Questions & Answers on Well Piping Foot Valves

Water well foot valve troubleshooting FAQs #3

Well Foot Valve repair diagnostic questions & answers:

These questions and answers address common problems with well piping foot valves or check valves including their relation to loss of well pump prime.

This article series describes the foot valve used on well piping for water well Pumps & Water Wells: we explain what a foot valve is, how they work, why they are used, and how to diagnose troubles with this special in-well check valve found at the bottom of well piping in some wells.

We provide advice about loss of well pump prime due to bad foot valves and what to do when things go wrong with the check valve.

Page top photo: a well foot valve.

What is a Foot Valve and Why do we need one on well piping?

These questions about foot valves and check valves on well piping were posted originally

at FOOT VALVES - topic home. Be sure to review that article.

Also see our index to all foot valve questions and answers at FOOT VALVE DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR FAQs

Article Index

• [We're in process of editing the Q&A below - Ed.]

Can I use a foot valve as a check valve in a spring house?

I am installing a shallow well pump in my garage and pulling water from an underground spring. The set up requires a horizontal suction pipe from well to pump with 6' of rise total. Approx 80' of horizontal run. On 2018-09-29 by NP

Do I need a special horizontal foot valve for this or will a normal foot valve work?

by (mod) - Yes or use a proper type of check valve at the pump

A foot valve will work but you could also use a check valve at the pump. Either will be just fine.

A foot valve contains an internal spring that will close it to preserve prime when the pump stops.

Check valves are available in various designs, not all of which use a spring to close the valve,

So be sure, if you're putting the check valve on the horiontal water pipe instead of using a foot valve, that it's a check valve designed to work in that position.

Water runs back into driven point well & pump keeps running - missing check valve?

Hi, I have a 2inch point driven shallow well. Recently once the pump is primed, when the pump isn't running, the water will run back down into the well. I believe the foot valve is no longer working.

It takes about 3-4 minutes for the pump to refill the lines, but only 2-3 minutes for the water to run back down into the well when the pump shuts off.

So the pump is pretty much running constantly.

I am wondering if I could put a check valve in the line between the pipe that goes into the ground and the pump. Will that work instead of replacing the foot valve which is at the bottom (I believe) of the well? Thanks in advance On 2018-08-01 by Ellen

by (mod) -

In a driven well, Ellen, usually the check valve is right at the pump; if not you may be able to add one there, just as you suggest. That may work because by definition a driven point well is quite shallow - allowing an above-ground checkvalve to hold.

by Ellen

Thanks danjoefriedman for the confirmation, I am going to give that a try and hopefully it works for me.

by (mod) -

Keep us posted, Ellen - as that may permit further comment and may also help other readers

by Ellen

Hi I have another question for you

as I was looking at my well set up trying to figure out what size check valve to buy I realized I have two lines that go between the well pump and the pipe that goes into the ground. Would the check valve go on the line on top? Or the line below? The two lines appear to be two different sizes

I added a pic that I hope shows up [see both Ellen's sketch and her photo above on this page]. Thanks again!

by (mod) -

Ellen

Your system looks as if a two-line jet pump was converted, using an external venturi (the green fitting) to function as a one-line jet pump system.

The check valve, if y ou can squeeze one in to this crowded installation, would fit on the smaller of the two pipes of your pump.

by Ellen

We haven’t tried what you suggested yet. My son was over last night and took a look at the system and is a little worried about the process.

My son is a carpenter and what I consider a jack of all trade but his knowledge is limited in the well area. He thinks my well is deeper than I do and he isn’t sure a check valve will solve the issue

. I was told today by the realator (whom I bought the house from 15 years ago) that it is a point well.

The system does have a jet pump. My son found a pic of my system and suggested I forward to you to make sure we are on the same page before I invest in parts. I am hoping we are on the same page. :) thanks

Thanks! I see the pic showed up, on it's side :) so the check valve would go in the bottom pipe that look red and currently to the right.

Yes, it is a tight fit so hopefully we can put one in. Thanks again. I will keep you posted.

by (mod) - Ellen uses a driven point well

Ellen

Driven point wells are never very deep since they are constructed by pounding a pipe into the soil. Typically 25 feet or less, with a 1-line jet pump; a check valve is usually right at the pump.

If your well uses two pipes and a two line jet pump it's probably a deep well, not a driven point well.Ellen

Driven point wells are never very deep since they are constructed by pounding a pipe into the soil. Typically 25 feet or less, with a 1-line jet pump; a check valve is usually right at the pump.

If your well pump uses two pipes and a two line jet pump it's probably a deep well, not a driven point well.

Signs of a clogged check valve / foot valve on the well line

My deep water well comes on at 28 psi and shuts off at 60 psi I have noticed at times the pump runs continuously
At 30 psi and won't build any more pressure

If I shut the pump off for ten seconds or longer and then turn it back
On it builds pressure and shuts off at 60 psi. I'm thinking either debris is getting on the check valve impeding water
flow or the check valve itself is sticking On 2018-05-23 by robert

by (mod) - if your well pump system check valve is above ground it's easily changed-out.

Robert,

That's an interesting and quite reasonable guess - if your well pump system check valve is above ground it's easily changed-out.

If yours is a deep well of several hundred feet there could be several check valves between the foot valve and the pitless adapter, any of which could be sticking. You'd need to pull the well pipe to replace those.

Where is the well piping check valve / foot valve? Pump cycles 1-2 x then loses all pressure

Is there a check valve in this control center assembly?

Pump cycles once or twice and loses all pressure. When this happens it sounds like a check valve letting go. On 2018-05-15 by (mod) -

Reply by (mod)

Tom,

I can't quite see any check valve in your photo but it doesn't mean that your system doesn't include one elsewhere on the piping system or as a foot valve in your well.

Typically the check valve will be

- at the jet pump for an above ground one line jet pump

- in the well as a foot valve for two line jet pumps and some submsersible pumps

- in the well piping between pressure tank inlet and well casing for many deeper wells

- in multiple stages in the vertical riser pipe in the well for very deep wells more than 100 ft.

Pump Pressure Control Switch is Not Responding to Changes in Water Pressure

I didn't draw any water since the last post and this morning it was still showing 50lbs. Now I drew water and this time the tank emptied and the water stopped flowing BUT the pump didn't cycle on for about 5 seconds, then it kicked on and water and pressure was normal.

Now I may be chasing multiple issues. Possible leaking foot valve or well pipe and /or a faulty or partially blocked pressure switch ? On 2018-04-30 by Brian: It's 90' deep, twin pipe, ejector, foot valve. In the house it's a 3/4 hp pump,pressure regulator into a 36gal tank.

No sign of leaks around the pump but haven't pulled the pit cover to look in yet.

It's been holding steady at 50lbs since my last post. Will see how it behaves in the morning. On 2018-04-30 by Brian:

by (mod) - pressure doesn't fall = no leak; I suspect debris clogged pressure switch

Brian:

If pressure does not fall when no water is being used, that argues against a leak in well piping or a leaky foot valve.

However several causes of odd pump on-off operation can be intermittent, including

- a debris-clogged pressure control switch (try tapping on the switch when you're running water, pressure falls below the cut-in, and the switch doesn't turn on the pump)

- a sometimes-sticking foot valve

by Brian: problem solved: clog was in the pump fitting to which we connect the pressure switch tube

Well I solved this current issue. Changed the pressure switch and the problem was still there. I then removed the pressure line completely between the pump and the switch and it was open BUT the fitting on the pump was clogged.

Cleaned out the fitting and got water flowing through it , flushed it out, re-installed the line and now the last issue is resolved. I will monitor and see if any of the early issues crop up again.
Thank You all for the helpful replies.

by (mod) - usual results of clogging at the pressure control switch on a pump

Way to go, it sounds like you found a problem that can be hard to track down. Do keep us posted as if you wanted something else it will help other readers.

Usually a clog in the fitting or tube that conducts water pressure to the pressure control switch results in a switch that doesn't turn on or off when it should.

I'm not clear on how that would be connected to causing air in the water supply piping.

Diagnose loss of all water: is bad foot valve ?

Three times in the past month we have woke up with no running water. We prime the pump and all is good for a while.

I don't see any indication of a leak in the house and I'm hoping there are some other things we could check before having to consider looking at the foot valve since the previous owner has it partially buried under a gravel driveway and the ground is frozen. Thanks in advance! On 2018-01-30 by Mike

by (mod) - if you're priming the well that points to a bad foot valve

Mike,

Try turning the water off into the building. If with the water into the building shut off you see the pressure in the tank falling then we have either a leak in well piping or a leak at the foot valve or check valve.

There are other causes for intermittent loss of water pressure - if you search this website using the search box above for that phrase you will find those other diagnostic suggestions.

by Mike: Problem solved: Pump pressure switch was not turning on at the CUT-IN (Low pressure) Setting - due to corrosoin

After doing some more investigation I found it was the pressure switch not turning on when reaching it's low pressure setting. Replaced the switch which had corroded quite badly over the years and presto everything is back to normal. Hope this might help someone else.

by (mod) - Pressure switches usually fail from debris clogging or burned contacts or corrosion

Thank you for the follow-up, Mike. That will help other readers.

Sometimes a pressure switch won't turn on because debris clogs its sensor port. On occasion that same silt or rust debris can clog the tube conducting water pressure to the switch.

The symptoms, loss of water pressure, can be similar to loss of prime, but it's pretty easy to distinguish the two. With water turned off to the home if we see water pressure continue to drop we know there is a leak in well piping or a leaky foot valve.

...

Continue reading at FOOT VALVES - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see FOOT VALVE DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR FAQs-4 - more-recent Q&A about foot valves on water wells

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• CHECK VALVES, WATER SUPPLY, DRAINS, PUMPS
• FOOT VALVES - home
• PUMP PRIME, REPEATED LOSS
• WATER PUMP INTERMITTENT CYCLING
• WELL PIPING CHECK VALVES
• WELL PIPING LEAK DIAGNOSIS

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FOOT VALVE DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR FAQs-3 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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