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 Mobile ViewWATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS FILTERS, WATER GREYWATER SYSTEMS WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS WATER FILTERS WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE WATER HEATERS WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR WATER PRESSURE REPAIR GUIDE - WELLS WATER PUMP SHORT CYCLING WATER PUMPS, TANKS, WELLS - BASICS WATER PURIFIERS WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER TANK BLADDERS & CAPTIVE AIR WATER TANK REPAIRS WATER TANK: USES, TROUBLESHOOTING WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS WELL WATER PRESSURE DIAGNOSIS More Information |
This article describes the steps and methods to improve or increase the quantity (amount) of water available at a property. If your well runs dry or you keep running out of water here are some suggestions to increase water supply quantity. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. How to Improve the Quantity (amount) of Water Available at a Property
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Our photo (left) shows a modern drilled well with a six-inch steel casing and electrical conduit entering the well cap - telling us that this is a deep well whose pump is installed inside the well itself. But from just a visual inspection of the well we have no idea how much water can be drawn from this system. This article explains how to determine the water quantity available at a property, how to diagnose inadequate water quantity (or alternatively poor water pressure and flow), and how to correct those conditions. If your concern is for the quality of drinking water (contaminants, odors, etc) see WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT and the diagnostic suggestions listed there. Our page top photo shows a very large water storage tank - a system that is installed when the well flow rate at a property is very limited. By using a large water storage tank the building occupants can have plenty of water for regular use. The tank is filled, slowly, during periods when water is not being drawn from the system. |
If the Water Pressure is Too Weak in a Building
Water pressure or water flow rate in a building plumbing system describes the water quantity and water pressure delivered at individual plumbing fixtures. The in-building water flow rate or water pressure is determined by the pressure capability of the well pump, the settings of the water pressure tank control, and by the length, diameter, and clogs in building piping - not by the quantity of water available.
WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - a description of the procedures used to diagnose the cause of poor water pressure or the cause of running out of water entirely at a property served by a private well
- WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT - how can we measure water pressure and flow in a building?
- Water Pressure Intermittent - what does it mean if water pressure comes and goes at a property?
- No Water Pressure - what to do if water pressure is lost entirely
- Well Tank relation to Water Pressure - what are the functions of a water pressure tank and how does it affect water pressure in the building?
- Shaking the Water Tank? - a quick simple way to find out if there is water in the water tank
- Water Pressure Tank Problems - causes of problems with the water tank
- Water Pressure Tank Diagnosis - how to determine what's wrong with the water tank
- Water pressure Later Returns "on its own" - more details about intermittent water pressure and what to do about it
- Water pipe clog diagnosis - how to determine if building piping is responsible for bad water pressure and flow
- Water pipe clog repair guide - what to do about clogged building water supply piping
- Making the "right" repair - how do we know we have made the correct repair while avoiding unnecessary water system costs
- Typical Water Tank & Pump Price
WATER PRESSURE REPAIR GUIDE - WELLS/P>
- Questions about lost water pressure
- Advice to a homeowner
- Adjusting Water Pump Pressure Control - how to adjust building water pressure at the pump or water tank
- Right Repair to Pump & Tank?
- Well Pump & Tank Replacement Costs
- Reliability of Pump & Tank Repairs
- WATER PUMP PRIMING PROCEDURE - how to get the water pump working again
- WATER PRESSURE REDUCER / REGULATOR - how to adjust a municipal water pressure regulator
If the Well Water Quantity is Insufficient at a Property
Water quantity describes the total amount of water available at a property served by a private well.
The total amount of water available is the sum of the static head in the well (the water inside the well casing or well itself when the well is at rest), the water stored in piping and in water pressure or water storage tanks, and the well flow rate (the rate at which water flows into the well).
If you run out of water at a property this means that you have drawn off all of the static water storage and that the rate at which water flows into the well is less than the rate that the pump is trying to send water out of the well and into the building.
Well flow rate or well yield is the rate at which water flows into the well from surrounding rock and ground water sources. The flow rate of a well is a complex number - water enters the well from various rock cracks or fissures at different depths. The sketch at left, courtesy of Carson Dunlop, outlines what happens during a well drawdown or well flow test procedure.
At each point where water enters the well the rate of water flow may vary over time, and may slow or even stop as water is drawn from the well. When a new well is drilled the well driller measures the actual flow rate of the well (the sum of all of these individual flows) by using a calibrated pump installed right at the well itself.
Well depth does not tell you much directly about the ability of the well to deliver water (the well yield or well flow rate). Rather, the depth of an individual well was determined by the well driller who drilled ever deeper until the well flow rate appeared to be adequate (typically 5 gpm or better for new wells). However a very deep well probably indicates that the driller had to do a lot of drilling to hit an adequate water supply.
- How Much Water is In the Well? - we describe the well flow rate and water quantity of a well, including well flow rate, static head, and the effects on well yield when we install a new more powerful well pump.
- How to Test Well Water Quantity - we describe how to test the ability of a well to deliver water
- How to Get More Water From a Well - we describe how to increase the water flow rate or quantity from a well - improving the well yield
Hot Water Problems & Solutions
Hot water problem diagnostic basics: If cold water pressure is adequate in the building but the hot water quantity or pressure and flow are inadequate, see these articles listed below. The sketch at left, courtesy of Carson Dunlop, shows the installation of a tempering valve at a tankless coil used for making hot water.
A useful water pressure and flow diagnostic in a building is to compare the hot water pressure and cold water pressure at individual fixtures.
If hot water pressure and flow are the same as cold water pressure and flow at some fixtures but at others the hot water flow rate is less, we suspect a local problem with the piping, faucets and valves at the fixture.
If hot water pressure and flow are poor throughout the building, the problem could be at the hot water source or in the building piping.
- HOT WATER IMPROVEMENTS - how to get more hot water pressure, flow, or temperature in a building
- HOT WATER DELIVERY SPEED UP - how to get hot water more quickly at a plumbing fixture
- HOT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT - how to increase the amount of hot water at a property
Water Quality - is the Water Safe to Drink, Contaminated, Smelly, Discolored, Sedimented?
Water quality describes what is in the building water supply: contaminants,odors, etc. If your concern is for water quality (contamination, odors, water tests, water treatment) see these articles:
- WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
- WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES
- WATER TESTING GUIDE
- WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
Questions & Answers regarding this article
Questions & answers about how to improve the amount of water available from a private well system.
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WATER PUMP PROBLEM DIAGNOSTIC TABLE
WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT
WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE
WATER SUPPLY & DRAIN PIPING
CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR
CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, DIAGNOSIS
CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, REPAIR
CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, HOT WATER
WATER TANK PRESSURE CALCULATIONS
WATER TANK REPAIRS
- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
- Thanks to readers Linda and Tim Quinn for suggesting clarification of water flow and water quantity problems (July 2009).
- Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost
- Water pressure tank failures & water pump short cycling diagnosis and repair
- Access Water Energy, PO Box 2061, Moorabbin, VIC 3189, Australia, Tel: 1300 797 758, email: sales@accesswater.com.au Moorabbin Office: Kingston Trade Centre, 100 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, VIC 3189
Australian supplier of: Greywater systems, Solar power to grid packages, Edwards solar systems, Vulcan compact solar systems, water & solar system pumps & controls, and a wide rage of above ground & under ground water storage tanks: concrete, steel, plastic, modular, and bladder storage tanks. - Life Expectancy of Water Pumps - Well Pumps: how long should a water pump last? What affects pump life?
- Life Expectancy of Wells & Water Tanks how long should a water well and its components last?
- Smart Tank, Installation Instructions [ copy on file as /water/Smart_Tank_Flexcon.pdf ] - , Flexcon Industries, 300 Pond St., Randolph MA 02368, www.flexconind.com, Tel: 800-527-0030 - web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://www.flexconind.com/pdf/st_install.pdf
- Typical Shallow Well One Line Jet Pump Installation [ copy on file as /water/Jet_Pump_Grove_Elect_Jet_Pumps_1.pdf ] - , Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf
- Typical Deep Well Two Line Jet Pump Installation [ copy on file as /water/Jet_Pump_Grove_Elect.pdf ] - , Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf
- Water Fact Sheet #3, Using Low-Yielding Wells [ copy on file as /water/Low_Yield_Wells_Penn_State.pdf ] - , Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension, School of Forest Resources, web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/XH0002.pdf
- Water pressure tanks - how to diagnose the need for air, how to add air, stop water pump short cycling to avoid damage - water storage water pressure tank safety.
- Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost
- Water pressure tank failures & water pump short cycling diagnosis and repair
- Water Supply & Drain Piping, water and drain pipe types, inspection, diagnosis, repairs, problem materials, clogging, etc.
- Water Requirements, Home & Outdoor Living
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
- Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
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