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Bladder type Well X Trol Water Tank (C) Daniel Friedman Intermittent Loss of Water Pressure
Diagnose Water Pressure that Stops then Recovers on its Own

Intermittent loss of building water pressure: diagnosis & cure. This article describes questions and answers from and to a homeowner who lost water pressure.

The basics process of diagnosis and the costs of the repair are explained. This article describes common water pressure-loss problems and their causes, and provides links to more detailed diagnosis and repair articles for each of those situations.

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.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

How to diagnose loss of water pressure that later improves or returns "on its own"

Photograph of a water pump pressure control switchWhen you lose water for some time period but later it returns we think immediately of the following possible explanations.

 

By contrast with cases where you lose but then recover water pressure in the building are cases where you lose and do not recover water pressure or flow:

You'd have either no water or only very low pump output no matter what conditions in the well.

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 TANK REPAIR PROCEDURES 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.

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-10-22 by Anna - are pressure booster pumps found if on city water?

Thank you, will ask.

On 2020-10-22 - by (mod) -

Some buildings do - you would know if your home had a pressure booster system: you'd see a pump or perhaps pump and tank near the point of water entry into the building.

take a look at the causes and cures listed above on this page,

On 2020-10-21 by Anna

Hi, I neglected to say, we're on city water, no well - would we have a water pressure booster pump if we're on city water? Thanks.

On 2020-10-21 b - by (mod) -

Anna

If your water pressure is provided by a well or water pressure booster pump in your home, take a look at the causes and cures listed above on this page,

and perhaps you'll want to ask your repair person to check or replace the pressure control switch.


On 2020-10-21b by Anna

Our house has three floors. Every so often (say, every other week or even every few days), certain things stop working all at once: the water stops working in the downstairs bathroom, but only the COLD water - and along with it, the cold water in the downstairs laundry room.

At the same time, the water supply in the door of the refrigerator on the MAIN level (one floor up) stops working.
At some point later, they all come back on at the same moment and continue working as if nothing ever happened. Completely random timing and an utter mystery.......help! Thanks.

On 2019-11-14b - by (mod) -

That sounds to me more like a problem of a well running out of water then a check valve problem. It's probably where your check valve the symptom would be losing Prime and you'd have no water at the start of the pump on cycle. What you're describing is having water at the start when you first open a fixture and then running out very quickly.

On 2019-11-13 b by Robert

I put a new footvaule and check valve only main line for the pump when I run water in house less than 5 minutes I lose total pressure

On 2019-03-12 by Ron Shay

I have a well and lose water pressure when shower is on with any other faucets, or flushing toilet.


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Continue reading at WATER PRESSURE INTERMITTENT LOSS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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WATER PRESSURE STOPS, RETURNS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER SUPPLY, PUMPS TANKS WELLS

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