OkieDave
Silver Member
I moved out here a few years ago; my first time living outside city limits. I've learned more than a few things that just didn't occur to me as a city dweller. This morning, the lesson was driven home (again): I got up, planning for a normal day, but I had no running water.
Well, almost none: I opened the faucet and had some flow, but it quickly tapered off. That told me that I was getting flow after the pressure tank (I'm on a well), so the flow restriction must be upstream. This has happened to me once before, when the weather was similarly cold (we hit 0ｰ F last night), so I figured I was frozen between the wellhead and the house.
I called my neighbor to check on his water, and he said his house was fine, but mentioned that there was a small-gauge pipe between the main ingress pipe and the pressure switch that controls the pump, and suggested that I might check to see if it was frozen (smaller pipes freeze faster); if the sense pipe was frozen, the switch wouldn't activate to turn on the well pump. I don't have such a pipe, as my pressure switch connects directly to the main line. Just for grins, I gave the switchbox a rap with a section of tubing. I immediately heard the flow of slushy water, followed by the activation of the pump.
...ah, hot showers do feel so good.
So, what have you learned? I had this problem four years ago, and figured the freeze was outside, meaning I'd have to wait for warmer weather; I just now learned that I can fix it immediately (and that more insulation would probably prevent it in the first place). What surprises have you had living out of town? What would you pass on to the new guy who likes it out here, but doesn't know what he doesn't know?
Well, almost none: I opened the faucet and had some flow, but it quickly tapered off. That told me that I was getting flow after the pressure tank (I'm on a well), so the flow restriction must be upstream. This has happened to me once before, when the weather was similarly cold (we hit 0ｰ F last night), so I figured I was frozen between the wellhead and the house.
I called my neighbor to check on his water, and he said his house was fine, but mentioned that there was a small-gauge pipe between the main ingress pipe and the pressure switch that controls the pump, and suggested that I might check to see if it was frozen (smaller pipes freeze faster); if the sense pipe was frozen, the switch wouldn't activate to turn on the well pump. I don't have such a pipe, as my pressure switch connects directly to the main line. Just for grins, I gave the switchbox a rap with a section of tubing. I immediately heard the flow of slushy water, followed by the activation of the pump.
...ah, hot showers do feel so good.
So, what have you learned? I had this problem four years ago, and figured the freeze was outside, meaning I'd have to wait for warmer weather; I just now learned that I can fix it immediately (and that more insulation would probably prevent it in the first place). What surprises have you had living out of town? What would you pass on to the new guy who likes it out here, but doesn't know what he doesn't know?
Big city for us to live in is 3,000 folks! BUT I work in'em and they can have it.
