Many communities in the Lehigh Valley area rely on well water as their main water source. Well water has several advantages over city water. It lacks the chemical treatment that city water has, making it taste better and maintain its natural mineral makeup. However, there are some disadvantages that well water users should be aware of. Maintaining a deep well can be difficult if you don’t know what issues to look for. Fortunately, Schuler Service is here to help you with all of your well and pump needs. Here are 5 common well and pump problems that may occur with your deep water well.
#1: No water
Of all of the possible well and pump problems, having no water is the most basic. This can occur when circuit breakers trip, wells dry up, or the water table falls below the pump. Water level problems usually happen in late summer, when temperatures are high and over-usage is most common. To fix this problem, try decreasing your water usage. If that doesn’t solve the problem, a professional can lower your pump to the new water level.
#2: Sputtering Water
Air gets into wells and pumps when the water level is low. It can also happen when cracks appear in the pipes or the pump malfunctions. These problems can cause water to “spit” or sputter from your faucets. Sputtering water is an annoying problem that doesn’t have an easy, DIY solution. In order to fully diagnose the problem, the well must be pulled by a professional.
#3: Cloudy Water
When the water table sinks, you may see cloudy or discolored water come from your faucets. This can also happen if your well pump is pulling water from shallow water. Your well pump can bring silt and sand into the water supply when the water it sits in is too shallow. Cloudy water can also indicate a malfunction in a pump’s filtration system. This can quickly become an expensive problem, so it is important to call a plumber as soon as you see something wrong.
#4: Bad Smelling/Tasting Water
As discussed earlier, better tasting water is one of the main advantages of well water. Still, bad tasting or smelling water can happen in even the most maintained wells. Sometimes, your water can taste foul when there is a problem in the hardware, like a rusty pipe. However, it is usually caused by naturally occurring bacteria that are normally harmless to humans. In order to know how serious the issue is and whether or not to treat your water, a professional should be called to test your water quality.
#5: Abnormally High Utility Bill
The worst of the well and pump problems come in the form of a utility bill. If your utility bill is higher than normal, your pump may be the culprit. Pumps can run 24/7 when they are malfunctioning, leading to higher energy costs. This can also happen when the water is too low, or a problem is happening with the pressure switch. Pay attention to your utility bills and check your pump regularly to make sure you aren’t spending money on wasted energy.
For professional and high-quality work, Schuler Service is the go-to plumbing service in Allentown. We are here with nearly 100 years of experience to help with any of your well and water needs. Contact us today and let us know how we can help!
