How to Evaluate a Repair Job for Lost Water Pressure + Water Pump & Tank Repairs

WELL PUMP / TANK REPAIR ADEQUACY - how to decide if well, pump, or water tank repairs have been performed properly
- How to diagnose loss of water pressure or loss of water in a building
- How to decide if water pump replacement is needed
- How to decide if water tank replacement is necessary
- Typical cost of various well, pump, and water tank repairs.
- WATER PRESSURE REPAIR CORRECTLY? - separate article
Questions & Answers about how to assess the quality, completeness, & cost of a water pump or tank repair job
References

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This article explains how to determine if repair work has been done correctly following lost water pressure. The basics process of well, pump, or water tank diagnosis and the costs of the repair are explained. Consumer advice on saving money on well repair costs includes a review of the parts and labor costs of a typical well pump and pressure tank replacement case.

Did the well contractor make the "right" repair to the pump and pressure tank?

IF the tank and pump replacement have completely fixed the symptom you were having, then the contractor seems to have made the correct repair.

However given the sequence that you describe, we understand that you'd suspect that there was nothing wrong with the pressure tank and that the problem, all along, was the well pump.

If the contractor were skilled and diagnosed that a bad tank was hastening the demise of or even causing the demise of the well pump, it would be poor practice to replace only the pump.

While a more sophisticated analysis (perhaps using an ammeter to look at current on the pump circuit, for example), might have detected at the outset that it was the pump that needed replacing, it is very common in all trades for a repair person to first replace, among the possible causes of a problem, the items which are less costly and most accessible - in this case, the water pressure tank. (Presuming your pump is a submersible down in the well.)

How to check on the success and reliability - the "prognosis" of a an expensive well pump and water pressure tank repair job

First of all, there should be no leaks, anywhere, on the equipment which was repaired. If something was left wet, wipe it off and check for leaks. We don't pay my plumber if s/he leaves her/his work leaking. We call the boss.

Second, everything worked-on should be working normally to your eye and ear.

An expert plumber or well contractor can check the operation of your system by a combination of observation and electrical testing, such as measuring the amperage draw on the well pump circuit during pump operation. If these parameters are in normal range you should be ok insofar as the equipment is concerned. Your repair person should have made these checks. Ask him or her.

If you have been in the home for several years you should have an idea whether or not you've had a history of the well running out of water. You can understand more about your well and how the well itself is performing by noting its technical statistics such as well depth, water level, pump depth, static head, and well flow rate - topics we discuss at my website. If it is determined that you have a low-yield well, there are several solutions besides just drilling a new well - itself a shot in the dark.

Bad or No water pressure? See WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR for a step by step detailed guide to diagnosing and correcting bad water pressure or total loss of water pressure. Before changing a water pump or control, we need to know why the water pressure or water flow is poor. Also see our separate WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE in summary table form.
Intermittent water pump cycling is discussed at Intermittent Water Pump Cycling When No Water is Running - this means that the water pump comes on for no apparent reason.
Short cycling of a water pump means that the water pump turns on and off too rapidly or too frequently when water is being run in the building. See What Causes 'Water Pump Short Cycling' and Water Tank Repairs: Diagnose 'Water Pump Short Cycling'.
Loss of water pressure means that the pressure with which water enters a plumbing fixture has become too slow, or is sometimes too slow or weak in water flow rate, or water flow may stop entirely. See Water Pump Problems? How to Diagnose & Repair Poor or No Water Pressure.
Details on how to repair the water pump pressure control switch are discussed at How to Repair the Water Pump Pressure Control Switch
How to boost water pressure in a building by installing a pressure booster pump and pressure tank is discussed in detail at WATER PRESSURE BOOSTER PUMP

If the building water supply stops and takes minutes to hours to recover, you may have problem with the well flow rate. But the problem of lost water supply and pressure could be more mechanical: a bad well pump. The well pump, in turn, could have been damaged or hastened to the end of its life by a bad water pressure tank which has caused well pump short-cycling. Short cycling of the pump motor can burn up the pump relay control.

Readers of this document should also see 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. The illustration at left is courtesy of Carson Dunlop, Inc. in Toronto.

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Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
  Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
  Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
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  Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
  Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
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
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
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?

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

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The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, 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. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.

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