Rapid Cycling

It’s worth a periodic visit to your pressure tank and pressure switch to monitor how they’re doing. If you ever see your pressure gauge cycling rapidly during water use (quickly dropping pressure, building pressure, and dropping again within 30 seconds) you have a problem. Generally this means a “waterlogged” pressure tank that doesn’t have air in the top. (Tap the top and see if you hear a “hollow” sound. If not, you’re waterlogged). This problem MUST be fixed, or you will burn out your well pump. Often the pressure tank must be replaced, which is relatively inexpensive – a lot cheaper than pulling that well pump!

Loss of Household  Water Pressure

Losing household water pressure could mean several things. Check your pressure gauge – if it’s fine, you may have clogged filters or a supply line issue. If the pressure reads zero, it’s a safe bet that no water is coming in from your well pump. That might be an electrical issue (check the well pump breaker), or it might be a problem in the pressure switch. Some people might tell you to “whack the switch” with a shoe or insulated tool, but this is NOT recommended as a solution! If you have a “balky” pressure switch, get it replaced — call us and we’re happy to test it. Finally, it’s possible you’ve run the well temporarily dry, and your well pump is out of the water. Turn off the valve to your house and wait an hour. If the pressure comes back, you may have a well flow rate issue or a household water leak.

Check Your Toilets

A running toilet is the most common cause of “excessive water demand” problems, and you may not hear it. Even a very slow leak can use amazing amounts of water. Save yourself from future trouble, and replace ALL “old-style” ball-float systems with more modern integrated-float systems. Also watch for dripping faucets, including outdoor faucets and showerheads. Leaks can be a major problem with well systems — stop them up!