No Water Pressure, Diagnostic FAQs

No Water Pressure Indoors if Water Runs Outside & Vice Versa

We have no water pressure in the house if water is running outside - and vice versa

We live in the country and have our own well. Over the past few days we noticed we cannot get water inside the house if the hose is running outside.

Same goes the other way. If I am doing wash, then you cannot get water outside. Any ideas of what may be causing this problem? On 2018-05-27 by Susan

by (mod) - very limited pump and well output pressure / flow

Susan

Advice for diagnosing diminished well water pressure:

There are several possible causes of poor water pressure that used to be good.
Just a few examples: The well flow rate could have diminished, or pipes could be clogged, or the pump impeller could be damaged.

Since I can't diagnose your particular well from just an e-text, I recommend reading the section titled "Quick Guide to Diagnosing Poor Well Water or Pump Water Pressure or Flow"

found in WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR https://inspectapedia.com/water/Poor_Water_Pressure_Diagnosis.php

Also see our diagnostic suggestions at NO WATER PRESSURE

No water inside the house and low pressure outside when we fill stock tanks

My private well has completely quit in the house when I am filling water tanks outside for my livestock and the pressure is very low outside when filling the livestock tanks.

When I turn off the outside water and go back in the house and turn water on, it spits and is weak for a few seconds then goes back to where it always has been in the house. I used to be able to fill livestock tanks and have running water in the house so what has happened? (May 6, 2015) Donna

Reply:

Donna

Most likely when you fill the stock tanks ytou are drawing much more water than is drawn by normal intermittent use of indoor toilets, sinks, showers, tubs.

So once you've exhausted the reserve or static head in the well bore, the well's flow rate (depending on what protective parts are installed) will determine how fast you'll see water at the stock tanks.

And since that flow rate is so weak, while it's running outside you're seeing no water or pathetic water pressure inside.

Why is the outside flow getting priority over indoor fixtures? Probably it's the sequence of plumbing connections: your outside hose bibb may be connected to the main water line ahead of the rest of the indoor water supply piping.

Less likely but possible: there could also be a leak in well piping anywhere in the system or a damaged pump or even low voltage to the pump. - DF

No water outside at a hose bibb but we have water inside?

Here is my problem: No water from hose bib. Now in the house the water coming in passes by an on/off spigot, when turned on water comes out under nice pressure,

Just past that is the turn off valve leading to the pipes that feed the hose bib.

When the valve is on there appears to be no water going to the pipes that feed the hose bib and no water comes out of the hose bib. What's wrong? On 2018-01-13 by Robert G Sattan

Explanation and advice by (mod) - here is the probable cause

Robert,

The causes of no water at an outside spigot when you have normal water pressure indoors are one of these:

• a broken shutoff valve that you think is open but is closed (such as a broken stem on a gate valve), or
• a valve can be clogged as can a pipe elbow,
• or the hose bibb itself could be broken internally,
• or if you're in a cold climate it could be frozen
• or there may be another shut-off valve that you need to find and open

- Daniel F

No Water Flow at Individual Fixtures Q&A

I turned cold water off at a sink to do a repair and when I turned it back on we had no water

Hello. I have a single wide on well water. My water pressure was working fine, no problems.

Then my kitchen faucet started leaking and gradually got worse, temporarily I turned the cold side off and the leak stopped.

When I turned it back on the water pressure didn't return. What are some things I can try to pinpoint the problem? On 2018-08-14 by Shayna

Solution by (mod) - common faucet spout that has no cold or no hot water

If you have hot water at the faucet and not cold, and if you have cold water elsewhere, I figure that the individual cold water shuto-off valve that you closed is broken - it may have closed, but when you tried to re-open it, perhaps the shaft turns but the valve isn't opening.

Most likely that shut-off valve needs to be replaced.

Check that you have hot and cold everywhere else.

No Water Pressure, Humming, Smoking or Sparking Pressure Control Switch or Relay Box

Lost water pressure and smoke coming out of pressure switch

I got up this morining with no water . My pump has a box on the side with two different deals in it but my points is not kicking in right .

What would cause this?

I replaced the box on the side with a new one and when we tried to restart it smoke came out of the box on the side what would cause this (Aug 24, 2014) Alice Stephens

Reply: Watch out: turn off power to the pump immediately

Alice

TURN OFF ELECTRICAL POWER to the pump circuit immediately if you havent' already.

From what you describe I fear either an unsafe electrical wiring error or short circuit or a seized pump motor

Pump control box is humming and we have no water

Last night I noticed our kitchen sink pressure was low but I just assumed it was cause I was running the washing machine. This morning, my husband woke me up to say we have no water in the bathroom. While taking a shower, he lost all water. We went outside to check the breaker, it wasn't tripped.

So we went to the pump and the control box was making a humming sound like it's constantly running. The pressure gauge on the well showed 0 psi. I got a tire pressure gauge from my truck and checked the pressure from the top of the tank and there was no reading. What could it possibly be? On 2020-01-28 by Shannon

by (mod) - don't let the pump run dry

Shannon:

1. Shut off the pump immediately.

If your pump is running "dry" it may be damaged and might lead to a need for replacement.

2. Now diagnosing the reason for no water pressure can proceed.

Our most-thorough and best organized diagnostic steps are at Continue reading at NO WATER PRESSURE - topic home,

Depending on where you are and temperatures, the common causes of lost water are

- some fixture in the house was left running (a running toilet for example) that exhausted the well; the well may recover when you leave water and pump off for a few hours

- frozen water pipes

- lost prime in the pump - particularly if your system uses an above-ground 1-line or 2-line jet pump

3. While you're waiting for your plumber, if you've left water off for 2-3 hours you can try turning the pump back on. If you get water in a minute or two then you can have water while waiting for your onsite expert. If not, leave the pump off as I explained above.

Let us know what you find as that'll help other readers.

No Water Pressure After Using a Lot of Water, e.g. Filling a Swimming Pool or a Burst Water PiIpe

We ran out of water after filling up the swimming pool and still haven't recovered

This sounds like our problem. We filled up a small pool yesterday, with filtered and softened water.

Ever since then we have not had enough water to take a shower or do the laundry, but when I go and shut off the main valve and turn it back on we have water gain for a short while.

So what do I do just wait it out and allow it to fill up? (June 21, 2012) Brody

Reply:

Brody: Filling a pool with filtered softened water is expensive, and almostd certainly exhausted your water softener's salt charge as well as, apparently, your well.

Your well will probably recover if you wait - it may a day since many residential wells do not have the flow rate and capacity to fill swimming pools.

If you've wainted 24hours and you still have no water I'd worry that your long water run may have damaged a pump or pump control.

It could be something as simple as running the well down and drawing silt or dirt into a pump pressure control switch.

Regarding the filling of the pool with well water: The most common cause of well failure is overpumping.

Did you notice sand or silt in the water?

You may have "eroded" the aquifer pulling in fines and plugging the pores of the aquifer and slots or holes in the casing or liner. Other problems can be caused as well such as precipitation of chemicals (iron. etc. - can occur fairly quickly) and increased biofouling (this is longer term though).

The rate at which the water flows into the well may be permanently decreased now.

Sometimes rehabilitation (by a well driller) may help but may not be possible.