Water Well Pump & Tank Basics
Understanding the basic components of a home well water system.
There are several key elements of a home well water system that are common to most installations. They are:
- Drilling the well.
- Selecting the right pump type and size.
- Installing the pump.
- Trenching
- Installing the water storage (pressure) tank and pressure switch.
Well Drilling
Get A Reputable Well Drilling Contractor
Drilling a well is difficult and dangerous work. As is always the case, be sure to work with a licensed well drilling contractor. Just like home building construction and electrical work, well drilling must conform to standards set by the local NC authorities.
If you want to take your chances and drill your own well, or perhaps hire a “jack leg” well driller, that’s your risk. But this is a job that demands experience and a solid reputation. Search for well drilling in your area and read the reviews, and ask anyone you know who has a well.
We Do Not Drill Wells
Walter’s Well Pump & Tank service does NOT drill wells. The owner is a state licensed (NC) well contractor, but we don’t pursue well drilling. We specialize in well pump installation, water storage tanks, system repair & maintenance, water filtration & treatment, but not drilling.
Google however does NOT have a business category for well pump installers or well pump repair. They only have well contractors. That’s why we show up in the search results when you search for “well drilling contractor” related terms. It isn’t our choice.
You and your family depend on water almost every hour of every day. Do it right the first time. Now it’s easier than ever to locate a contractor with a good reputation. If you like, call us and we’ll refer you to someone in your area.
Well Pumps
The pump is responsible for drawing (pumping) the water from the well by way of electric motor and into the pipeline that leads to the water storage tank in the home.
There are different types of well pumps for different situations: submersible, reciprocating, jet, shallow and deep well to name the most common.
Some pumps are designed to work while submersed in the well, and others are designed for above ground use. Submersible well pump installations are the most common. Some popular brands of pumps are Franklin, Goulds & Myers to name a few.
The well pump assembly that installs in the well casing includes the drop pipe, which the pump attaches to and which carries the water out of the well, a torque arrestor, and a wire guard, also called a cable guard.
Do some research online and get familiar with pump types and sizes before you begin consulting with your state of NC licensed and approved well contractor. It will make it easier for you to understand why a certain pump has been chosen for use in your particular well.
This is another reason why you need an experienced professional to work with.
Trenching
A pipe is needed to transport the water from the well into the water storage tank which is located in the house.
“Trenching” is the process of digging the trench that will allow the pipe to be buried, connecting the pipe to the storage tank, and then refilling the trench to cover the pipe.
As with all of the aspects of installing a well, this must be done according to local codes.
Needless to say, you want to make sure that all underground pipelines (gas!) and cables of any kind have been identified in advance.
Pressure Tank or Water Storage Tank
The water tank, bladder tank, pressure tank, supply tank, or well tank, whatever you may call it, is the reservoir installed in the home for storing the water under pressure so it can be distributed into the house plumbing when called upon.
The pressure tank contains a flexible bag, or bladder, which is what the water is pumped into. The bladder contracts when water is called upon to be used, and it expands when it is refilled by the pump.
Eventually, this expanding and contracting can cause a tear to develop in the bladder, which means it can no longer function. This is a common cause of pressure tank failure, which leads to a service call and new tank installation.
Be sure to work with your well contractor to select the correct tank size. You don’t want to consider only your immediate needs. Plan for the future. It’s better to have extra capacity in the tank than not enough.
In addition, choosing a tank that is too small for the demand causes the tank to empty itself more often. This means the pump will have to turn on more often to pump more water into the tank.
The more the pump turns on and off, the more it’s lifespan is reduced.
Pressure Switch
The water storage tank is sealed under pressure. As water is pumped from the well into the bladder in the storage tank, pressure builds due to the expanding of the bladder into the pressurized tank.
When the desired, pre-set amount of pressure is reached inside the tank, the pressure switch is triggered.
It turns off power to the pump so it will not continue to push water into the tank.
When the pressure drops below a pre-set point, the switch turns on power to the pump so the tank can be refilled.
Pressure switch failure is a common cause of loss of water service in the home.
