We get calls every day from those suddenly without water. You check the circuit breaker, check for leaks, and the water treatment equipment has been eliminated as the culprit. So, what’s likely the problem? Can you fix it?
I don’t know about you, but when I look under the hood of a car, I can’t tell much about why my car won’t start; and although I am a good DIYer, I have never opened a well cap. Why not? (a) It’s highly likely that I won’t be able to see much, and (b) it would be a worse than the “pit in my stomach” I get when there’s a problem, and I open the hood of my car.
So why do wells suddenly just stop? Well…., in our experience, the top 3 repairs are caused by:
1.) Pump failure – the hardest working part of the well system, and it definitely has a limited life. It could last 12 years, but we’ve seen them needing replacement in less than 2 years. After all, it is a mechanical device and simply wears out; the quality of the water can have a dramatic impact. Either the motor quits, or impellers (which physically push the water) break or dull to the point they don’t work. Either defect stops the flow of water.
2.) Wire failure – remember that there is electric and water in the same hole – which is problematic from the start. Any fatigue or breakage in the electric line will stop the pump. And while the wire is sturdy/heavy gauge, it may be scraping the rock walls of your well every time the pump starts. The wire twitches when the pump first comes on, likely causing the wire to scrape against the rock over and over. This causes the insulation on the wire to wear, exposing the electrical line and stops the pump.
3.) Control box components. The control box does just what it says – controls the system, and includes switching and additional electrical components. Any failure of these items and the system will not work. Bang – no water.
No one can diagnose these failures until they visit, observe, test and conclude.
Please know that with dozens of parts in individual well systems, in our 16+ years of experience, there are countless reasons that a well fails.
We can discuss the pricing and severity of these diagnoses (see How Much Does The Average Well Drilling Repair Cost?), but to state the obvious, anytime the water stops is a bad news time in my house – and I want it fixed immediately. The costs to diagnose and repair any of these items will be higher if the water stops in the evening, on the weekend, or worst yet, on a holiday like New Year’s Day or Thanksgiving.
As I said, there are few (less than 3%) homeowners who know to diagnose and fix these items. You’re not alone in worrying about this.
The good news is this is exactly why WelGard has become the homeowners’ favorite go-to and trusted adviser, eliminating these worries, becoming the largest, oldest, highest growth, and best well warranty on Planet Earth. Borrowing a slogan from another “well” known brand “What’s in your well?”