There are a number of advantages to having your own well – including the health advantages of controlling your water quality through selecting your own filtration – but there are also challenges to the maintenance of and care for wells as well.
Numerous Ralph’s Pump & Well customers have faced these issues over the years. When you’re looking to hire someone to help you with your water and well issues, you want to make sure you are hiring someone who understands the challenges you face, as well as someone who can perform well pump repair.
Ralph’s has seen it all – it’s part of what makes us specialists in well pumps and water treatment systems in Seattle and Snohomish and North King Counties – and there are several warning signs of well and pump problems that we want to alert our clients (and potential clients!) to know.
Common Symptoms
1. No water from faucets
You turn on a sink faucet and nothing comes out – the biggest fear for any well owner. While these can sometimes be the result of electrical problems with the pump system or circuit breaker, generally, no water means well problems or pump problems. Most often, well issues result from a lack of water. This is especially true in the late summer months; water overuse is typical in spring and summer, and the water table can eventually be drawn down so low that it falls below the depth of the pump. In most cases, the well will be replenished if the customer simply reduces water usage for a few days. (Complete replenishment will happen in the winter and spring.)
The most economical way to fix this problem is to lower the pump deeper into the well. This is done by installing an additional water pipe at the top of the well, which will lower the pump enough to be submerged in water. Once the pump is immersed, reconnect everything and make sure the system is working properly. If the pump bottoms out before it’s submerged, this often means a new well has to be drilled.
2. Sputtering or air-filled water
If you turn on a sink faucet and water sputters (or spits out), it means there’s air in the system. This usually comes from two sources: a malfunctioning pump, or a break or crack in the water pipe above the pump. To confidently diagnose and fix these problems, the well pump has to be pulled. Ralph’s can perform this well pump repair quickly and efficiently to get your well water system or pump system back up and running.
3. Cloudy or Muddy Water
This sign indicates a sinking water table and a pump that’s pulling from shallow water where the percentage of silt and sand is higher. It can also indicate a failing pump that is not filtering out the silt before it’s pumped to the surface. Once this process starts, the pump wears more quickly because of the abrasiveness of the silt and sand.
4. Unexpectedly high utility bill
If your power usage for a month is abnormally high and there’s not another obvious reason for it, your pump may be running all the time. This can happen when the well water pump malfunctions, the water is low, and/or the pressure switch (mounted on the storage tank) needs adjustment or replacement.
5. Bad tasting or smelling water
You may notice a bad taste or odor to your water, staining of the toilets and fixtures around home or experience sediment. These are usually caused by nuisance minerals in the water that can be addressed via water filtration. You may also have more serious problems like coliform bacteria contamination of the well system or high amounts of arsenic. These can pose a risk to human health when the water is ingested or used for cooking. Ralph’s is prepared to handle whatever is found in your water. Whether it’s a smaller, residential well system or a large scale commercial job, we’re here to help.
Bonus Tip: Check the Pressure Switch
If you’re dealing with no water, the issue might be with the well pump pressure switch. If this switch isn’t activating, your pump may not be called upon to draw water — even when needed.
Expert Well Pump Repair in Seattle & Snohomish County
At Ralph’s Pump & Well, we specialize in diagnosing and repairing residential well pump issues. From cloudy water to pump replacement, we’ve seen it all — and we’re here to help keep your water flowing cleanly and reliably.
Need help with your well system? Contact us Today