What Does Water Well Repair Typically Involve?

July 27, 2020

If your home relies on well water, it is important to understand the issues that can arise with your well and the steps you’ll need to take to get it back in working order. You might not have any water at all coming from your well, or you may have issues with constantly-running pumps or water pressure that goes up and down.

Before you call out a professional, you may be able to try some simple fixes yourself. Here are a few examples of some of the simple well water repair checks and steps you can take in Columbia, TN before calling out a professional to your home:

  • Check the power: It might sound overly simplistic, but you’d be surprised at how many issues with water wells occur because the power to the well is not on. Check the well switch near the pressure tank, and make sure it’s in the “on” position. You should also check the circuit breaker and make sure it hasn’t tripped. If it did trip, you should reset it and see if that resolves the problem.
  • Rock the tank: You might be able to get the system working again by simply rocking the tank. Push the top of the tank and rock it back and forth. If you cannot rock it, or if it’s top heavy, then the tank needs to be drained and replaced.
  • Check the pressure switch: If the power is on, you can also check the pressure switch, which will be mounted on tubing near the pressure tank. Take off the cover and hit a screwdriver handle against the tube below the switch to give some action to the electrical contacts. If the pump starts up or if there is a spark, it means the pressure switch is the problem, in which case you will need to replace the switch. This is probably a task you’ll want a professional to handle, but if you take it on yourself, you’ll need to remove the wires to the old switch, unscrew it, coat the tubing threads with Teflon tape and then screw on the new switch in the same orientation before reconnecting the wires.
  • Check the pump controller: In some cases, the pump controller may be the issue with your water well. The pump controller is typically mounted in the house close to the pressure tank, but sometimes it may actually be inside the well, in which case you’ll have no choice but to call out a professional. But if it is accessible, you can attempt the repair yourself, if you feel confident in your ability to do so. Take off the screw at the bottom of the cover and lift it off the box, then use that to find an exact replacement at the store. Put the new cover on the old box (if you have the same brand, you shouldn’t need to rewire), then start up the pump and see if that resolves your problem. Unfortunately, there’s no way to test the controller, so this should be your last-ditch effort after replacing a pressure switch before calling out a professional.

For more tips and ideas for water well repair in Columbia, TN, contact Action Electric Motor & Pump Repair today.

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