Well Foot Valve repair diagnostic FAQs set #4.:

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.

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.

On 2019-12-17 by (mod) - winter-tip for pulling well piping?

Jas

I don't have a winter-tip for pulling well piping except to dress warmly; winter or summer you still need to open the well head and pull the well pipe; if the pipe is long, heavy, steel, be sure to use a suitable tripod, winch, and well pipe grabber so as not to drop the whole shebang down the well.

On 2019-12-17 by Jasmine

any tips on fetching the foot valve from the well during winter? I've done it at the end of August and froze my butt off, and so I need some tips

On 2019-11-25 by (mod) - is it the foot valve that's causing trouble?

Loven

What is the total lift in vertical feet of Rise between the point at which the foot valve or end of your water pipe is trying to pick up water and the elevation of the pump itself? Typical one line jet pump can lift water about 25 feet. If the lift is greater than that your pump won't Prime and it will not be able to move water.

On 2019-11-25 by loven

bought shallow well half horse jet pump. Water in hose coming from river stays at top of hose. When pump turns on it wont prime. Water level remains same. Could this be foot valve problem

On 2019-08-19 by (mod) -

Anon

Please help me out here. I sent you to an article where I've provided the most-thorough, detailed, complete diagnostics for your question that I can produce. That page will be far more complete than if I try to remember it and make it up all anew in an off-the-cuff reply here.

Search InspectApedia.com for AIR DISCHARGE AT FIXTURES to see the details of diagnosis and repair and then keep me posted on how you do.

On 2019-08-19 20:09:22.318628 by Anonymous

Any other thoughts that would explain the air in the lines. Is there a way to narrow down possibilities? Process of elimination? We have never lost prime

On 2019-08-19 19:51:02.471796 by (mod) -

Anon:

if your foot valve is under water then no, the foot valve won't explain the pump drawing air - at least not directly.

A leaky foot valve could however mean loss of prime and that in turn can suck air into the piping from a leak in well piping or pump above the water level.

Search InspectApedia.com for AIR DISCHARGE AT FIXTURES to see the details of diagnosis and repair and then keep me posted on how you do.

On 2019-08-19 by Anonymous

I have a dug well with plenty of water. The pump is drawing air. There are no leaks upstream of the pump. The pump is not running any more than when it was not drawing air.Could it be a faulty foot valve. Any other thoughts?

On 2019-08-17 by (mod) -

Seems unlikely, Anon.

On 2019-08-17 by Anonymous

Would a foot valve on a above ground pump cause the well pump not to kick on

On 2019-07-25 by (mod) - maximumpsi ratings on foot valves in wells

Yes Barbara.

The psi rating on a foot valve is the maximum pressure that the valve can withstand without leaking.

But depending on the depth of your well you may need additional check valves. You don't give your well depth so here is an excerpt from the article above that explains in more detail:

In general Flomatic valves are pressure rated 400 psi or 920 feet of water pressure. This does not mean that a valve can be set at a well depth of 920 feet.

To alleviate and reduce the hydraulic shocks in the riser pipe it is recommended that a check valve be installed every 200 feet in the riser pipe.

- source: "Foot Valves Installation Instructions", Flomatic Corporation, 15 Pruyn's Island, Glens Falls NY 12801, Website: flomatic.com, - retrieved 2/10/14, original source: www.flomatic.com/assets/pdf_files/oem/16048.pdf

Available at InspectApedia at FOOT VALVE SPECIFICATIONS Flomatic [PDF] https://inspectapedia.com/water/Flomatic-Foot-Valves.pdf

On 2019-07-25 by Barbara

Can I use a 400 psi foot valve on a 1 1/2 hp pump with a discharge release of 75 psi?

On 2019-06-19 by (mod) -

You can fabricate a cage hardware cloth or other fine mesh material but it needs to be quite large so that even ask the muscles stick that sells on to it it will not immediately be blocked

On 2019-06-16 by Nancy

What can be used to protect a foot valve that's attached to a water pipe in a lake to keep out zebra mussels? I have the foot valve tied on top of a cement block to keep it off the lake bottom. Also, I have a 1/2 hp jet pump. Is it possible to connect some type of filter to the water pipe just before the pump to prevent sand, small debris, etc.from entering the pump?

On 2019-06-19 by (mod) -

You can fabricate a cage hardware cloth or other fine mesh material but it needs to be quite large so that even ask the muscles stick that sells on to it it will not immediately be blocked

On 2019-06-16 by Nancy

What can be used to protect a foot valve that's attached to a water pipe in a lake to keep out zebra mussels? I have the foot valve tied on top of a cement block to keep it off the lake bottom.

Also, I have a 1/2 hp jet pump. Is it possible to connect some type of filter to the water pipe just before the pump to prevent sand, small debris, etc.from entering the pump?

On 2019-04-07 by (mod) -

Norm

Indeed on occasion it's useful to clean out a well; Just monitor the well to be sure you don't run dry and damage the pump;

there are also procedures and devices to suck silt and debris from a well bottom. If that doesn't suffice it might also be necessary to raise the foot valve a couple of feet.

See details at WELL CLEANING PROCEDURES https://inspectapedia.com/water/Well_Cleaning_Procedures.php

On 2019-04-07 by Norm

I have a 2" well casing which is 72ft to the bottom (in porous limestone topped with sand (N.E. Forida).

The well was drilled 33 years ago to 85ft. Although it has never run dry and alway provided more than enough water, seemingly the well has silted up a bit. I am thinking of pumping the casing for a few hours to clear silkt from the cavity below the casing tube before replacing the draw tube and footvalve.

The water table (water level in the 2" well casing) varies just a little at around 10ft down from the top of 2" casing which is 12" below grade. I'd appreciate any comments on my proposal of pumping the casing. Also, what is the recommended height from the bottom of the well for the foot valve.

Thanks in advance,

Norm

On 2019-04-06 by (mod) -

Tish

In the ARTICLE INDEX try the diagnostics in our article titled NO WATER PRESSURE

On 2019-04-06 by Tish

I have replaced the jet pump, pressure tank and pressure switch holding on my pressure gauge at 65 35 pounds of air in the pressure tank but when I turn on my irrigation clock turn on a zone I have hardly any pressure. What's my problem. Water supply comes from a well point. Help

On 2019-02-11 by (mod) -

Randall

If a foot valve is leaking you will typically notice loss of water pressure in the system and ultimately loss of pump prime - when the pump is off for a time water drains backwards out of the pressure tank, water piping and pump to re-enter the well through the leaky foot valve.

Foot valves can also become clogged, resulting in reduced or even no water flow - a condition that mimics a well that has gone dry.

So if we are sure that the pump is un-damaged, and if we confirm that there is water in the well and the well piping lines are connected and intact, and if the pump cannot draw water from the well, the foot valve could be clogged.

Keep in mind that other well piping leaks and even a leak right at the (above ground ) pump itself can mimic a leaky foot valve.

Details are in the article above beginning at FOOT VALVES https://inspectapedia.com/water/Well_Pipe_Foot_Valve.php

On 2019-02-10 by Randall Wolverton

How do tell if it your footage is bad.

On 2019-02-05 by (mod) -

I don't understand what that would buy you. The water pressure tank connects to building supply piping and keeps it pressurized. There would not normally be backflow from building supply piping into the tank.

If your well piping leaks and the pump's check valve leaks the pump is still going to lose prime.

On 2019-02-05 by Anonymous

Thanks for the quick reply. The pump has a prebuilt check valve at the suction line.

What I am thinking is adding a second check valve at the base of the storage unit to prevent the backflow of water in the line to the tank, and still keep prime. I've added a picture from this site that shows an example of my thoughts. Thanks again!

IMAGE LOST by Comments Box Code error - sorry. If you can re-post the image we'll be glad to comment further.

On 2019-02-05 by (mod) -

That does not sound correct to me. You want your check valve to be on the line between the pump and the well.

On 2019-02-05 by SSG

I am installing an indoor water storage tank and using a jet well pump (with a preinstalled check valve.)

Am I able to place an inline CHECK Valve at the base of the storage tank outlet to keep from losing prime, rather than run plumbing to the storage tank at the top and attaching a foot valve to a suction pipe? Thanks in advance!

On 2019-01-27 by Brent

I have a deep well used for lawn irrigation. I use a Berkley 10MS jet pump and a J32P-24 Venturi and a #52 nozzle. The well is 31 feet deep and the water level is 10 feet. The ejector is 6 feet up from the bottom of the well, so basically right in the middle of the water table. My question is do I need a foot valve installed at the bottom? I ask because my pump lost prime about 4 years ago, and it burned up the pump.

A new well was drilled for other reasons and a new jet pump was installed. Fast forward another year and the pump loses prime again. The well people came out and looked over everything and decided to replace the leather cups due to being gummed up with debris. They filled the suction pipe up with water and all seemed good.

The next day the pump lost prime again, so instead of calling them back out I instead re-tightened the bolts around the flanges and to my surprise the pump held its prime for another 3-4 months.

Well after that 3-4 months it lost it's prime again and continues to lose prime after every run of the sprinkler system. I have to manually prime every time my yard needs watering. The guys who installed the pump and drilled the well said they don't use foot valves for whatever reason and I'm curious if that's the reason why my lawn pump has lost prime several times in 4 years.

On 2018-09-29 by (mod) -

Normal foot field will be just fine.

On 2018-09-29 by NP

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

...

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 these

Recommended Articles

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

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FOOT VALVE DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR FAQs-4 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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