Will Your Electric Water Pump Motor Freeze This Winter?

December 13, 2018

As temperatures drop, the days get shorter and winter approaches, it’s important to take some time to think about caring for your well and well pump. While deep well pumps are designed to withstand harsh outdoor circumstances, pumps used for fountains, ponds or aerators can be damaged by freezing temperatures. To avoid any damage to your well or well pump during the winter months, you need to follow a few simple maintenance and winterization tips.

Why winterization is important

When water freezes it can expand to up to 9 percent of its size. If water inside your pump freezes, this expansion may be powerful enough to break, crack or damage the pump or your main water line. Well pump repair in Columbia, TN can be expensive and inconvenient, so it’s worth it to winterize your pump to prevent this damage. Instead of dealing with costly repairs or premature pump replacements, it’s better to invest some time into winterizing your system before the temperature dips below freezing. Here are the steps you’ll need to take:

  • Store your pump: In order to avoid the damage that freezing temperatures can do to your pump, you should remove it and store it until you’re ready to use it again in the spring. Make sure to remove the motor and store it someplace where it won’t freeze, like your garage or a storage closet in your home. If you have a submersible pump, you can prevent damage from freezing temperatures by sinking it and anchoring it to the bottom of your pond below the lowest freezing line.
  • Drain your pump: You should completely drain above-ground pumps by removing the drain plug at the top of your pump case to allow air into your pump and then removing the drain plug at the bottom of your pump. Once you’ve drained your pump this way, discharge any extra water using some compressed air.
  • Protect your pump against water: No matter how much you do to get water out of your pump in preparation for the winter months, it’s nearly impossible to get your pump completely dry. To protect your pump from freezing water, replace the drain plug at the bottom of your pump and fill the pump body with food grade propylene glycol. This will prevent any freezing from occurring in your pump. You should never use any other type of antifreeze or agent to winterize your pump, since these compounds can be harmful to your pump components and may contaminate your water once your pump is in use again.

Schedule well pump repair in Columbia, TN

You can learn more about how to winterize your well and well pump or get professional well pump repair in Columbia, TN by reaching out to the team at Action Electric Motor & Pump Repair. Since 2006, we have been proud to serve our industrial, residential and commercial clients with comprehensive well pump services to keep their water well systems running as efficiently and effectively as possible. We are proud to be a local, family owned and operated business that’s committed to the satisfaction of our customers and the quality of our work.

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