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.

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.

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.

Photo: a Red Lion two-line jet pump. [Click to enlarge any image]

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 a 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 WATER PUMP SHORT CYCLING CAUSES
  
  andWATER TANK REPAIR PROCEDURES
• 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.
  
  SeeWATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR
• Details on how to repair the water pump pressure control switch are discussed
  
  at WATER PUMP PRESSURE SWITCH REPAIRS
• 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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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2017-08-23 by Anonymous

My we'll pump is running without water being turned on? Is well low? Or pump not working properly?

On 2017-04-29 - by (mod) -

I suspect that a small and extremely-brief pressure drop seen at the gauge is explained by a bit of water from the pressurized side of the pump (and where the gauge is mounted) into the pumping impeller chamber as the pump starts to run. (Or there could be a bit of air leaking into your system).

On 2017-04-29 by John Henry

Thanks for the response. I can hear the switch close at 50psi, according to the gauge, and that is the point when the pressure drops to about 20psi for half a second before going right back to 50ish psi. The pump runs for about 20 - 30 seconds until 60psi as it always normally has and kicks off again. No loss of pressure until we run water again.

On 2017-04-29 - by (mod) -

John

I'm not sure what's going on, but sometimes debris in the water supply (sediment, rust, minerals) can clog the pressure sensing switch so that it is slow to respond.

I'd also check for burned contacts or loose or corroded electrical contacts.

On 2017-04-29 by John Henry

When my pressure switch kicks on the entire system looses pressure for a fraction of a second. I have a shallow well, 60 foot, and a fairly new pressure tank, less than a year old. What would cause this?

On 2016-12-28 - by (mod) -

I would turn OFF the pump as it sounds as if there's no water or a serious well piping leak, or the pump is damaged - the risk is burning up the pump motor.

Then see WATER PRESSURE DIAGNOSIS, PRIVATE WELL at https://inspectapedia.com/water/Private_Well_Pressure_Diagnosis.php

On 2016-12-27 by Tracy clifton

We have very little to no water coming from and faucets but can hear the pump kicking on and off, tank is hot.

On 2016-05-08 - by (mod) -

JB

Watch out as you risk fatal electric shock.

That warning made, it sounds as if there is a wiring error or an open wire. For a submersible pump installation, if voltage is being delivered to the pump wires the wires could be open in the well, or the problem could be the pump motor. Your electrician might check for a bad pump by checking the current draw.

On 2016-05-05 by jb

Help I just put. N a new pump new wire new preaserswith new breaker but nothing is coming on no pump action no water no nothing ? Help

Question: well pump can't keep up with demand

(Jan 28, 2012) Dave M said:
My well can't keep up with demand. I used to be able to water 2 zones, but now I can't even water 1. The pump is a submersible pump. I can hear it come on and fill the tanks. I use the metal arm on the side of the pump controller to fill the tanks. But as soon as I open one valve the pump comes on and the pressure drops fast. The pressure eventually drops below 20 psi and then the pump auto shuts off. Its like the pump can't keep up any more. Any suggestions. Thanks

(Aug 27, 2012) Barb said:
My well canno lomger support my irrigation, even with only 2 hoses running at once, I have only a trickle of water in the house. The well has plenty of water. Normally I can run 25gpm at full irrigation zone setting. this problem has been geting worse over the course of several moths. Once water is down to a trickle it takes many minutes, or even 1./2 hour for pressure to return to normal. Pump does not turn on often, it seldom turns on at all.

Reply:

If the problem is a low flow well, see

WATER PUMP PROTECTION SWITCH

Question: actual water pressure drops below the cut-in setting

(Aug 20, 2012) Kristy said:
Pressure tank gauge is set to 30/50 psi for cutin/cutout, but has been dropping to 20psi before the pump kicks in and stopping at 50psi. Could the pressure switch or gauge be going bad?

Reply:

Chances are the switch is not sensing water pressure accurately because of clogging of its sensor port

Question: have to reset the pump to get it to run

x (Aug 12, 2014) Anonymous said:
I have to reset my well pump by turning the breaker off and then back on, any suggestions of what could cause that problem. As soon as I switch breaker the pump clicks back on immediately.

Reply:

Your system may have a pump protection control that turns off the pump when it's running dry. Check that condition first.

Question: can't get pressure above 20-30- psi

(Nov 11, 2014) Tim said:
I put a new deep well pump and tank in teed it off to my shallow well I cant get any pressure above 20 -30 pounds it wouldn't build I put shut off values on the two wells to run one or the other cant get any pressure do I need to put in a check value in both line need help thanks

Reply:

Tim if the pump is unable to reach cut-off pressure that points more likely to a different problem than one with a check valve; look for piping leaks, poor well flow rate, or a pump that's not working properly - perhaps a damaged impeller or low voltage.

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

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES
• CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, HOT WATER
• MUNICIPAL WATER PRESSURE DIAGNOSIS
• WATER PRESSURE TABLE 1: PUMP WON'T RUN, WON'T STOP, or CYCLES
• WATER PRESSURE TABLE 2: PUMP RUNS, WEAK or NO WATER PRESSURE
• WATER PRESSURE TABLE 3: PUMP RUNS, NO WATER or INSUFFICIENT WATER

Suggested citation for this web page

WELL PUMP / TANK REPAIR ADEQUACY at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

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

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