Well water pumps have become one of the most important accessories in any well. They make it possible to retrieve the water without much of a hassle, and can also have the water sent to your house for ease of use. The alternative to using wells is having a bucket and rope type of system to get the water from the well, which can be time consuming and impractical.

When you buy the water well, you will obviously want it to last as long as possible and give you minimal problems. Some of the ways of guaranteeing this include choosing the right type of pump (such as a shallow well pump when the water level is less than 25 feet from the ground) as well as picking the right type of brand. In addition to that, it might also be necessary to do regular maintenance on the pump.

Failing to do some of these might result in an increase in the rate of pump failure. Some of the common problems that lead to failure include:

Short circuits

The wire leading to the pumps might short circuit, and this could lead to a failure of operation. This is usually the result of poor build quality, but improper installation can also result in this. One of the ways of checking for a short circuit is by using a multimeter, which will show very little resistance between the two wires when there is a short circuit between them. Some people might find it easy to troubleshoot the exact spot at which the short is occurring, but you are better off getting the relevant electrician or pump expert to solve the problem for you.

Clogging

If your pump starts to fail, it could also be the result of some of its piping becoming clogged. This is common when mud and other debris gets into the pipes. This type of failure is often sudden, but sometimes the clogging can occur over time and may initially be unnoticeable. Either way, you will need to find the point at which the clog has taken place, and then remove it. It is also important to explore some of the ways of preventing clogging, including using a mesh to cover the end of the pipe that is under water. This will prevent any solids from getting into the pump, and will make it easier to solve clogging problems since they will always be at the end of the pipe. Proper pump installation is important in preventing the problem from occurring.

Leakage

If you notice water pressure in your home’s plumbing reducing or noticing that your pump suddenly has to work harder, it could be due to the presence of a leak within the pump. The valves and other piping in the pump are vulnerable to this particularly if they are not well made. Ignoring the problem tends to result in complications such as the rest of the pump failing, and also noticing that it needs more fuel or power to run. This is a problem that should be sorted out by a pump specialist.

All in all, using high quality equipment and installing it using a quality skilled service is the best way to safeguard yourself against all these problems.

Today, drilling a well is one of the cheapest ways to get water, since the only major cost involved in doing so is the cost of drilling the well in the first place. Once this is done, however, you can enjoy the water at relatively low cost. However, there are a few issues that one needs to remember when using well water, since they determine how the water should be used for the best effect possible. For instance, if you are interested in using the water for domestic purposes such as cooking, drinking and hygiene, some of the tips you should remember include:

The water is likely to be hard

Well water is usually one of the hardest types known, since it seeps through a lot of rock and in the process absorbs some minerals from them. Science shows that a bit of minerals in the water is actually good for one’s health. For instance, the presence of calcium salts in the water has a modest effect in improving bone health. However, having too much mineral in the water has side effects as well, including the staining of containers in which the water is boiled. Using a filtration system that can get rid of the minerals is encouraged to reduce this effect.

Beware of contamination

By far, the commonest contaminant for underground water is fecal material from animals and human beings. Some of the signs that the water could be contaminated include episodes of diarrhea and generalized illness in the people who take the water. Remember, the water might look clean even though it has bacteria in it.

If you intend to use the water for domestic consumption, make sure that it’s boiled and filtered before use. Also, ensure that the well is sited far from facilities such as outhouses that might contaminate it. It might be necessary to line the well to prevent any environmental contamination as well.

You will need to maintain the well from time to time

Most people think that since the wells contain water, it’s not necessary to clean them. However, you would need to clean the water every so often to make sure that it stays clean. Professional well experts can do this sort of maintenance for you and also provide a schedule on how frequently you should do it depending on the circumstances prevailing. In an industrial setting, for instance, the maintenance might need to be done more regularly.

If possible, test the water

For the purposes of health, some authorities recommend that the water be tested every so often. For instance, you could get a sample of the water every month or so, and have it tested for coliforms and other contaminants. Doing this regularly will give you an idea of when the levels of bacteria or other toxins in the water starts rising, and can also prompt you to diagnose the issue as well.

By following these tips, you are likely to find it much easier to use the well for domestic use with confidence!

What does it take to drill a well? This is a question that should definitely be thought through when you are interested in setting one up in your property. Taking anything for granted when in this position is likely to result in a massive waste of resources, since you are likely to end up having to do it multiple times before getting it right. Proper planning will allow you to sink a well in the right spot and not have to deal with any consequences later on. This is therefore one of the most important parts of the process. Some of the things you can expect to go through at this stage include:

Finding out if you need any permits

In most parts of the world, you will need some sort of permit before drilling a well. The reason for this is that in some cases, there are environmental consequences to doing so. Simply drilling a well without getting the right permits set you up for future legal action, which can sometimes be very expensive to deal with. As soon as you realize that you will need a well, find out whether or not a permit is needed (which depends on your locality) and apply for it before doing anything else.

Understand what it entails

How is the drilling done? It’s important that you understand this, even if for the sole purpose of knowing what to expect once you start the process. Usually, drilling a well means sinking a pipe into the ground, until it reaches a water table. A pump can then be used to get the water out of the ground. This already tells you a couple of things: you will need special pipes to do the job, and you may also need to invest in a pump for this as well.

The location of a well

This is never arbitrarily decided. Some of the factors that influence the probable location of the well include:

• The presence of any underground contaminants: Facilities such as sewers have the potential to contaminate the water in the wells. Making sure that the well is drilled away from such sources is important in preventing such problems.

• The nature of the ground: Ideally, the well should be drilled in a part of the ground that has the softest earth possible. If a survey is possible, it should be done to find out parts of the ground that do not have too much rock in them.

• Your local regulations: In some parts of the world, you might not be allowed to drill wells when a few circumstances are not met, such as when there are too many wells in that region. In such cases, it might be necessary to find a more distant location to drill one.

These are just some of the variables that need to be understood before sinking a well. Consulting a quality well expert is often necessary to ensure that all the above are done with minimal problems, since they can rely on their skill and experience to make sound decisions.

In many homes around the world, wells represent an excellent source of water that can be used for both domestic and commercial purposes. However, one of the problems that many people face with them is having systems that are prone to problems such as contamination and lack of reliability. Such problems can be mitigated by simply making sure that the wells are built to code from the word go. There are a few tips that can also be used to during the regular maintenance of such wells to ensure that they function as expected. Some of these include:

Keeping contaminants away from the system

Irrespective of the reason why the well is in place, having too many contaminants in the water can result in problems for you in the long term. For instance, if there are poisons stored around the well and they happen to seep into the water, this could cause health problems and even lawsuits from the people who use the water. The design of any well water system should be such that the risk of such an occurrence will be minimal. In addition to storing dangerous contaminants away from the system, the latter should also be constructed to resist any contamination should it occur.

Preventing any back-siphonage

A common way in which contaminants can contaminate water in a well is when the pipes admit them, allowing retrograde flow of material into the tank. This can lead to contamination of all the water within the well. In order to avoid this, the systems should be designed in such a manner that they can prevent the back flow of such material. A simple way to do it is by using valves in the piping to allow water to flow in one direction only.

Wells should not be neglected totally

From time to time, you will find that you have to stop using a particular well and start using another one that is close by. When doing this, you should keep in mind that both of them are likely to have access to the same water table. This means that once you stop using a particular well, you should have it sealed thoroughly. Simply neglecting it could lead to some of the environmental contaminants seeping through the old well, and then contaminating the water that is left in it. Since the water table is shared by all the wells around, this could spread the contamination to all the other surrounding wells.

Don’t forget water conservation

Just because the water is coming from underground does not mean that it should be wasted. Putting in place measures to reduce wastage can actually save time and money in the long run, and so should be taken seriously. Some of the simple ways of doing this include checking the piping regularly for any leakage, and also installing the well with water conservation in mind. Keeping the well covered at all times will also reduce waste due to evaporation.

If you put in the effort to observe the above mentioned tips, you can be sure that your well water system is likely to be more reliable and safer for usage.

Drilling a well in your property is a good way to get a reliable source of water for your domestic needs. However, one of the problems that most people in this position encounter is finding that they have to make an extra effort to make sure that the water is suitable for human consumption. Understanding the science behind this is important, so that you can then make the right decisions regarding how to go about it. One of the problems you might have to contend with is that most of the time, the water retrieved from a well or borehole will be hard.

What is hard water?

Hard water is that which contains a large concentration of minerals. When you get water from a well, chances are that it has seeped through a lot of rock. In the process, it might have picked up a large quantity of minerals in the form of salts. Using this type of water has some health benefits depending on the concentration of the minerals in it, but it is also associated with a few disadvantages as well. This is why it’s important to consider softening it.

What are the disadvantages of hard water?

Some of the common problems associated with hard water include:

• Residue deposition: Hard water has a tendency to leave deposits in most of the containers it comes into contact with. This is a function of the concentration of minerals in it; the higher the concentration, the higher the chances of the staining occurring. Some of the ways in which this staining can be noticed including finding that your kettle has some deposit in it. In severe cases, the stains may accumulate in your piping, leading to clogging in the long term. This deposition is usually a consequence of the minerals crystallizing out of the water.

• Doing laundry using hard water also has the potential to make it look dull. This happens even if you use detergents that are designed to retain the colors in the clothing. After washing, you may also notice that the clothes become very stiff, and may even be uncomfortable to wear.

• Hard water has the potential to increase your energy costs. The formation of a lime scale in your boiler could act as a form of insulation, reducing the transmission of energy from the heater to the water.

As you can see, there are many reasons why you should actively try to get rid of the minerals in hard water. One of the most effective ways of going about this is by investing in a high quality filter system. There are some that will only get rid of particulate matter in the water, but better ones can also reduce the concentration of minerals in the water as well. Spending just a little more on such filtration systems will result in a better outcome since you will not have to deal with any of the problems mentioned above. Of course, it would be important to put the filtration system between the well and the home’s plumbing for maximum effect.