Water wells and pumps are extremely reliable, delivering steady supplies of clean water to homes with minimal maintenance requirements. However, residential water systems can occasionally develop issues that may affect the quality of the water you receive. To help you resolve these, here are a few of the common malfunctions you may experience and how to act in these situations.

3 Common Water Well Problems

1. No Water

A pump that isn’t delivering water at all can be an emergency, but the problem may not be with the equipment itself. In most cases, an electrical surge, power outage, or spike in demand trips a circuit breaker, shutting off the electricity sent to the pump.

To troubleshoot this, check the service panel and flip the breaker to the “on” position. This might turn the unit back on.

2. Short Cycling

Short cycling occurs when a water pump turns on and off too frequently, putting extra strain on your equipment.

While short cycling can be caused by defective switches, in most cases it can be traced to a loss of air charge in the water tank. Draining the water from the tank can usually resolve this problem.

3. Low Water Pressure

Most residential water systems feature pressure switches, which shut down the pumps if pipes break or get clogged. This part may be at fault if you experience low water pressure.

Look for a small grey box between the water tank and the pressure tank. If the metal bar is lowered or parallel to the ground, you need to re-engage the residential water system. Shut off all the valves and slowly move the bar up until it engages, then let the pressure tank fill before opening the valves again.
 

If you’re still having trouble getting your residential water system working, the experts at Anchorage Well & Pump Service, Inc. are ready to assist. They’ve been serving families in Anchorage, AK, for over 40 years, offering emergency service 24/7. Read more about their repair services online, or call (907) 243-0740 for prompt repairs at any time.