Why Is Well Housing Important?
If you have a well on your property, it’s important that you do what you can to protect it from the elements and keep it in good condition for many years to come so you can continue to have reliable access to fresh water at your home. Some wells are more exposed to the open air than others, but all wells can benefit from a little extra shelter.
We strongly recommend the use of well houses if you have a well on your property. As a provider of water well service and repair in Columbia, TN, we have some information about well houses and their benefits. Read on to learn more!
What is a well house?
Well houses have been used for centuries, since long before electricity existed, as a way to protect wells from the elements. Back in the day, wells had windlasses and drawing buckets, and were much more exposed to the open air, which meant they could easily be contaminated by debris. This made it necessary for people to build structures over and around their wells to keep them in good condition and prevent contamination of the water below.
Well houses, then, are common outbuildings that would shelter these wells, as well as store items needed for using the well or maintaining it. They remain common today for people who have wells, even though the technology used for digging and operating wells has dramatically evolved since those pre-electricity days.
Well houses should not be confused with pump houses, which are small buildings that protect the parts of the well system that aren’t in the well itself. The building can help keep these important parts from freezing during the winter months.
Why well houses are important
These days, the way wells are designed means there isn’t quite as much worry about open-air contamination. Sure, groundwater can still be contaminated through various other means, but most properties that have wells don’t have massive open-air pits with a drawing bucket you use to collect your water. We’ve come a long way technologically since that was the common style.
Today’s well houses are generally multi-use outbuildings that both protect the components involved with your well while also giving you some extra space for storage on your property. Many people store common supplies in their well houses, such as hoses, rakes, shovels and other yard tools and equipment, allowing them to serve as a sort of shed in addition to a well house. And of course, the buildings protect the components from damage during storms and from general exposure to the elements.
Well houses back in the day also had similar multiple uses. They could be used as coolers for homes that did not have electricity. If built in a cool, shady spot on the property, they could help maintain cooler temperatures year-round.
For more information about well houses and their importance, we encourage you to contact Action Electric Motor & Pump Repair for water well service and repair information in Columbia, TN.
Categorised in: Well Housing