Common Reasons For Well Pump Failures

The well pump that moves the water from your well to your house can wear or fail. Some common things can cause a failure of the well pump, but many can be remedied so that the well and the well pump continue to be viable for many years.

Pump Age

One of the most common reasons a well pump stops working is the age of the pump. A submersible well pump typically lasts about 15 years in a perfect situation. The pump is pushing water up and out of the well daily, and depending on the depth of the well, the strain on the well pump can be rigorous. 

A well pump that has been in service for twenty years is a good candidate for replacement even if it is still working, but certainly, if you see a reduction in water pressure or flow from the well, it is time to have the well pump serviced.

Lightning Strikes

While you may not have even known it, the well and the well pump can get struck by lightning during summer thunderstorms. The well casing is steel, and it extends deep into the ground until it contacts water, making it a great conductor of electricity or lightning. 

It is common for the well pump to be grounded through the wiring that runs to it, however, if the well is struck by lightning, the surge of electricity can damage the well pump and cause it to stop working. Often the only way to discover the damage is to pull the pump out of the well and inspect it. Most well repair companies will remove the pump to check it anytime the water flow from the well stops abruptly.

Dry Wells

If your well goes dry, you will not get any water from it, but the pump running without water flowing through it can burn up the windings in the motor and damage the well pump. If you suspect you have a dry well on your property, shut off the breaker, cutting the power to the well pump. If you allow it to run for several days without water, you will need a new well pump on top of dealing with the dry well.

Often before the well goes dry, you will see an excessive amount of silt in the water and the pressure in the system will drop substantially. If the well is dry and the pump no longer working, the well repair company may recommend drilling a new well or extending the existing one and then replacing the well pump and other components in the system that could be affected.

For more information about well pumps, contact a well repair service.


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