Well maintenance.

[TerryinMD]

The well on our property is 11 years old and I haven't had any problems with it. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

1. How long should a submersable pump last?

2. How long should the bladder tank last?

3. Is it advisable to pull up the pump to check it and the electrical connections or leave well (no pun intended) enough alone?

4. Any suggested bladder pump maintenance?

5. TBN experiences - Good, Bad, Indifferent?

Terry

 

[mbjacobs]

At my last house the pump was in the hole for 21 years, never pulled, still going strong when I sold. Didn't have a bladder tank so I can't comment on that. New house has a bladder tank so I'll be interested in everyone's exprience with them.

Maury Jacobs

 

[MJB]

I have a bladder tank on my well. Mine has developed a slight leak in the air bladder. It seems to take about a year for the pressure to drop too low. For maintennance I just shut off the water, drain the tank, and re-inflate the bladder. The manual says that the air pressure should be set to 2 psi above the cut-in pressure of the pump. This message reminded me that it is time to check the air pressure on my tank./w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif Hope this helps.

I love the smell of diesel in the morning./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[skent]

My last house, the pump's internal check valve went bad after 6 years. Pump would come on and pressurize the tank - shut off at setting - then proceed to allow the tank to drain back into the well. Noticed it by pure dumb luck (working in the utility room and heard the click - click of the pressure switch over and over. Was going to go ask the wife why she was using soooo much water and found her sitting quietly reading a book - "never mind dear") and pulled the pump - added an external check valve and pump is still going strong 17 years later. And. . that well had acid water (6.0).

A neighbor had pump failure 2 years after mine - pump burned itself out. When we pulled out the pump - we found not only were the motor bearings worn out - but the check valve was broke. Our guess was his did the same thing as mine and he never discovered it till the motor went to pump heaven.

The bladder tank on the well at the farm lasts on an average of 6 or 7 years, since it lives in a dirt floor pump house and sweats like crazy during the summer. Cause of death is usually rust. The jet pump (not in the well) at the farm lasts 10 to 12 years and it too turns into a ball of rust due to the environment.

Our current house, with a 1/2 HP submersable that is 288 feet down, is 7 years old and still going strong.

Steve