FReepers, help me out (low [well] water pressure)

[Miztiki]

We have well water and the pressure is low. Hubby is away on an extended business trip and I don't know anything about wells. What should I do?

[OldFriend]

There must be a well company in your area. Ask a neighbor for a reference or go to the local hardware store and ask them.

[SoothingDave]

Go back to sleep and in the morning look over the posts, call your deacon and the fire department and the mayor.

Really now. If she had a "mayor," then she'd have city water.

SD

[lesser_satan]

Kramer: Oh, Elaine. Yeah. Elaine: Kramer, you look terrible. Kramer: Look, I need the keys to your apartment, I gotta take a shower.

Elaine: What's wrong with your shower?

Kramer: There's no water pressure.

Elaine: Why don't you just go see Jerry?

Kramer: Jerry's got nothing. Newman's got nothing. You're the only one I know who's got the good stuff, and I need it bad, baby, cause I feel like I got bugs crawling up my skin. Now you gotta help me out.

Peterman (busting in): Not on my watch! (Grabs Kramer by the collar) I won't have you turning my office into a den of iniquity! Get your fix somewhere else!

[Tijeras_Slim]

Sounds like a problem with the pressure tank. Does the flow increase occasionally, as if the pump is running?

The wells that have gone bad around me (NM mountains) usually have spotty and low flow for a bit first, with longer periods of being "dry".

[Gone_Postal]

here are a few ideas
1. the blue air tank next to the pump should have a gage on it and it should read about 20lbs, if is doesn't have a guage you can use a tire gage to check it....Now if it is low say 15lbs or less you need to add air to it, you can use a tire air pump the kind you plug into your cig lighter of your car, or even a bicylce pump.
2. Next if the low presser seems to be the hot water mostly, then more than likely the connection to the faucets need to be opened up and cleaned of debris mostly iron deposits.

[Gone_Postal]

looking at your pictures I would thing your filter should be changed. You have pressure comming from the pump but can't get pass the cloged filter

[Mr_Tiki]

Hi all!
I dropped in here coz my wife told me she posted a query about this well business.
I changed the well filter a couple of weeks ago and I used a carbon sediment filter instead of a paper sediment filter. I think the carbon filter has a greater resistance. We had the same problem some months ago and it was 'sorta' solved when I replaced carbon filter with a paper type. I think the paper type is more appropriate, even though the carbon type is of much higher quality.
However, I think the system is underpressure anyway. Not sure why. May be the pressure gauge is not functioning properly. I noticed that when I open the valve by the tank (in order to replace the filter) only a limited amount of water comes out. Its as if the tank is not full.
The rest of the system is relatively new. The submersible pump was installed by the previous owner few years ago. The well is very deep (around 400 feet). The control box was installed by myself a year ago as the old box suddenly died.
Thanks for your input. I asked my wife to get a plumber to change the filter for now with a paper type until I get back.

[Vermonter]

I haven't seem mention of the pressure tank being the problem. They can get waterlogged and this could cause problems. Shut off the power to the pump and open whatever drain valves you have around the pressure tank until it is completely empty. Close the valves and start up the pump again and see if things improve. It also helps if you can pressurize the tank or at least check the pressure as mentioned further up this thread. For this you'll need an air pump.

[jrushing]

They can get waterlogged and this could cause problems

I think this may be the correct answer.
Google "waterlogged tank" & you lots of good info.

Good Luck.
JR

[JRios1968]

Well.....

[politicket]

PING (for reference)

[Miztiki]

I'm having someone come out. I just don't know what I'm doing and don't want to make things worse. I can ping you with the results if you want.

[politicket]

Thanks! It would be interesting to hear what they have to say...

[Miztiki]

The well guy came out today and we have a verdict.

Firstly, whoever owned the house before us put the filter on the wrong side, between the pump and tank instead of between the tank and house. So I had them switch that around.

Secondly, that carbon filter or whatever was too much. I don't know how to word it right, but it takes too long for the water to filter through it. He removed the filter and said a filter isn't really neseccary unless you want to be anal about removing every little mineral from the water. He said I could put a paper filter in there if I wanted though (easier for water to flow through).

So the tank was waterlogged. He drained that.

It took the tank a long time to fill even after switching the filter to the other side. He suspects that the pump is getting old and that it will have to be replaced at some point. The pressure is no longer at 65, but more like 50-55 I think. The excess pressure was due to water not going through the filter fast enough.

Lastly, the tank is 82 gallons. He said that's fine for us (2 people) but that if we intend to add on to the house and sell it to a family that we will want to put a bigger tank in. He said it otherwise seemed to be in good working condition.

Hopefully our pump lasts us a while yet. He said the pump is one possibility but that it could be a leak in the pipe that goes down in the ground, or there's the off chance that the well is going dry. He suspects it's the pump getting old though.

I just wanted to let you know the verdict. Thank you all for your help. Maybe all of this info will help some other FReeper in the future.

Thanks again!

[Tijeras_Slim]

Good news!

[politicket]

Wow, it sounds like the well guy really knew what he was doing. We have the same setup that you do, except a larger tank, no filter, and everything is indoors.

This has been a great learning exercise on how the well system works. Thanks for posting it!

[Miztiki]

Correction:

The gauge is holding steady at 39 now.

He wrote on the slip that it took 3 minutes for the gauge to go from 35 to 55.

It was around 55 when he thought he was done and told me to go in the house and check the faucets. I had even less pressure than before, so that's when he took the filter out. Flushing the tank and all brought out alot of sediment and my toilet water is still rusty colored. I'm assuming that will eventually clear.

Regardless, the pressure is holding steady at 39 now.

[Miztiki]

You're welcome! I like to learn about things I don't know about yet too.

I asked him what I should watch for (if it's the pump) and he said if I notice that the water pressure is low and see that the pressure gauge is staying below 30 (I think), to cut off the power to the well and call someone in.

The reason he gave is to keep from damaging the well itself (the water space underground).

I asked him if water wells need any type of yearly tune-up or anything and he said no. As long as it's running good and properthen all is fine. He said well systems are not like cars where they need regular service.

Hope this helps you someday. It's a learning curve!

[cgk]

Maybe all of this info will help some other FReeper in the future.

I've already saved your thread - we moved to PA and have a well here for the first time ever! :)

[Miztiki]

Then you might want to save this one from today too:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1717815/posts?page=28

Congratulations on your move, and may your well never run dry! :-)