How Does a Well Pump Work and Troubleshooting Well Problems?

Our water well is vital to the enjoyment of our home or cottage. We often take their smooth functioning for granted. But what happens when we experience problems with our water well? Before calling a well driller, perhaps we need to evaluate water system components. There are many options available for homeowners experiencing water well issues that do not require the drilling of a new well.

How Does a Well Work?

A water well is essentially a hole that is dug, drilled, bored or driven into the ground below an aquifer or water table. The aquifer fills the hole with water and then we use a pump to bring the water from the well to our kitchen tap. As wells age, these aquifers can begin to produce slower flow rates; however, the good news is that there are solutions that can remedy this that are more economical than drilling a new well. A new well requires hydrofracturing and system set up and design.

Hydrofracturing is the use of high-pressure water sent back down into your well, opening cracks and seams and stimulating more water flow. At Doyle Plumbing, after careful assessment and if deemed a viable solution, we can provide homeowners with this service.

However, in addition to water well hydrofracturing, upon inspection, experienced plumbers will be able to assess other components of your well system and make adjustments that can dramatically impact your water system. In order to better understand some options, let’s discuss the heart of your water well system – the pump.

Types of Well Pumps

There are 2 common types of well pumps. A Jet Pump commonly used for shallow wells. A jet pump is usually located in the basement or crawl space and uses suction to move the water from your well to your tap. The second type is a Submersible Pump. A submersible well pump is a sealed mechanism that is lowered down deep into the well and pushes the water up your well to your tap. The setup of your submersible pump is critical to the functioning of your well. It needs to be installed at the appropriate depth in your well to function optimally. It also needs proper setup and matching based on your well’s flow rates.

How Do I Tell if the Pump is Bad?

4 Common problems that arise from a tired well pump include;

1. No water flow from faucets
2. Poor water pressure
3. Fluctuations in water pressure
4. Constantly running pump (leading to higher electricity bills)

When you Experience one or more of the above conditions…

You will certainly need the services of a licensed plumber. It might not necessarily be the well pump. Other culprits that need to be considered include the clogged or broken pipes, well failure or equipment failures. Doyle Plumbing licensed plumbers will inspect all areas of your water source to determine the problem. And work efficiently to get your home water source back up and running again.

How do you extend the life of your well and equipment?

The setup of your water well pump and the design of your water well system is absolutely critical to the life of the components. Changes in water tables and water usage can impact this setup and cause demands on your system that were not present at the initial setup. Perhaps your home has undergone renovations that have resulted in changes in your water usage?

Drilling a new well costs thousands of dollars and there is uncertainty in the quality/quantity of water the new well will produce? Having an experienced, licensed plumber inspect your system and discuss options BEFORE calling a well driller is the best approach to improving your water well. Not only may it result in immediate improvements in your water well pressure or water quality, but it may result in significant savings over the cost of drilling a new water well.

If you have noticed any changes in your water quality, or you are experiencing fluctuations in your water pressure or perhaps even your well has ‘gone dry’, we welcome your call. Doyle Plumbing is licensed to work on wells by the Ministry of the Environment. We employ licensed plumbers and well technicians who are experienced in water wells and rural water systems. Our trained professionals will be pleased to assist you and help get your water well system functioning again. You can reach our team at 705.740.0505