9 Things To Check If Your Well Pump Stops Working

Well pumps are used on daily and if you have one installed in your house too, then you would know that it is bound to break down at stop point. When that happens, you have to call in a a technician for well pump repair. But you can try out some things yourself as well. Here are some things you can try to take a look at to see what is wrong with the pump before getting help from an expert.

Things To Do If Your Well Pump Doesn’t Work

Check The Power

This is a very common problem to occur in well pumps, especially if there’s been a power outage and your pump has suddenly stopped working. Sometimes, power outages can break the circuit and the electricity supply to the well pump can be stopped. This is common to occur, but if you don’t know how to troubleshoot it, then it can be a mean feat to find and you’ll be left with a pump that doesn’t work at all.

So, first of all, when you see that your pump isn’t working and there isn’t any other mechanical or concerning problem that you can pinpoint, then check your main power supply and also see if the pump is getting any electricity or not. Chances are that once you power the pump back on, then you’ll see that it will work flawlessly and even if there’s a loose wire, you can fix it and make the pump work again.

Check The Faucets

The next very common thing that can happen to pumps, causing them to stop working out of the blue, is the faucet. Sometimes, there might be faucets already running in the house and you might be unaware of it. This can cause the well pump to stop working because there is a constant water supply going into the house and the pump might need a break.

Therefore, if you see that this is a problem, then try to check all of the faucets in the house and see if they have been running for a long time. If there’s water wastage, then the pump will stop working until the issue is resolved.

Look For Wear And Tear

Another possible reason why your well pump might have stopped working might be because of the wear and tear of the moving parts of the pump.

Since the pump has a rotor and other parts that are constantly moving when it’s operating, there can be a lot of problems that can cause the parts to wear and tear and you’ll need to replace them for the pump to work again. So, these parts are also good to look over, just to cover your bases.

Weird Sounds Coming From The Pump

There are different sounds that a well pump makes, however, there are just some sounds that aren’t normal at all for your ears to hear. If there’s a very loud and distinct clicking or knocking sound coming from the pump or if the pump is making a lot of irregular noises, then there is something wrong with it, and if it’s working right now, chances are that it will stop at any moment.

Always keep an ear out for weird noises because that can give a lot away about the pump and its performance. Some noises only require repairs while some others may need you to consider well pump replacement VA.

Is There Any Leakage?

This is also something that can cause a lot of problems in your well pump, one of them being complete stoppage of operation. This is a leakage in the pump. You don’t want the pump to be leaking in any way, especially internally because if water gets into the pump, then it can fuse the electrical connections and your pump will be as good as useless.

So, try to check for any leaks or cracks in the pump body. This can usually happen if the pump is running idly for a long time and this is what can lead to huge problems.

Check The Pressure Switch

Sometimes, the reason why your well pump isn’t working properly is because of the pressure switch. Pressure is the main driving force for water to be pumped from a well and into pipes and leads it to the rest of the house.

However, this pressure switch can be faulty and if you turn it on, then you will see that the pump is not making any pressure at all. So, it will be unable to suck water from the well. The best thing to do in this situation is to change the switch to a new one because they can break down after a long time.

Check The Air Valve

The air pressure valve is usually responsible when the well pump spits water out of the pipes, rather than making it flow in a steady stream. This is because there is air in the pressure valve and there’s no choice for you but to replace it.

You can try to leave the water running for a bit and that usually lets out a lot of the air. But if it’s too much, then you will need to change the valve, because it’s not airtight and it will let air in whenever you operate the pump, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Inspect The Iron Filter

A lot of well pumps have an iron filter to remove any traces of metals from the incoming water so that when you go ahead and use the water, you will not smell or taste anything weird. However, the iron filter can sometimes get clogged and it can cause the well pump to get choked and not work properly.

This is why you need to get the filter checked and you’ll probably need to replace it. In the meantime, you can still use the water from the well pump, however, it won’t be 100% safe from trace metals and they can alter the taste and color of the water.

Look For Any Loose Parts

Another very common thing that can cause the well pump to break down and not work properly is the loosening of the parts. There are a lot of pump parts that are constantly moving when the pump is on, and there can be times when either the screws, bearings or even other smaller parts can unravel and fall from their assembly space.

This can disrupt the pump performance and you need to get to the bottom of the problem before things take a turn for the worse.

Call In A Professional

Sometimes, you just can’t figure out what is wrong with your pump. You’ve tried everything mentioned above and the pump is still not working. That doesn’t mean that you didn’t do a good job, it’s just that the problem is a bit deeper than what you’re looking at. So, this is where you need to take a step back and call in a professional.

Remember, you’re not someone who knows everything about pumps, so you should let a well pump expert do the job for you.

Conclusion

Basic well pump troubleshooting is important before you feel like you need to call in an expert. So, these things will surely help to kickstart your pump to operation. However, if troubleshooting a well pump is confusing or if you tried your best and your well pump is not working, it’s time to consult a well pump service Montgomery County.