. Thank you. Im about to buy a new home and watched your video to help me understand the components of a well system. And yes, I learned a few things. Thank you!
This is *extremely* helpful for me as a new homeowner. Thank you very much!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for your video this was extremely helpful. I have been looking at well videos for over an hour yours is the only one that actually explain to me what I was looking at in my pump house thank you so much.
Thanks for the information. Very well explained!
Great video. Very nicely done!
Thank you for recording this. Very helpful!
Very helpful info about the filter. I had my water tested and it's fine so I'm running it direct with a water softener.
Great explanation. Thanks.
Thank you. That was very educational and easy to understand
I installed it friday and it is working great and thanks for the info .It is around 50 on the 40/60 pressure switch .
Good--you should notice the gauge fluctuating between 40 and 60 PSI as the pump goes through the on/off cycle.
I have checked it again this morning and it is staying around 55 on the gauge .No leaks either .That really worried me that 1 of the connections would leak .I found out why the other tank failed,some of the connectors he used were galvanized with the T being brass and had almost closed up with iron deposits and the pressure switch piece had rusted through and broke off in my hand .I replaced everything with new parts .I flushed every thing out with the hose before I turned on the new pressure tank .I wish you could see how clogged up the galvanized pipe was .I don't even know how i got water to the house since the hole that water came through was no bigger then a pencil opening
Thanks... Very useful. Upvoted!
Very well done, thank you
Very good video. Learned a lot.
Thank you, *very* helpful
Thanks John!
I know this is an older video, but thanks so much! I moved into a house that has a well and I had no idea "how" is worked other than it had electric ran to it. Thanks!
Glad it helped!
There are lots of different setups, so you always need to examine the system in question. In this type of system, the pressure tank acts as a buffer and for storage of pressure, not unlike a battery in an automotive electrical system.
When I saw videos of people pulling their pumps up to replace them, it was a mystery how the water left the well below the freeze line. I looked at more videos and asked several people and got some cockamamie answers. Various illustrations that I saw online were no help either. Finally I saw an illustration that labeled something called the pitless adaptor several feet down which was the answer to my mystery. I wish someone would make a thorough explanation of wells instead of so many that are just overviews.
After watching your video ( and about a dozen others on the subject) I was able to be the site expert on my sons dead well water system. Replaced pump. Recharged tank. Replaced pressure gage and drain spigot.
Could not have done it without you. Thanks about $1000 dollars.
Ha! That's great. Make sure you send your substantial invoice to your son!
Hi there, very nice video, how about cycle stop valve in this setup would that be beneficial to prolong life for pump?
enduringcharm great video, here is my issue. My well feeds 3 sprinkler heads and that's been working fine for the past 5 years. This season i noticed that when the pump is idle (water off) I'm at 58-60 PSI. As soon as I open the sprinkler it instantly drops to 40 PSI and then within 30-45 seconds I'm under 30 PSI and then down to 15 PSI. At 30 PSI the sprinkler is done with because the water isn't pushing beyond 1 feet or the Sprinkler heads won't even pop up due to no pressure. Now the pump starts running immediately but it can never catch up to bring the PSI to around 45-50 anymore which what it used to be before. Do you think the pump doesn't have enough power to push enough water or is it the tank?
Thank you for the video. I have a well and municipal water plumbed in together and I was wanting to know how the well worked in case I wanted to see if it still runs
That would be highly unusual and not a great idea to have municipal and well water tied together in the same system. Typically that is not allowed at all, but perhaps some kind of backflow prevention was installed or somebody didn't get permits for the work. Or perhaps it is plumbed as an either/or installation--one or the other but not both? The problem is that you don't want cross contamination from the well to the municipal supply. Plus, I'm not even sure you you would handle two pressure sources if they are not separated. You might want to have a pro check that out and make certain everything is on the up and up.
Thank you for this thorough video! I've been working to familiarize myself further with the way well systems work since I have one and have usually had to deal with the problems myself since we bought the house 13 years ago. At the beginning it was just the pressure switch getting ants in it and I'd go outside (in South Florida we usually have our systems outside) and spray and use some vaseline beneath it to keep the critters out of it. Then a few years ago, the switch needed replacing and a plumber did it. I could have saved some money, but oh well! You don't know what you don't know. Then the tank needed replacing and I got one of those fiberglass ones to replace the metal one we previously had. Our pump is also fairly new and working OK it seems. But this morning after we put a load of laundry in the water stopped in the whole house. I went out back to try to troubleshoot. I turned the ON/OFF on the pressure switch to off and removed the casing to see if ants had gotten in. Nope, it was clean. I tapped on the contacts and then turned the unit back to ON and the pump went on. But after many minutes of this, it continued. Would not turn off. I turned it off and then back on a few times. I did let it run about 10 minutes and figured that something's got to be wrong as the pump would never be running that long. We have no water now and if my troubleshooting doesn't work I'll be calling the plumber. Was hoping to save a costly service call if at all possible. Any ideas for me? Thank you again for sharing your knowledge .
Well, you need to start with the basics and work your way around the system. Obviously you want to make certain you have stable electric to the pump. A meter can show that you have power to the pressure switch. As you already know, the pressure switch can be an issue, whether it's bugs or just worn out springs, etc. If the pump is coming on, you must have some power and the pressure switch is at least half working! Ideally you'll have a pressure gauge mounted on the incoming pipe so you can watch the pressure rise when the pump kicks on. If the pressure is not rising, then you may have a problem with the pump or you could have simply run out of water in the well. In either of those cases you need a pro. If the pump doesn't come on at all, it can be shorts in the electrical wiring down to the pump or a flaky pressure switch. If the pressure is rising, then the pump is working and there is water there. However, if the pump won't kick off at the high setting then your pressure switch is malfunctioning. The pump would keep going until the safety bleeder releases pressure or the pump burns out. In your case you indicate that you hear the pump running, but it won't shut off and you have no water pressure. If you've checked these things above already, it's time to call a pro and have them check your pump and the well itself. If you've actually run out of water they can sometimes lower the pump in the well if there is room. Otherwise, you either wait for the water table to rise or you dig a deeper well. But, more likely it's the pump itself.
Thank you so much for your very thorough response. I appreciate your kindness. We did end up calling the pro in. He took care of it in 5 minutes. The tank ran out of water and he said that was the bad news. Bad news because he doesn't know what caused it. But he fixed it by priming it. I had to use one of my gallons of bottled water to do so! LOL So the fix cost us $75 for the service call plus $.89 for the bottled water. I will keep a gallon of tap water back there in the future! Although truthfully, I wasn't watching how he primed it. I know WHERE the water goes but not which way all the different valves should be set, etc. He also mentioned we have a lot of extra pipes and valves that he can't figure what they're doing there. He thinks it might be that the previous owner had set up lines to feed the house (which would go through the water softener) and another line for outdoor use - sprinklers and 2 hard water spigots around the house - the previous owner did warn me about washing my car with 2 particular faucets and watering the plants with 2 others. One day I will figure this all out. In the meantime I'm glad it happened on a Saturday and not Sunday! $$$$ Thank you again!
Okay, that sounds like an oddball setup! Do you have a submersible pump or a so-called "jet pump" with the pump located outside the well itself? A submersible pump doesn't need a prime, but a jet-pump might. Jet pumps were used with shallow wells and are no longer used in most areas. Either way, with all the rest of what you describe going on I suspect your relationship with this pro hasn't ended!
I guess what I have is a jet pump then! Yes, my pump is outside the well. I guess South Florida is the exception to the rule. I'm a real estate broker and see homes all the time with pumps outside, not submersed. I've learned a lot from you today. Thank you! And, yes, I think you're on target that I'll be seeing the plumber again. =)
You may just happen to live in an area of shallow wells where the water table is naturally high. In lots of areas of the country well depths are into the hundreds of feet and a jet pump won't work. If you do have the plumber back sometime, see if he can cut out any unused piping and label the rest. Well worth the time and money down the line.
Thank you!!
thank you also I noticed some people have a check valve and wondering about that because out side I have 1 of those hydrants not far from my well and wondering if it can possibly drain the inside tank instead of pulling water from the well
You've lost me there--I'm not sure what you mean about the hydrant. Check valves or foot valves are used in shallow wells with pumps located in the house--that would not apply to your situation.
Thank you. We are in a house with a well for the first time. Complete mystery to me. I learned a lot from your very clear video which included a system very similar to mine. One thing I learned is that my system probably needs to be serviced. The pump is working and seems to cycle on and off a reasonable amount of time so the pressure switch and tank bladder may be ok. But the pressure gauge is not working so I can't read the pressure level there. Also, my system does have a filter, which needs frequent changing and fills with a gritty mud. Question - since you like to leave out a filter, what about all of that dirt and rust that goes to the house system and to the pool. Thanks again for the informative and clear video.
The pressure gauge not reading is pretty common when they get old. It can be replaced easily by shutting off the electric, draining off the pressure, and then unscrewing the pipe on which the gauge is mounted. Sometimes the gauge just quits or sometimes that pipe gets clogged up with gunk.
Now, your other issue may be a bigger deal. A properly functioning well doesn't have a huge amount of dirt or grit coming through. One place dirt can gather is the bottom of the toilet tank. I often look there to judge what amount of dirt is coming in. If you started with a clean tank you should be able to go year or so before noticing any kind of build up there. If a month goes by and you have an 1/8 inch of sediment on the bottom, you have a problem with the well. Similarly, a clean particulate filter should not be getting clogged up in a matter of weeks or months. If you see actual mud or visible grit building up quickly, you have a problem.
So what kind of problems might they look for? A well that is simply too shallow may produce excess amounts of dirt. If the well casing (which typically goes down 25-30 feet) has failed then that can produce excess dirt falling in from the surface. If the well walls have become enlarged, or the standoffs they use to secure the well pipe from moving around have failed, or if they didn't use the standoffs, then the action of the pump coming on and off may be causing it to jostle around down there and create dirt. If the aquifer has been disturbed recently by local construction or other well digging, that can cause excess dirt. And, it's possible what you are seeing is not dirt at all, but rust or corrosion from the holding tank.
I'd suggest finding a local well installation/drilling company, rather than just a plumber. The dedicated well people are more experienced diagnosing these systems and they have specialized experience in the aquifer which most plumbers do not have.
@@enduringcharm Wow, thanks for the detailed and helpful response. I did not expect an answer at all since the video is over seven years old, and certainly not within a couple of hours. I doubt it is corrosion from the holding tank, which appears to be one of the newer components of the system. There actually is a fair amount of new construction in our area and one new well going in less than a mile away. Family members had suggested that as a potential source of the problem, which I thought implausible. Interesting to hear that could actually be the trouble. Most of the other well components are not new so any of the other things you suggested could be the problem also. I have already researched local well specialists and will be calling for an inspection and servicing. Thanks again.
Thanks for the video! We just bought a home and this is my first experience with a well. When my well hits the cut off pressure (mine was wet as 40/80), there's a LOUD clunk. I notice it most in the utility room where the pressure switch is, but I can't seem to tell exactly where it's coming from. Any tips?
Jason Gravelle it’s normal. in layman’s terms, it’s just the pump stopping and the pressure dropping back on to the check valves.
Very interesting video and answers to comments. I have just moved to a house in Malta in the mediterranean in Europe where it is common for there to be rainwater collection cisterns dug out under the houses which used to provide water before the area was supplied with mains water. My house has such a cistern well and I would like to use it for toilet water and possibly all non potable supply in the house. Could you suggest any schemes that would allow me to switch toilet water supply between well and mains water supply (for when there is little water in the well in the summer)? Or do I need to choose all well or all mains? If I use all well for showering, washing and toilet supply etc, what sort, if any, of water treatment system should I instal/use - I assume a bag of chlorine every now and again would not be good...... I look forward to your thoughts. Paul
+smilerman1 Building codes can vary greatly all over the world, so I don't pretend to know what they are in your area. I do know that there are rainwater collection systems used in modern buildings, but they tend to be somewhat experimental and some may skirt the laws. In any case, it's probably not a great idea to mix your cistern water with your street supplied water. If they share pipes at all, there is danger of one contaminating the other, and then you'd have a difficult problem. Here in the US I do sometimes see an abandoned cistern or old well used to provide water for other purposes, like landscaping sprinklers or for filling a pool. In that case, however, the drinking water system and the landscaping water system are completely separate. If you really want to use your cistern water for something like toilet flushing you'd need to separate that system with different supply pipes from your street supplied water. I doubt it's worth the effort. Instead, see if you can pump your cistern for use in landscaping or washing cars, etc.
thank you bud dee
+enduringcharm we are having problems with our well system.
It is taking hours to cycle back on. WAY longer than it should. What should I look at? Could the pressure tank perhaps be too small? (We do have a couple more people in the house now) Could a solenoid go bad like a car? I appreciate any advice. Thank you.
Jon
Does your well system look similar to the one in the video? If so, your system has an electric pressure switch that is supposed to turn the pump off when it reaches a high pressure (typically 40 or 50 PSI) and turn the pump on when it reaches a low pressure (typically 20 or 30 PSI). The well tank is just a buffer so that the off/on cycle doesn't have to happen as frequently. If your well tank bladder goes bad and the air escapes, then your pump will cycle on and off frequently when you run the water. What you are describing is different. I presume when the pump comes on it correctly kicks off at the high pressure point, but as you use the water it never comes back on at the low pressure point and therefore the system will lose all pressure until at some time later the pump suddenly and randomly kicks on? That description sounds like either a faulty pressure switch or a clogged pipe which attaches to the pressure switch. You can turn off the electrical breaker to the switch, double check that electricity is off, and then unscrew the plastic cover of the switch. Once in a while you'll see something obvious such as a spider nest in one of the solenoids or burn marks indicating a poor electrical contact. In that case you may be able to repair the switch. But, these switches are inexpensive so you might just replace it. Just make certain you know what your pressure range is (like I said, typically it's 20 to 40PSI or 30 to 50 PSI and the air bladder in the tank should be set to 2 PSI below the low pressure mark when measured on a drained tank.) I have also seen where the small copper or brass pipe the pressure switch attaches to has built up crud inside, and the water pressure no longer reads correctly. Always make sure this pipe is clear before you screw on a new switch. The only other possibility I can think of is a broken wire leading to the pump which provides an intermittent power connection to the pump. Less likely and a much bigger pain. Try the pressure switch first.
If the pressure relief valve functions to release water in case of a system malfunction, isn't it possible to get a major flood if the valve outlet is not plumbed to a drain or outlet?
Why, yes it is! But, a wet basement is usually preferable over an exploding tank. In truth, it's rare for a pressure relief valve to be needed.
I’ve got a well house that looks awful about 30 feet from my basement and my pump is bad so I’ve got to do some replacements. Can I move the pressure tank/regulator/control box into my basement just by adding length to the electric wires to the pump? I need new wiring anyway, thanks for any advice.
The answer is maybe/probably. What you need to concern yourself with is overall length of the wire to the pump, which also depends on the depth of the well (assuming you have a submersible pump). Electrical resistance increases with wire length. So, if you were on the borderline with a 120V pump before, it's plausible you'd need to go with a larger gauge wire along with a larger breaker or else go to a 240 volt pump. The other issue is length of the plastic pipe to the pressure tank. The pump will be rated for a certain pumping height in feet, and horizontal length counts for something too. You have to look at the pump specs to make sure you aren't exceeding the pump rating.
I was there and helped when the pump was pulled and I measure the pipe in the well when it was pulled and marked it every 100 ft and when we dropped it back in we actually hit water at 200 ft but I told them to keep dropping it since I have 6 neighbors that had wells that were 200 ft and 2 of them went completely dry and the other 2 had to put down new pipe and wiring .This hydrant you just pull the lever up and the water pumps up to it .There is only 1 pipe in the well and 1 pump and the pipe is a 1 inch pipe .Do you think that may have some how pulled the water out of the pressure tank instead of the well .I am wondering if i should use it any more .
Oh, well, there is a style of outdoor spigot that looks like the old-school mechanical pumps. If you just lift or push the handle once and water comes out under pressure, then the spigot is connected to your house system. A mechanical pump requires repeated up and down motion to draw water and the water stops as soon as you stop pumping.
yeh my grandmom had one of those .I got my pressure tank in today a 44 gallon one but so far it is only hitting 50 on the pressure gauge
I purchased a home in July with a water system I am not familiar with. I have spent a considerable amount of time reviewing and researching how this system works. The system contains: pressure tank, (2) retention tanks, filter tank and a solution tank (with it's own pump) The actual well has a submersible pump that controls the flow to the house. My problem is that we periodically run out of water and I cannot contribute the loss to over use or climatic conditions. In other words, we run out of water regardless if there has been several days of rain and little usage or vise-a versa. The system does correct itself overnight if left alone. I have been shutting off the breaker for approximately 2 hours and normally that will do the same as 8- 10 hours without doing so. Is this coincidence or is this possibly a pressure switch issue? I was thinking that lowering the limit would cause the pump to cut in earlier and not interrupt the flow. Am I on the right track or am I completely off? Any suggestions or clarification would be greatly appreciated.
No, you don't want to adjust the limit switch. That is set up as a function of the pump and system design and the setting will have nothing to do with your problem. It's typically set to a 20/40 PSI cycle or a 30/50 PSI cycle. I surmise from your description that you have water softener system attached to your well system, hence the extra tanks you describe. That is also unlikely to be causing your problem. When you say you have no water, you need to narrow down what that actually means. Is it that the well itself has gone dry? Is it that the pump has an electrical or mechanical problem? Is it that the pressure switch is failing? The first thing to check when you open the tap and nothing comes out is the pressure gauge. Is it reading zero or is it reading something in between the 20/40 or 30/50 cycle? If it is the latter then that points to an obstruction or mechanical issue of some sort after the tank. If the reading is zero, that means that the pump never kicked in when the pressure got to the lower limit. In that case, the next culprit to check would be the pressure switch. Is it getting electric? If you take the cover off is there any signs of burned contacts or a spider's nest? Spider nests often prevent the contacts from closing. If the pressure switch and electric check out, then you're into the well itself. The wires going down the well to the pump can get brittle and short out. The pump wears out after a period of time. You'll need an expert to check those items. Finally, it is possible that your well is just not deep enough in the aquifer. The aquifer is not really connected to the weather. A rain storm doesn't refill the aquifer, it's a matter of months or years of climate trends which affect an aquifer. But, it does happen that a well goes dry or an aquifer changes. Many times you'll notice heavy dirt collecting in your toilet tank or in a filter if you have one when the well is going dry. Happily, I would say that this is the least likely scenario and it's more likely you have an electrical issue or a worn out pump. In any case, you need to approach the problem systematically and eliminate each component of the system before going to the next.
WHAT causes a pressure switch to turn off and on rapidly in a few seconds Sir ??? As if the pressure resurges from the pressure tank.
Would using a 20 gallon stainless steel pressure tank increase the life expectation of the tank Sir ??
Nice video John !!
One possibility is that your pressure tank bladder has failed, in which case the whole tank will fill with water and there will be no cushion of air. The pressure switch may be reacting to very small changes in pressure because of that lack of cushion. You can rap your knuckle on the tank and listen for a hollow sound where there should be an air pocket, and you can also drain off the water pressure with the pump off and then use an air gauge on the tank to see if there is any air pressure. If the bladder has failed you need a new tank. Another possibility is that the electrical contacts of the switch are corroded, dirty or covered in a spider's nest. You can cut the power, pull the cover off, and take a close look.
Thank you Sir. I will be doing work on this system this weekend. What stainless steel tank brand would you recommend Sir ?? Would this item last longer then regular coated steel ??
Peace vf@@enduringcharm
In my area painted steel tanks are the norm. Remember, there is an internal bladder so a tank made of stainless material would only be preventing rust or corrosion on the outside of the tank. Perhaps in a coastal or wet area that would be important. I don't think there is a significant difference among name brands.
Thank you for your honesty with my questions. Your help first class Sir. I will always come back for more when needed. Peace too. vf@@enduringcharm
Is one of those gate valves a drain? Personally, I like having a sediment filter and especially a charcoal cartridge as well, but different strokes...... Also, I'm a fan of fiberglass pressure tanks. If/when the bladder fails, you don't get rust in your water. Thanks for the vid. Well done, as always.
In my part of the country relatively few people have a filter installed only because they tend to fill up so quickly with the red clay soil in our area. Many people install a UV light to kill bacteria, though.
Yup, they aren't for everyone, but for me, I dropped to a 20 micron sediment so I could use a charcoal filter too with my UV and then drink my tap water. Thanks again for all the hard work you put into your vids. A great public service.
Great video
I live in a house with low water pressure. The pressure increases and decreases as I shower. I want to increase the pressure. Should I look to pumping air into the tank bladder or adjusting the solenoid... Or both? Thanks in advance
So you have a well and a well tank similar to the video, I assume. There are a number of factors which go into the pressure you have at the shower head. Some of them are unrelated to the well, such as the size of the piping leading to the shower, the number of bends, the length and rise of the pipes, and the shower valve itself. As far as the well system itself, it is designed for a particular pressure range and you can't necessarily change that. Typical ranges are 20-40 PSI, 30-50 PSI and so on. But if you have a system designed for 20-40 PSI, you can't just adjust the regulator for a higher amount. The tank and the pump must work in balance and not all pumps can handle higher pressures. Beyond that, you may have a system which is designed well enough but that has a problem, such as a failed tank. What you need to do, or have a plumber do, is to drain the pressure from the system and check the tank to make sure it is functional and dialed in to the right pressure. Then you'll check to see what pressure the system is set for. If that pressure range is a lower one, such as 20-40 PSI, and the tank is confirmed in good order, then you may just need a higher range to keep up with your demand. But that could mean a different pump or a bigger well tank.
Good explanation of how a typical system works. I understood that the water pump is between 100 and 300 ft down. Is this below ground or down the line.
Depending on the area in which you live, a submersible pump is located down a drilled shaft between 80 and as much as 400-500 feet below the surface. It just depends on where the aquifer is located. Of course, the pump has to be sized to handle the depth of a particular well. That's a lot of weight pushing down from a column of water in the pipe.
how do you decide what size pressure tank to use? I just bought a house with a well, and the pressure tank is a little tiny thing. it looks like only a few gallons. However I do construction work and i'm exposed to a lot of other systems and noticed that the size of the pressure tank varies a lot. I have one left over from a remodel that I recently did that's similar in size to the one in the video. would it be beneficial to swap them?
blosom2315 Typically the pressure tanks are sized by the number of people or bedrooms in the house, on the theory that more people equals more water use and more stress on the pump. Sometimes the size of the pump or the recovery rate of the well play a part in the decision too. A plumbing supply store can help you figure it out. I'd be leery about reusing a different tank. You don't know the condition, how old it is, or what bacteria was growing in it when it was sitting around.
im tring to find the pipe that leads into my house, the house was built and the well hand dug in 1919. would the information be filed to the county and would they still have the plans or documents? also im confused about the catchment system that comes from the roof. basically it goes into one cisterns (that's above ground) which flows into another smaller well and also into the larger well. why is it set up like that? there is also a concrete cove that runs from one end to the other so that the running water from the guttering runs down it and under the house but I cant figure out where it goes? could that be where it inters the house?
+Melissa Russell There are LOTS of different types of well systems. This video describes a very common modern system, but what you are describing sounds a bit different! I doubt your county has anything useful if they have any paperwork at all from 1919. If you truly have a hand-dug well and it was never updated since it was built, then it would be a shallow well perhaps only 10-20 feet deep. You are also describing a cistern system meant to capture and reuse rainwater, although the two systems aren't necessarily connected. A shallow well typically has a "jet pump" which is located in the basement or utility room of the house and makes a racket when it runs. By contrast, a modern drilled well has the pump submerged into the well itself. If you have a big motor and pump that runs in your basement you may have the shallow well. If you don't, it may be that your well system was updated at some point and you just didn't realize it. Also, it would be unusual (and not too bright) to have rainwater directed into a groundwater well as you seem to be describing, which makes me wonder if you are misinterpreting what you see.
Start at your well tank and work backwards. If there is no large motor and pump (a foot and a half long and 8-10 inches in diameter) next to your tank then it probably isn't a shallow well. If the tank and related pipes looks something like what is in the video then you have a modern deep drilled well somewhere on the property. It could have been drilled in the area of the original well or it could be somewhere else. An updated well may be recorded in your county but sometimes if no well head is visible you just have to dig and trace the pipe from the house until you find the end.
Jason Gravelle That would be an unusual and perhaps problematic setting for a pressure switch. Typically they are 20-40 or 30-50. I've not heard of a pressure set higher than 60. I would suggest turning off the pump with the electrical switch or shutting the valve to isolate the pump and then draining down the system pressure. Check your tank to make sure it isn't waterlogged (when the air bladder leaks internally). With the water pressure bled off at a faucet upstairs there should still be water left in the tank and the top section of the tank should sound hollow with air. Then put a tire gauge on the schrader valve on the tank to check for air pressure. It should be 2-3 PSI below the lowest setting on your pressure switch.
Next, take a look at that pressure switch. You may just want to replace it (inexpensive) with a new one set to one of the more typical pressure ranges. 80 psi is really high and could certainly cause the thunking pipes when it cuts off. Finally, sometimes pipes are just noisy anyway when pressure shuts off, perhaps from being loosely strapped to the structure or clattering against each other. The high pressure will only make this worse.
+enduringcharm Thanks for the tip. I'll try that in the morning when I get home. I did secure the pipes (they were almost all loose), but still does it. Almost sounds like the sound is originating from outside the house ?? I'll do what you suggested and provide an update for anyone else having the same issue.
thats not true you can get different pressure switches we install wellrites with 38psi and switches set at usually 45 65 sometimes 50 70 and you can go higher depends on your bladder strength and the amount of air pressure you have in your bladder you alwas want to have you air pressure 2psi lower than your pump start up psi
Participant / sediment filter is very important, always install, otherwise those particles will end up in other device in the house like Dishwasher, refrigerator, water dispenser and ice maker, washer machine, toilets and your body if you drink and use the water for cooking or drinking...
There are two sides to the filter solution. Yes, a filter can capture particles of dirt, which are a normal part of well operations. However, depending on the well, the need to change the filter frequently can outweigh it's utility. In my area I would guess that around 80% of well owners choose NOT to have a filter. The effect on appliances such as washers or dishwashers is minimal, especially since they often have their own filters installed inline with the supply. Cleaning out the faucet screens in generally necessary from time to time. Anyway, I wouldn't say a well filter is necessary--it's a choice that some homeowners make and that others avoid. Much depends on how much particulate matter your well generates.
@@enduringcharm But without sediment filter, wont you be drinking water or cooking with water with possible dirt/sediment in it?
@@be236 For most homes it really isn't a problem. A glass of water from the kitchen tap will appear clear. If you have cloudy well water or significant particles, it indicates a problem with the well or the aquifer. And, not for nothing, you might be surprised to learn what comes through a municipal water system!
@@enduringcharm I just bought a house that has existing water well system, and I see it does have a sediment filter just before the pressure tank, and another one just after the water softener... Looking at my sink faucet, the water looks clear to me... and the filters look brown with dirt/sediment.... I need to flush those spin-down filters (looks like a Rusco brand) soon... so I think those filters are doing its job to stop the sediment going thru the pipes and to the house...
It would be unusual to have two filters arranged like that. What you don't know is how long it took for the filters to become dirty. You'll have to keep an eye on that, but I would suggest having a local plumber or well specialist take a look at your setup to see if it can be improved.
Question, I am closing on a slab house(no basement) in Minnesota. I want to build a garage in the back yard but the driveway will be between the well head and the house. Will it be OK to drive over the submerged pipes? I know you can't drive over septic but how about the well?
Presumably in Minnesota the well pipe is buried fairly deep, probably four or more feet. If you have a modern system with a continuous plastic supply pipe then it would likely be okay under a driveway. However, you are precluding future access to the pipe by building the driveway and I'm not certain how your local code officials will see this. If you ever needed to replace the pipe you'd have to go around or under the driveway. And, you don't mention how close the well head itself will be to this driveway. I would want to see at least 30-35 feet clearance and your local codes might also have something to say about that. You don't want snow plows, stray cars, road salt or other hazards near your well head. I'd suggest asking your local building department about any rules you need to be aware of since you'll need to talk to them about the garage anyway.
enduringcharm OK thank you for the response. The driveway will be gravel and will be 5 feet from the house and 10 feet from the well head. The house was rebuilt in 2002, but the well might be from the 50's. I'm assuming the pump and pipes were replaced in 2002. May I ask why I should be 30 ft. away? Does the pipe come out at a angle or straight down? A garage in the front yard would completely block the view and this is the only path I have. Is there a way to protect the well from only 10 feet away?
Oh, okay, I was picturing an asphalt driveway. With a gravel bed it would be easier to access the pipe if need be. If the pump was replaced in 2002 it should be a continuous plastic pipe, but you can check where it enters the house to see if it looks like black plastic. Usually there's one line for the water and there may be a second as electrical conduit. There's nothing magic about the 30 feet distance, I was just thinking a car or truck is 20 feet long and I'd want a little extra so if a vehicle parks off the driveway for a party or something he doesn't drive over the wellhead! I'd also be concerned about contamination. If a car in the driveway has a problem and shits the bed by dumping antifreeze from a cracked radiator or dumping oil from a bad gasket, you don't want that reaching the well head area. There is a casing for most wells, but ground contamination can spread. By having some distance to the driveway you buy yourself some time and space for clean up. Given your situation you might talk to a landscaper about a decorative rock wall or maybe you could build a decorative well house to protect the well head. Check out my recent video about replacing a cedar roof on a well house to see what that would look like. Incidentally, here's what Minnesota recommends as general rules for spacing:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/construction/protect.html
Here's the link for the wellhouse video:
ruclips.net/video/Qz5Nhmwx2mc/видео.html
enduringcharm THANK YOU! I have been trying to research this and have found nothing until you! You have been extremely helpful with your expert knowledge.
Was that a one way valve that the pressure switch was connected to? And an I right saying that it's on the home side of the one way valve.?
No, the pressure switch is just connected to the main pipe with a little manifold of sorts that allows the pressure switch and the gauge to "see" the water pressure. There's no valve in there. You may be thinking of the "foot valve" that used to be installed in older style wells with external pumps. With submersible pumps they typically have a similar function built in so that water doesn't drain out.
Good catch--you're absolutely right, that one is a one-way valve. I thought I had remembered correctly, but after looking at the video again I see what you saw!
Hi, I have a well system that works well (no pun intended ;) but need a replacement 75 gallon propane water heater. A local plumber is saying I need to pay for a new 5 gallon thermal expansion tank for the new water heater but I do not have one now and have not had issues with the water heater relief valve. One plumber on You tube said that unless you have a check valve between the water heater and the well tank (I do not) then there is no need for this thermal expansion tank because the well tank bladder serves this function. This would appear to be an integral feature of typical well systems and important to mention, but do you all agree?
Let's see if I can clear this up. First, the well system components and the hot water heater are really two different systems. The expansion tank for the hot water heater is designed to allow some "give" to the system when hot water expands in a closed system so that pressure doesn't rise and fall dramatically and put stress on the pipes, the joints, the faucets, etc. In some installations there is a check valve, or backflow valve which prevents water from the house flowing back into the supply. These are typically installed where there is city water and are required by some codes. In that case, the expansion tank acts as a buffer so that pressure doesn't rise, since the water cannot flow back into the city water supply. I suppose that with a well tank and with no check valve installed the tank bladder would act as somewhat of a buffer, although if the tank is already at full pressure (like after the tank is filled and the pump shuts off) and then the hot water expands you are now asking the bladder and the whole system to maintain a higher pressure than it was designed for. In that case a thermal expansion tank would be useful. How much higher the system pressure goes depends on a variety of factors.
I would surmise that your plumber is suggesting a thermal expansion tank because either: he intends to install a check valve now because it is required by local code, or he knows that the local inspector likes to see the tanks, or because he wants the extra protection for his installation so he feels comfortable guaranteeing it. It certainly can't hurt to have one. I very much doubt he's trying to "upsell" you something just to make more money, if that's your concern. If this fellow is otherwise good, I'd suggest just asking him what his rationale is. If he suggested it out of force of habit he may back down from the need, or he may be able to give you a valid reason. 75 gallons is a lot of hot water with a lot of expansion capacity, so I would feel more comfortable having the expansion tank too.
What is the rationale behind the 20 psi difference between cut-off and cut-on pressure? The drawdown doesn't change linearly meaning a pump would be working on a recommended cycle under one setting but not on the other, which of course could make it fail prematurely, and how much the pipes themselves are affected varies depending on how high the pressure goes so I'd like to know if it's just a rule of thumb that for the most part works, people in general prefering to have such variation or some other thing.
I don't know the history of it, but that spread has been built into the engineering for switches and pumps and seems to work pretty well in most households. It's a balance struck between number of pump cycles in a period versus the desired water pressure at the tap. The pressure switch has mechanical springs and action, so it isn't like some electronic device where you can have infinite variability. They are designed to be slightly adjustable, but that general range is part the design. Of course, pressure at the tap can vary with other variables such as pipe size and vertical rise.
I have a aboveground pump. Will this system work with that? I just use it for irritating. But I want to do a sprinkler system
If you mean a shallow well pump, often referred to as a "jet" pump, you can install a water pressure tank but you'll need to check what pressure range is acceptable for the pump.
Where do you take water samples from if there is no spigot off the pressure tank? I know some do.
Do you mean samples for testing water quality? The kitchen sink is a typical collection point, since that's often used for drinking water. Another common place is an outside spigot for a hose.
Dude! I was recently looking at a house to buy and discovered a big round cement lid covering a well in the basement, I couldn't tell if the well was brick lined because the lid was too heavy to move, but with a flashlight we could see down through where the pump pipes go and the water level look like it was approximately 5 feet below the concrete basement floor.. is this bad news? should this be updated with a new well drilled in the yard?
I'd need more information to tell you for sure, but I'm highly skeptical you were looking at a well for drinking water. More likely you were looking at a cistern. As far back as colonial times cisterns were used to collect rainwater, often from a roof, and store it for use, including for drinking. They were installed on the side of the house or in basements for easy gravity feed from the roof or other area. I have a client with a 1750 house who has one. They were basically a shallow tank, with hand pump, and could store enough water for household use. There were installed in some places up into the early 1900s.
In more modern times, after electric well pumps came into play, these cisterns were either abandoned or re-purposed for use in garden irrigation or water for animals. Water for drinking then came from shallow wells drilled on the property (using a "jet" pump in the basement) , or deep wells with submersible pumps. In 2020 it would be very rare indeed to find a cistern being used for drinking water other than in a house built off the grid or built with eco-friendly philosophy. In fact, even shallow wells with a jet pump are rare these days. In my area I haven't seen one working in probably two decades.
Probably what you were looking at was a cistern that had been re-purposed for garden use--a curiosity from an earlier time. Drinking water likely came from a deep well somewhere on the property. You'd need to follow the plumbing and electric to confirm this. If, in fact, this cistern was being used for drinking water it should be replaced with a proper well unless you are located in an area where water is scarce and local codes allow for rainwater collection for potable water.
yeah it's confusing because the home was built in 1964 which is the time period that they would utilize the typical drilled well.. (it was strange, it had an above ground pump and tank system with dual black polyethylene pipes going down into the 3 foot diameter well (I need to make another trip down there to remove the lid and investigate further.. Thanks for your response.
Well, the sixties were a strange time, so nothing is impossible! You are wise not to assume anything, though. If that is really used for drinking water it should be updated for a number of reasons, including health.
Good video, but I have an above ground pump with pressure switch, and one pipe running into a Galvanized water tank, and out the other side, so how do I install a newer air bladder style pressure tank with an above ground pump? I want to replace the old style one, thanks.
You probably have a "jet" pump, which is a specialized type of pump used only in shallow wells, often under 30 feet. Unlike a submersible pump which pushes water up from the bottom of the well, a jet pump pulls the water up. As such, it needs to have a "foot valve" at the bottom of the well which keeps a column of water available in the pipe. It also must be primed because it uses a venturi effect to create the suction.
Anyway, you can still have a pressure tank with this shallow well system and your galvanized tank may very well have a bladder in it. Otherwise, it may have the top filled with air to accomplish the same task. Based on your brief description I think you can probably just replace your galvanized tank directly. However, I would urge you to have a local well expert come give you an estimate for a modern submersible pump, which may involve digging your well deeper. Your shallow well system is noisy, it's an electricity hog, and you are risking contamination with shallow wells. A deep well with submersible pump avoids these issues and will likely last much longer. A local well expert can tell you how deep you'd have to drill and the approximate cost. Some areas of the country require new wells to be the deep kind, and existing shallow wells like yours are only used for farm or yard. It is also possible that you have a deep enough well right now, because there are some above ground pump systems designed for deeper wells. In that case, you'd be crazy not to just install a submersible. Your local well expert will be able to tell you off the top of his head what's going on because they become familiar with an area and the aquifers.
I think it's about 250' deep, I pulled it once to replace the foot valve. The galvanized tank has air in the top, but no bladder, and sometimes you have to drain some water out to get the air pressure right. The other problem is, I'm getting some fine sand in the water, so I will try filters first before drilling a new well.
Oh, my goodness, then you should definitely use this opportunity to convert to a submersible pump. The bulk of the cost is the drilling, but you already have the depth. All you need now is the pump, the wiring and pipe to get to the bottom of the well, and the new tank that you need anyway. You'll save on electric costs and you won't be replacing foot valves ever again! Really--call a local well guy and get an estimate.
The water pressure fluctuates a lot in my house. When I'm taking a shower, sometimes I have a lot of water pressure sometimes I have a little water pressure. Does that mean the pressure switch might be going Bad or that short piece of pipe under the pressure switch is clogged?
A 20 PSI swing between 20 and 40 or between 30 and 50 is a lot, so varying water pressure is normal. You can have one person monitor the pressure gauge as you have another person in the shower. The pressure should slowly draw down to your base pressure before the pump kicks in. It should take a matter of minutes to cycle, though it depends on your tank size and the flow rate of your shower head. If the pump cycles on and off every 15 seconds or every 30 seconds, you may have a waterlogged tank with a bladder that doesn't hold air anymore. If the pump comes on and off erratically, rather than in a constant 20 PSI cycle, you could have an issue with your pressure switch. Most likely, though, what you are experiencing is normal.
most likely your pressure tank is waterlogged the way to check it to turn off the breaker for you well pump and then open a faucet till the water runs out and stops then use a tire gauge to check the air pressure but knock on the side of the tank and if it sounds hollow like you get a echo then its still good if it sounds solid then its water logged you have to do this with the pump breaker out and have opened a faucet till it stops running out of the faucet
Hello! Ok so if a house has well water and a water softener is it possible to tap into the plumbing and install a faucet before the softener so I can have access to both hard and soft water inside the house?
There's no reason you can't plumb a water circuit before the water softener. You may want to have an exterior hose bib for a garden, for example, without the expense of softening the water for your flowers.
@@enduringcharm niiiiice, thank you very much for the response I appreciate it 🙏
I'm trying to figure out the kind of well I have. I have 2 water pipes running down my well. I'm on city water now but want to get to the well if possible.
Shallow wells with the actual pump itself located in the basement could have two pipes. You could also be looking at an older pipe no longer used. A modern submersible pump only needs the one water pipe, plus the conduit for the electrical.
two pipes coming out of your well would mean there was a jetpump on it at some point
I just bought a house with a well. The water is still off. I seem to have a second pump. Jet pump? Water is puddling around the housing. Is it broken?? Why do I have 2 pumps? Thanks
I'd need more information to make a determination. If you just bought the house, presumably it was checked for potable water before sale, or was this some kind of auction "as-is" house you purchased? In many states it's a requirement that the well water is tested as part of the sale. Anyway, I can only speculate about what you are looking at. A jet pump is only used for shallow wells and it would be located in the basement or a nearby outbuilding. A submersible pump is located in the well itself, and obviously you would not see it. If there are two physical pumps in the basement to look at, possibly one failed and was replaced. It's also possible somebody drilled a second shallow well if the first one failed. Jet pumps and shallow wells are not the best idea for drinking water anymore. Better to replace with a drilled, deep well and install a submersible pump.
If the tank bladder is failing, will the pump turn on and off during water usage? I’m having a surfing of low to high pressure....
Once your tank bladder gets a hole in it, the air gradually dissipates into the water as the tank is used. Eventually you'll get to the point where it's just water in the tank and you'll notice the pump constantly cycling on and off in quick succession as you use water. You can test the bladder by turning off the pump and draining off the water pressure from a tap. There's a schrader air valve (like on a car tire) located on the tank and if you put a tire pressure gauge on that valve you should get a reading just below the lowest setting on your tank (probably 20 or 30 PSI). If you get very low or no pressure you can try pumping up the bladder with a bicycle pump or air compressor and see if it holds. If the pressure does not hold, your tank bladder is done.
10-4! Thank you and great video!
I just bought a house with well water. I has a filter and a softwater system, who would I call to do a check up on the system? a plumber or a softwater company? and I really think it has iron in the water because I can smell it. thanks in advance for your response.
Typically a plumber can and will service a water softening system, and your filter too. I know my plumber subcontractor who works on bath and kitchen remodels for me routinely works on water softeners. They are actually pretty simple systems and you can likely call in a plumber to check over yours, fill it with salt, and show you how to operate the system yourself in the future. Some wells do have excessive iron, which often leaves rust stains in sinks and toilets. However, the smell could be from other things too. Presumably you had a water test as part of the home sale (or the seller provided one) so take a look at that report and see if it indicates excessive minerals or other contaminants. There are filters to treat various water conditions, but you need the right one for the right problem. You may also have a basic filter meant to keep out dirt and other particles. I have mixed feelings about these, since they sometimes do more harm than good. If not frequently changed they can get nasty and even clog up. Another thing to understand is that older water heaters and tanks themselves can start to contaminate the water with rust, or collected dirt from years of use, etc. My advice is to find a local plumber recommended by neighbors (a good conversation starter!) and have him come for a visit to verify your water softener is working and to educate you on what you can do to improve the taste and smell of your water. There are a lot of variables I haven't even mentioned. Show your plumber the water test report and see what you can figure out. It will be $100-200 to have him come out and evaluate the system with you. Incidentally, companies that specialize in water treatment aren't necessarily bad, but there are quite a lot of them who are more about sales pressure than solving problems.
Hello I was wondering if you can help me at all I'm trying to get my work building water pressure tank to 0 (leaving building for winter( I shut the water off but I'm missing a step that shuts the pressure tank off. It's a 38 psi
The tank is typically located before the water shut off, so you'll want to cut electricity to the water pump or else the tank will be refilled as you try to drain it! Once electric is off you'll need to find the drain valve somewhere near the bottom of the tank or in a low pipe right near the tank. With the water main shut off you'll prevent water in the pipes from draining back and with the electric to the pump shut off you'll prevent the tank from refilling. Open the drain valve and you can now drain the tank. Obviously you'll want to connect a hose to the drain or use a large bucket to catch the water. When the water stops flowing, the tank is drained and you can check the air pressure.
enduringcharm thanks you for ur comment I really really appreciate it. About how long should it take to empty the tank? I tried but it must be filling back up. The pressure keeps going to 60/40 60/40 over and over. So I'm thinking I have another electricity switch I'm missing. I'll go have another look and try figure it out. Thanks for such a quick response.
I don't know how big your tank is, but it should take a little while. The immediate pressure should drop fairly quickly, but then gravity will take a little while to drain the tank. If you are leaving the building empty for a period of time and there will be no heat (assuming you are in a cold weather area) then draining the pipes by opening the main valve and letting them drain back is a good idea too. In any case, your pump should have both a switch located somewhere near the tank and also the breaker for the whole circuit.
enduringcharm ok thank you so much for your help. I will do all steps you provided. If I'm still having troubles I will contact a local pluming/heating company. Thanks
sorry a hydrant is like a spigot out near the well and it has a handle you pull up on to water your garden .They are used by farmers and stuff here to fill water troughs here for animals .They sell them at tractor supply and and lowes also .So that does make sense a little .My pump is 400 ft in the ground and pumps up to the pressure tank and shallow well pumps will pull the water up to the pressure tank .I get it now .Thank you for all your help .I lived in NJ and we had city water and now i live in VA with well water . thank you so much for your help .I wish Fergusons where i bought this would have answered my questions this well .I guess they figure I am just a women so it does not matter .I need to understand these things .I just dealt with getting a new heat pump after 10 years with the other one and that was confusing enough.I dealt with traditional heat and air not this stuff .They put a 10 seer in the house new 10 years ago and they convinced me that would be enough .Well it wasn't now have a 16 seer with a 9.5 hspf .live and learn
The mechanical pumps, like the old-school lever action style you describe, are only good for very shallow wells. Possibly you have a shallow well in addition to your deeper drinking water well.
I installed a new well pump and it pumps water well. But as soon as I open the valve to the retaining tank to fill it, the pump "stutters" like a "katonk, katonk" noise. What could be the issue there?
If you just replaced the pump and this is the first fill, it's possible you have some air trapped in the lines that need a little time to get out. Another possibility is the pump or the lines rattling against the side of the well casing or the ground. They make spacers for the lines to avoid that. Sound is tough to diagnose, and even tougher over the internet!
I just had a pressure switch go bad. The gauge was reading over 100psi. Changed the switch.
The problem I'm having is that relief valve between the spigot and blue tank. Mine comes off right under the pressure switch. My switch is 40-60psi. Why would water still be dripping out of that relief valve?
If memory serves those pressure relief valves are set to pop off at around 75 PSI, which is curious if your gauge was reading 100PSI! Now, it's quite possible your gauge is inaccurate and you didn't reach 100 PSI, or maybe it's inaccurate in the other direction and reads low. That could mean your pressure switch is set wrong if you are going by the gauge. Neither the pressure gauge or the relief valve are expensive and I think if I was in your shoes I'd probably go ahead and replace them both. Better safe than sorry.
The black rubber looking pipe that is the supply from the outside well, what type of pipe is that?...Mine is leaking at the connection and needs to be replaced. Thanks in advance
That's polyethylene plastic. Hopefully you can saw off a little of the end of it and re-fit the connection so it doesn't leak. The alternative is digging a trench to get the old one out and opening up the well to connect a new one!
@@enduringcharm Thank you, I was able to cut it back and replaced it with a new piece with a new fitting. Thanks again!
At 4:35 when shutting off water to the house, the well water tank pressure should stay the same. Is this correct?
You have to look where your pressure gauge is located. If the gauge is located before the shut-off to the house, then it will continue to read whatever water pressure is there because that has not changed. However, you can bleed off pressure in the rest of the pipes after the shut-off by opening up a faucet and letting it drain off for a minute.
My water well is 100' away from the house, where do I install the pump and the tank? Can I install a external pump (3/4) by the well and the tank (30 gpm) inside the house?
It's not the distance from the house which is most important, it's the depth of the well. If you have a shallow well, which is really not a great idea in this day and age, you'll have an external pump. A shallow well might only be 30-50 feet deep, and an external pump can provide enough suction to draw water up that distance through a foot valve inside the well. But, a shallow well is more susceptible to chemicals, bacteria and contaminants from the surface, so they aren't generally installed any more. An external pump and the tank must be installed somewhere protected from cold, typically in a basement or sometimes in an outbuilding.
A deeper well, say 100 feet or more, uses a submersible pump which pumps the water up from the bottom of the well. This pump will be sized to handle the vertical water column in the well and any horizontal length. The deeper the well the more powerful pump you'll need. A deep well with a submersible pump is far more reliable and offers better protection against pollutants. The first 30-40 feet of the well will be a casing, and then the earth acts as a filter below that. The pump goes in the well, the tank goes in the home. If you have a shallow well you should consider drilling deeper and using a submersible pump.
@@enduringcharm im located in south Florida and my well is 70'. Water system was stolen and I want to use the same well. I would like to put the pump and tank inside the house but I'm not sure because the well is 100' from the utility room 🤔🤔🤔 any recommendations on the size of pump and tank?
Yeah, that sounds like a shallow well. You have an external pump. I would encourage you to contact a local well drilling company to see what it would cost to go a little deeper. They will have knowledge of your local aquifer. It is possible you could go with a submersible pump at 70 feet, so you should consider that as well. It's unfortunate somebody stole your gear, but now is the time to upgrade your system so you won't have problems down the line. Nobody is going to steal a submersible pump! Find a local well company and ask them what options you have.
The incoming pipe appears to be rubber which could fail sooner than metal? Is there a reason?
That's actually a plastic pipe. A very tough plastic pipe! In the old days a galvanized steel pipe was sometimes used, or maybe other metal pipe as well. They fared poorly because of rust or corrosion. They also were subject to breaking because of movement of the earth. Remember, this pipe goes underground towards the well. The specialty plastic pipe that you see in the video is a fairly thick walled design that is one continuous piece between the well and the tank. It can move with the earth and not break and it is immune to corrosion, of course. These flexible plastic pipes last much longer than the pump or the tank, that's for sure!
I have a "rubber" pipe also. I looked everywhere to find information on it. You are the only person to give infor on this type of pipe. Thank you very much. My builder did things the correct way and was wonder why he skimped and did not put in a sturdier pipe. Thanks to you I understand what I have.
Question. We were doing remodeling on the bathrooms today and had shut the water off. Got the new toilet installed, flushed a few times, good to go! I washed dishes and ran dishwasher, saw low pressure, then no water. Husband said the breaker was thrown, put it back on. NOTHING. no pressure, Not sure if it is even getting electricity. What do we need to check or do? It is a Saturday night and I will need water before Monday morning business hours! :(
Cindy Watters You don't say how you shut your water off. If you used the main valve to shut the water off, it's possible that the valve is damaged and did not open back up when you turned the knob or flipped the lever. If you flipped a breaker to shut the pump off, it's possible that you have an electrical issue. It's possible that your tank was full of sludge, which moved to block the pipe after the water was run down. You have to start at the tank and check the basics. Does the pressure gauge register pressure? If so then your tank is okay and perhaps you have a bad main valve. No pressure on the gauge? Then move back to the electrical and make sure your pump is operating. Use a multi-meter at the pressure switch to check for voltage. If there is no voltage then you have a problem at the breaker box or perhaps you left a switch off. If there is voltage then you may have a problem with your pump. You have to backtrack through each system to eliminate possibilities until you find the issue.
Thank you for replying .He had turned the water off at the main valve We switched a breaker out on the 220 and the pump didn't come on, pressure guage registering no pressure. So now thinking it is pump?
Cindy Watters
Well, you need to eliminate the electrical system before the pump. Since you have a 220 volt pump, you need to remove the cover from the pressure switch, make certain the breaker is on, and measure the voltage across the terminals with a meter. If voltage is 220 there, then you know the electrical system up to that point is good. If so, that leaves only the pressure switch itself or the pump.
What condition would I expect to have if there was too much air pressure put in my tank? I understand that it should be 2psi lower than the cut-in pressure.
454something When the air pressure is above your pressure switch setting the pressure switch will become confused. Depending on how great the differential is you might get poor system performance to something as bad as a continually running pump that burns out. Keeping the air pressure 2-5 PSI below the cut in pressure on the switch insures that the switch is operating based on the water pressure rather than an artificially high air pressure. Remember, the air pressure is measured after releasing the water pressure with an open tap and the pump turned off.
enduringcharm Thanks for the reply. One more question though: I will check the pressure after turning off the pump and releasing the water pressure with an open tap but how low should I let the water pressure get to before checking air pressure? Do I let the water run until it stops at the tap?
454something Yes, drain all water pressure from the system by opening up a tap near the pressure tank. Perhaps an outside spigot is nearby or there is one plumbed at the tank. Needless to say you either need to cut power to the pump or to close a main valve from the pump if one exists. With the water pressure at zero you can use a tire gauge tester at the schrader valve at the top of the tank. Before you do any of this, though, double check the pressure cutoff values at the electrical switch by observing the water pressure gauge through a full cycle. Typical residential values are 20-40 PSI or 30-50 PSI.
Hello ! For the first time I will be draining all the water from my seasonal shack in the Laurentians back into the artesian well using a reverse vacuum gadget located down the artesian well pipe, and which I lift with a cord to initiate the vacuum drainback. The well people said it will work , but I have forgotten what the exact instructions are, and also we were talking in French (not my forte !). Any idea what this gadget is called and who makes it ?
Ely Bonder Sorry--I guess my French isn't any better!
We bought a new water system for our well five years ago. It was doing great until a few days ago. I washed clothing and the whites came out all brownish. Water from the well to the system is fine, a little cloudy is all. Water in the softener brain is fine. After it leaves the system it's brown. Could it be the filter system failing? Some guy told me I wasn't putting enough/the right salt in my softener system. I don't think that has anything to do with it.
I'm not certain I have a handle on your concern. You say the water is coming out brown, but where exactly are you seeing that? Is your tapwater brown or is it that your white clothes are turning brown?
It's not uncommon for wells to get dirt in the system from time to time, especially if the underground water table gets low or if there is nearby drilling activity in the aquifer. Even the pump turning on and off can sometimes dislodge some dirt that comes through in the water. This often shows up either in your filter or in your toilet tank. Sometimes it gathers in the hot water tank or the well tank and comes out your tap when there is a surge of water. But, if you are seeing brown that isn't particles of dirt another possibility is that iron content in the water is your issue. I think some bacteria can also cause discolored water. Maybe with more information I could be more helpful.
+enduringcharm Thank you for your reply. Sorry, I meant to say all of our water inside the house is brown/orange in color. I checked the water coming directly from the well but it was pretty clear and didn't have a smell. I dug through the salt in the softener tank and the water in there was clean (edit: the tank is very clean too). I then checked the water coming out of the entire system and it had the orange color and smelled like rust.
I know this is probably impossible to diagnose over the internet, but I'm just trying to rule a few things out. 1) Someone said it's the salt I'm using for softener (Morton's Rust Remover) or 2) that I'm not 'using enough' even though I keep it half filled. I'm skeptical on both points.
Our system goes from the well, past the pressure tank, into a filter, into the softener, then into another filter then into the house. I'm leaning toward it being an issue with the second filtration system, or maybe years of build up in the pipes finally 'breaking free'. I'm also thinking it could be the softener regeneration (not enough backwash to flush out the gross stuff), though if that was the case wouldn't the water in the brine tank also suffer?
You have two filters? That's weird. Makes me wonder why! It is certainly possible you are seeing rust breaking free from either the hot water tank or from pipes themselves if you have an older house with galvanized supply lines. Most galvanized pipes in my area were replaced in the 70s, but I still see them once in a while. They are notorious for rusting. You can flush your hot water heater (carefully!) by attaching a hose to the spout at the bottom and opening it up carefully so you don't burn yourself. Turn off the electric or the gas to it first so you don't have a surge of cold water following the hot going out. Direct the hose into a bucket where you can see what comes out. The pressure tank can rust too if the bladder has gone bad and water is leaking out into the metal tank. It's tough for me to help much more over the interweb, but a local plumber wouldn't charge that much to come take a look for you.
enduringcharm Thank you for your help! I'm going to go ahead and replace the pipes, because the water coming out of the system, had someone help me disconnect the things today, is coming out clean. So probably the pipes. Thanks again!
I have a sediment tank and 2 more filters.... I need to figure out the filters.
Sometimes I see multiple filters installed for no reason that I can discern. You may want a pro to take a look and see if your system can be redesigned and cleaned up.
Should there not be a check valve in the system?
The pump itself serves that function. In the old days with shallow wells there was a foot valve.
with a well water system . do you get warm water? if not how do you warm up your water in order to take a shower or wash the dishes?
Well water comes up from the ground at around 50 degrees at all times of the year. Hot water is handled just like houses with town supply--a hot water heater fueled by electricity or gas. The hot water systems in houses with wells are identical to those with town supplied water.
oh ok understand thank you so much. I am guessing that makes you can use your solar energy source to warm up the water as well
Sure. you could do that. Anything you can do with town water you can also do with well water.
awesome thanks so much for the feedback
Is there a check valve from the pump to the pressure tank? Id imagine as sort of compressor effect.
+Ronell Oropesa In the old days when the pump was located in the house, there was a "foot" valve at the bottom of the well that kept the water from draining out. With the pump now located in the well itself, there is a check valve built in to the pump.
How would to put a filter on something like that.?
If you install a filter it needs to be after the pressure tank and in a horizontal run. The cartridge mount needs to be secured to a wall. You wouldn't install it before the pressure tank because you would run the risk of the filter becoming clogged and the pressure switch failing to sense the correct pressure, which could lead to pump damage if it isn't shut off. Personally I'm not a big fan of sediment filters. While some wells can produce a lot of sediment which may clog faucet screens or leave residue in toilet tanks, most wells do not. Sediment filters tend to get clogged up and left because the homeowner doesn't replace them, and they can also be a place for bacteria to breed since the filter change procedure itself can introduce bacteria.
What function does the air bladder perform?
Air compresses, liquid does not. Without a cushion of air the pressure in the tank would quickly spike as it filled and cause the pump to shut off as the pressure switch reached it's maximum setting. Conversely, when water is drawn from a faucet the pressure would quickly dive down to nothing, causing the pump to come on from the low pressure. So, you'd have the pump constantly cycling in short bursts in order to keep up with demand. That would burn out the pump and cause sudden pressure swings at the tap. Indeed, when an air bladder goes bad and leaks out all the air, the symptom is a quick cycling pump and pressure swings. When the air bladder is functioning, it allows the air to compress as the pressure rises to the cut-off (usually 30 to 50 PSI, depending on the system design). Then as you open a faucet the compressed air expands and keeps system pressure in the desired range, forcing stored water out of the tank as it expands. Only when the air pressure is exhausted below the set threshold does the pump come back on.
enduringcharm Understood. Great explanation. Thanks!
Great video...but do you have Rodent problems? Looks like rat poop on the floor.??...
+James Soper Man, you really look for the details! It was probably just dirt or maybe bits of dead insects from a spider web.
Occasionally in the late summer months when we haven't had rain for awhile my well will run dry. It always recovers but never really increases the well supply so we have to conserve until the water table increases and we have plenty of water. I'd like to install (not me personally) a water storage tank that will alleviate this problem. I would appreciate any comments you may have for something like this.
+Wes McDermott You are barking up the wrong tree. The solution to your problem lies with the well itself, not the tank. These tanks exist only to "buffer" the supply of water so that the pump is not constantly cycling and that the system maintains a range of pressure. They are not intended or effective as large storage containers.
I'm assuming you have a submersible pump in your well and not a "jet pump." The latter is used only with shallow wells and the pump itself is located in the house. If you have a submersible pump it is located in the well itself, and the well is typically at least 60-80 feet deep and often much more. To solve your problem you need to take a look at your well depth and the depth of the pump. You also need somebody knowledgeable about the aquifer in your area. Sometimes it's a simple matter of lowering your pump in the existing well to get to a more stable water supply. If the well is 160 feet deep and your pump is located at140 feet, you may be able to drop it 10 feet and have a more stable supply. Sometimes you need to drill the well deeper into the aquifer, especially if the original well was not very deep. Depths of 300-400 feet are not unheard of in some areas. Sometimes you just have a poorly located well and the only solution is a new one located somewhere else on the property. In all these cases, a driller who is familiar with your local aquifer is a must. Take a look in your house around the existing water tank to see if the depth of the well or the pump is written down somewhere, It's common practice for the installer to write the information on a tag or on the side of the tank or cut-off switch. If it's a low number, say under 100 feet, there's a pretty good chance the existing well can be reworked in some way to make a solution. If it's a high number, like many hundreds of feet, there's a good chance you are into a new well. In any case, find a local well driller with a lot of experience. They can likely tell you with a single visit what's going on.
yes, you absolutely can add a storage tank.
since this comment is over two years old, i’m guessing the OP has already come up with a solution.
however, the rely is wrong! adding in a storage tank, booster and a device called “pump saver” is extremely less costly than drilling a new well or even deepening an existing well. some existing wells can not be deepened if they are cased with pvc casing and cased with 4 1/2” pvc.
If you dont like filters, then how are you filtering the water Also do you drink the well water?
The earth filters the water! There's no need to filter well water if it comes from a healthy well. It is good to test for coliform bacteria and industrial contaminants every so often, but if your well is deep and working properly in an area with a clean aquifer then the water comes out ready to drink. In fact, it will be more pure than municipal water, which is treated with chlorine and other chemicals.
Yeah but too much of certain minerals arent good tho. Also drinking rust cant be good..
Actually, well water is considered healthier. Residents of Flint Michigan would likely agree! Different aquifers offer different quality of water, so a well in one area can have a different ph and mineral content than another, but overall well water is not only safe but cleaner.
Thank you for your reply. just bought a house in the country that has a well. Was worried about drinking it.
What side of your pressure tank should a shut-off valve be placed? Mine is before gauge & switch & was installed by professional. But I'm being told that's wrong by another...So where should it be?
Ty,
SL
The main shut off should be located downstream from the tank, since that's where the pressure originates.
plus all my piping inside are pex
what if you need to flush the tank?
You may or may not have a hose bib or spigot plumbed into the system that you could use for flushing. Turn the electric to the pump off and open up the spigot (if you have one) into a bucket. However, pressure tanks don't typically need flushing. The rubber bladder does not rust or corrode, so the only source of debris in the water would be the pump itself, which can push through small amounts of dirt from the well. If you have a particularly dirty well you can plumb in a particulate filter to catch it before it goes into your house. Dirt in the pressure tank tends to work itself out rather than collect, in most cases.
So a water softener isn’t necessarily essential?
No, not at all. In fact, the downsides can outweigh the upsides. Well water can vary widely in mineral content, some wells offer a good balance between "hard" and "soft" and others may have very high mineral content which causes problems in the plumbing system. Adding a water softener can help ameliorate those problems, but water softeners also waste water in the process and can add sodium to your drinking water. You really need to look at each individual well and the circumstances within a household to determine if a softener system is appropriate.
since I am new to this stuff I am getting confused .New well pump was put in 1 hp and well is 400 ft deep and pumps 12 gpm and i was told the old pressure tank is dead .I bought a proflo 44 by amtrol 38 psi and a 40 /60 switch .I got a new T fitting and and new pressure switch .The T fitting has an out let i am guessing by your description for a relief valve .It has the top openings for the pressure switch and the gauge .I want to make sure the plumber is doing this 1 right .My well pump burned out because the old pressure tank was only a 20 gallon and they said the pump was coming on to much .The whole system is only 10 years old
Well, it is not uncommon for a small well tank or one that has failed internally to cause the pump to burn out. More pump cycles equals a shorter life. There are many factors affecting pump life, and some last as little as ten years anyway for other reasons. 20-25 years would be an amazingly long life for a pump. It sounds like you are installing a bigger tank, which is good. Just make sure the tank is correctly pressurized with air before you fill it with water, make sure the pressure switch is working correctly to cycle on and off at the right pressure, and make certain to install the pressure relief valve. Finally, make sure the installer(s) put chlorine down in the well to kill off bacteria introduced by the new pump and new tank install.
we refer to this as “an ugly tee” water in, water out and tank connection. there should be two 1/4” threaded holes on the top, one for a pressure switch and one for a pressure gauge.
if you do not trust a professional to do a job, then why hire him?
additionally, the life span of a submersible well pump is 7-15yrs depending on starts and stops, and if it pumps any sand/sediment
It should be made clear to anyone watching this video that this is an air driven tank, where these days, most tanks have an actual bladder (rubber) to separate the air and water, and don't become waterlogged.
I'm not sure we're on the same page here. The tank in the video has a plastic (polypropylene) liner and a rubber diaphragm to separate the air from water. It's an Amtrol Champion tank and very common. These tanks when they age can become waterlogged if the rubber fails and the air and water are no longer separated by a physical barrier. Eventually the air can dissipate into the water.
Have rotten egg smell what can I install to fix it, and where to install it.
That's sulfer you smell, and there could be many causes. If you have well water it could be from the aquifer. Or, if it's only in the hot water it could be bacteria reacting in the hot water heater, or if it's only in the cold water it could be bacteria on that side of the system. You need a pro to come out and take a look. You could try turning up the temperature on your hot water heater on the hope that the problem is just bacteria there, but if that does nothing then you need to have a pro investigate. There are various filters available if it's from the aquifer and there are ways to kill the bacteria in the system if that's the issue.
what stops the water from flowing back to the well
Giovanni Peirre Good question! In the old days when the pump was in the house and just a pipe went down into the well there was a "foot valve" that prevented backflow. With a modern submersible pump there is a one-way check valve either built into the pump itself or installed near the pump. This only lets water flow one way toward the tank.
cool thanks. i was looking for a check valve on my system but i guess mine is built into the pump
FILTER!??
Filters aren't necessary and in my area, anyway, the vast majority of systems do not have whole house filters installed. After all, well water is already filtered by the earth. However, some well water can have a lot of particulates (dirt, basically) which can be cleaned up with a filter. Or, if the water has various problems with smell or taste or contamination there are various filter options available.
Omg. Don't ever suggest not to install a good filter! It's a must! Change every 30 days or more
It's really not a must. In my service area I see less than 10 percent of homes with wells that have a whole house filter. Other regions may be different depending on soil conditions, well depths and other factors.