When it comes to water wells, few components are more important than well pumps. Responsible for physically transporting a water well’s clean, healthy water to the desired fixtures, water wells need to be well-maintained and kept at high working levels regularly.
At Mike Zimmerman Well Service LLC, we provide a variety of water well testing, treatment and repair services, including several services for well pumps. One of the more frequent issues we run into in homes with water wells: Pumps that run continuously, which risks everything from increased utility bills to water damage and even structural issues. In this two-part blog series, let’s go over some of the possible culprits behind this condition, plus how you can ensure it’s not an issue for your water well.
Submersible Pump Damage
The submersible pump is the component in charge of delivering water to the pressure tank, which is located at the very bottom of the water well. If there’s any damage to this pump, however, which can include issues from basic leaks to corrosion, this pump will not be able to switch off.
In this case, you should call our team immediately for repairs. Any delay will only allow the damage to increase, raising your bill even further. Our primary goal will be to patch the issue or replace the pipe with more durable options.
Leak Concerns
Generally speaking, not just in the submersible pump, leaks are another issue that can cause continuous running from the well pump. Certain well pipes may have been installed decades ago, including galvanized pipe formats that are known to have issues with corrosion over a long period of time. Such older systems not only obtain leaks more easily, but also may have issues determining when to properly shut off.
Other Fixtures
Another possible cause of a continuously running well pump is a similar condition taking place within a given plumbing fixture, such as a toilet or faucet. Such fixtures, if malfunctioning, may run continuously on their own, which in turn requires the well pump to continue running to provide water. Take a quick search around your home to determine if any fixtures are running before you move to other potential causes of the pump issue.
Pressure Issues
These issues could also be brought on by issues with your pressure gauge within the water well and pump system. This gauge is there specifically to help the system determine when it should turn on and off, among other factors, so issues with it will cause improper behavior here. In other cases, the pressure control valve might not be set correctly, causing similar issues and potential pump wear-down over time.
For more on the reasons why your water well pump is running continuously, or to learn about any of our water well digging or rehabilitation services, speak to the staff at Mike Zimmerman Well Service LLC today.