If you've
owned a home, chances are you've experienced problems with water pressure.
Whether it's a complete loss of flow pressure, or intermittent and inconsistent
flow, water pressure trouble always seems to come at the most inconvenient
time. Some homeowner’s water pressure problems may be persistent, such as
constantly low water pressure, while others may experience an occasional but
sudden lack of water pressure. While it's always best to have a professional
water well contractor make repairs, it's good to know as much about your home's
well water system as possible so that you can make the most informed decision
possible when it comes to well pump repair.
Bad or No
Well Water Pressure
Water wells
are complicated machines, as are the pumps that pull the water from the well
into your home. As with any complex mechanical system, a single problem can
have more and more causes as the system increases in intricacy. (Anyone who has
owned a car or a computer knows this truth well.) When it comes to low water pressure,
the problem can range from problems with the pressure tank, worn pumps, clogged
pipes and pumps, and even clogged filters and purification systems. The problem
may be mechanical or electrical, or may be caused by the water your specific
well is drawing from (for example, water with higher iron concentrations may
contribute to clogged pipes which can affect water pressure). If the problems
with your water pressure are a result of these or many other causes, a
professional water well repair team should be able to diagnose and correct the
problem, restoring your water pressure to its normal level. It should be noted
that regular water well maintenance checks may catch many of these problems
early, before they begin to have such noticeable and bothersome effects.
Another
possible cause for diminishing or non-existent water pressure may have nothing
to do with faulty or damaged equipment. Instead, it may be possible that the
water reserves from which your well is drawing may in fact be running low.
While this is not the most likely explanation, a professional well drilling and
Repair Company will be able to determine if the water table is in fact running
low and, if so, make adjustments to return the pressure to its normal level.
Intermittent
Pump Cycling, or Short Cycling
Though some
homeowners may imagine that the pump activates every time they turn on a tap --
and then closes each time they shut it off -- this is in fact not the case.
Instead, the water well pump fills up a storage tank fitted with an air
bladder. The pump fills the tank until it reaches a pre-set pressure, then
shuts off. As you use water, the tank drains and the pressure decreases. Once
the pressure reaches the low pre-set pressure, the pump turns on once again to
refill the tank.
If everything
is working as it should, a homeowner will notice the pump kicking on every so
often, remaining active for a short period of time, then turning off until the
next time it is needed. However, some pumps may begin to cycle intermittently,
a process that is called "short cycling." Like low water pressure,
short cycling can have many causes. If your water tank is leaking water, the
tank may fill to its proper pressure, but because water is constantly flowing
from the tank, the pressure drops rapidly and the pump turns on again a short
time later. (You might also have other problems if you have a leaky water tank
in your house!) Other causes may be a defective air bladder in the water tank,
or damaged water pressure control switches, which measure the water pressure in
the tank and tell the pump when to turn on and off.
Whatever the
case may be, a professional water well repair team can diagnose the problem and
come up with a plan to solve the short cycling problems.
Steve Buer is
the owner of Buer Well Drilling, a well drilling company based in Caledonia,
Michigan. A family owned business, Buer Well Drilling specializes in well
drilling, well
pump repair and many other services. Mr. Buer and
his team provide water well service to Grand Rapids and its outlying areas.
Visit www.buerwelldrilling.com for more information.
Posted By: KCW Water Well http://kcwwaterwell.com
