If your home relies on a well pump to receive water, it’s best to have this system checked once a year to guarantee that it’s running safely and efficiently. If you have an older well pump or notice changes in its performance, more regular inspections can give you peace of mind that one of your home’s most vital resources is not at risk of failure.
When it comes to well pump repair or replacement, here are the top culprits that can cause a system to be damaged or broken:
- More demand: Overloading and overheating account for 30 percent of well pump motor failures, according to a study done by Water Well Journal. Adding new faucets or appliances can increase your home’s water consumption, and if this use exceeds your well pump’s capacity, you could be at risk for failure and eventual well pump repair or replacement.
- Electrical fluctuations: Power outages or power spikes caused by lightning, power grid switching, or wiring issues can cause the amount of electricity entering your home to shift, trip your circuit breaker, and damage your well pump system.
- Residue: The introduction of harsh chemicals or sediment into your system can corrode the internal and moving components of your well pump. If this issue continues, you may require a well pump repair or replacement.
- Low water levels: Your well’s low water levels can be due to internal issues like age, wear, debris blocking filtration screens, or external factors like local drought or a drop in your area’s water table. This could indicate that your well pump cannot accommodate your home’s water needs, which can be mitigated in the short-term by conserving water. A long-term solution would be increasing water storage with a larger water tank, deepening the existing well, or in some circumstances, drilling a new well.