Well Water System Design

[Egon]

Run a plastic casing pipe from the wellhead to the inside of house. Larger will make it easier. Just use a natural bend in the plastic pipe when coming into the house. Run the pressure pipe inside thecasing. No problems with the pitiless adapter at four feet. It can be set much deeper with no problems. Also consider a hydrant at the well head ??

The pressure tank helps seat the pump check valve when cutoff pressure is reached. And get the largest tank that fits.

Keep the plumbing simple.

With all them check valves drill a hole in the flapper so it can act as a two way check!

Don't do this to the pump check valve. That has to remain a one way valve.

 

[Bikewanderer]

OP - these are some pretty simple questions you are asking. If you are going to do this yourself you need to know better what you are doing. I have a book on private water systems that I don't need anymore. My attempts at drilling a well failed.

Send me a PM - you need to buy this thing from me. It has good information and other stuff too like treatment of the water and such. I can't find a link to the book and am not at home to look. It's published and sold through one of the state extension offices - maybe missouri?

 

[radioman]

You mentioned you dont like idea of tank in the shed or garage. Do you have a basement? If not then that is probably why as he may not want to take the time to build a pumphouse and insulate it. You also don't state which state you are in and whats frost line in your area? IMHO, a larger tank lets you have a bit longer constant pressure before it starts to kick in, but you need to size pump with it too or it will take too long to build up pressure again. FYI - having a pump in the house in basement is both a blessing and curse. Its a blessing as you can keep an eye on it and know if you have a leak or running toilet in house when sleeping. Its a curse as you can hear it running during the day and all you want is a some peace and quiet until you get used to it. FYI- I grew up in a house like this.
If you want to meter your water usage - just be prepared for a sticker shock to get one ... over 500 bucks.

 

[dave1949]

My pitless adapter is down about 5', it should as deep as the water line leaving the well in any case. I have a drain-down valve installed at the pitless adapter that allows draining the line between the pressure tank and the well. The driller suggested that for the odd time we would want to be away for a while in the winter. The drain-down valve is opened and closed with a 8' long tee handle made up from black iron pipe that has a union at the valve end with a slot cut in it that matches the valve stem "handle".

To drain that line, I would shut off the pump electricity, drain the water from the pressure tank by opening a spigot on the house side of the pressure tank, there is also a boiler drain valve installed on the well side of the check valve, leave that open and then remove the well cap and open the drain-down valve.

 

[L355SS]

I have a spring fed 1000 gal holding tank situated 900' from my house. A 3/4 hp above ground pump with 80 gl pressure tank there pushes the water to the house (thru 1 1/2 sch 40 pvc) to the input to a small 1/2 hp pump with pressure tank. This 1/2 hp pump (in the basement) is adjusted to come on and stay on when you have any significant water usage (specifically taking a shower) so when showering, the water pressure remains constant 60 psi. Shut off the water and the pump continues pumping till it reaches 65 psi shutoff pressure. As Radioman mentioned, you have to get used to the drone of the pump, but I personally like to know that the pump is cycling off (being the resident unpaid plumber).
The holding tank allows any dust sized particles in the water to settle out before being pumped, through a whole house filter, to the house.
My neighbor has 200 ft well (with submersible pump) and pumps water to a 500 gl holding tank (in insulated shed) that is used to settle out the impurities, and a pump there to push the water to the house. The tank gravity feeds water to his horse stable to provide water during any pump failures.
Dennis

 

[jinman]

Pettrix, before any discussion of insulation, we need to know where you are located; at least a general location. Here in North Central Texas, a well insulated small well house/utility shed is often built around wells. The drillers like for you to leave the wellhead out of the well house for pulling the pump and other maintenance chores. My well house has a little removable compartment over the well head. My well house is 2x4 construction on a slab I poured beside the well. I insulated the walls and roof with fiberglass and then covered it with wafer board sheathing. I can keep temperatures above freezing in my well house with a 200 watt bulb, but I use a little portable heater that is set to come on when temperatures drop to around 40 degrees inside the well house. Most of the time, it never even comes on unless there is sustained cold weather.

Lots of people use bladder tanks here, but mine is an 85 gallon galvanized tank. The main line from the pump runs to a checkvalve before going past the pressure switch and into the tank. On top of the well head, there's a schrader air valve. Down about 20' on the pipe, there's a pinhole that allows water to spray out anytime the pump is running. It just flows back down the inside of the well liner. When the pump shuts off, the 20' column of water drains through the pinhole and the schrader valve opens to allow air back into the pipe and relieve head pressure. When the tank pressure gets low, and the pump comes on, a column of air is pushed into the tank. This collects at the top of the tank and builds up until a tank mounted float valve opens an air bleed valve. This action means there is a constant amount of air in the tank. It's an old system that works very well.

 

[TheGoose]

And down here in S. Texas there are many wells with no wellhouse at all...tank and pump and everything out in the open air. So the methods vary from location to location.

Pettrix, before any discussion of insulation, we need to know where you are located; at least a general location. Here in North Central Texas, a well insulated small well house/utility shed is often built around wells. The drillers like for you to leave the wellhead out of the well house for pulling the pump and other maintenance chores. My well house has a little removable compartment over the well head. My well house is 2x4 construction on a slab I poured beside the well. I insulated the walls and roof with fiberglass and then covered it with wafer board sheathing. I can keep temperatures above freezing in my well house with a 200 watt bulb, but I use a little portable heater that is set to come on when temperatures drop to around 40 degrees inside the well house. Most of the time, it never even comes on unless there is sustained cold weather.

Lots of people use bladder tanks here, but mine is an 85 gallon galvanized tank. The main line from the pump runs to a checkvalve before going past the pressure switch and into the tank. On top of the well head, there's a schrader air valve. Down about 20' on the pipe, there's a pinhole that allows water to spray out anytime the pump is running. It just flows back down the inside of the well liner. When the pump shuts off, the 20' column of water drains through the pinhole and the schrader valve opens to allow air back into the pipe and relieve head pressure. When the tank pressure gets low, and the pump comes on, a column of air is pushed into the tank. This collects at the top of the tank and builds up until a tank mounted float valve opens an air bleed valve. This action means there is a constant amount of air in the tank. It's an old system that works very well.

 

[Egon]

If the OP has a submersible pump he'll not hear it. Unless he puts his ear to the tank.

Sounds like the OP was building on a slab. If so, with downhole pump, putting a large tank like jinman's in takes little space.:thumbsup: Don't need no well house or check valve above ground.

Simple layout and installation. Find lots like it in colder areas. Makes well work much easier.

 

[dave1949]

The insulating techniques for a "Shallow Frost-protected Foundation" can be applied to giving buried water lines some freeze resistance. Basically, shield the lines with foundation grade styrofoam insulation sheets that are covered with ~18" of dirt. This prevents the frost from penetrating into the soil below the insulation.

 

[nybirdman]

First;never heard of inline check valves.One on the pump(submersible) and one at the pressure tank,thats it.
Second;with a sub pump you can push water a long way,with a jet pump(above ground)yes you can only pull so much.
Third;are you useing 30-50gpm?No 1.5 hp pump is going to do that.
Four:insulate your lines from the well to the building
Fifth:trust your well driller ,he knows the area and the best systems
Sixth;average use is 30gals per person per day(wash,drinking,showeres ect.)