Water is essential for your everyday life for many daily tasks like cleaning, cooking, and personal hygiene. If you depend on a well for your household’s water supply, you’re probably already used to the unique requirements and quirks of this particular water source. However, nothing can prepare you to turn on the faucet and feel nothing coming out! So what are the signs that your well might start to run dry, and how can you prevent your well from running dry in the first place?
Warning Signs Your Well Might Be Running Dry
Poor water flow
One of the first things you can watch out for if you’re trying to prevent your well from running dry is sputtering or weak water flow. Water flowing from your faucets should have a strong and consistent stream. Poor water flow can indicate excess air bubbles, often caused by a well running out of water. You also might have a backup somewhere in your pipes caused by lime and scale buildup. If you notice sputtering or gurgling, it’s a good idea to get in touch with residential well water service professionals ASAP so they can solve this problem with your water system before your well runs dry.
Low water pressure
Another warning sign you should keep alert for if you’re trying to prevent your well from running dry is low water pressure. Sometimes, low water pressure is caused by your water pump failing or your pressure tank leaking, so before you panic about your well running dry, follow these tips for how to increase water pressure on a well pump. However, if these tips don’t work for you and the amount of water coming from your pipes decreases more and more, it’s a sign that your well could very well be running dry.
Water pump running continuously — or not at all
Of course, your water pump is crucial to your well’s functioning, so it’s always important to make sure it is running. If your water pump doesn’t run at all, you won’t be able to tell if your well is dry because you won’t get any water regardless, so definitely get in touch with the professionals for water pump service if this is the case. However, there is also a possibility your water pump could be running too much. If your pump runs for an excessively long time, it could be trying to pull up water from a dry well.
Worsening water quality
If your formerly clear well water is coming out cloudy or murky or smells unusual, it might be because the well is drying up. Don’t ignore water quality degradation, as it can affect both your household’s health and the health of your plumbing.
Preventing Your Well From Running Dry: What You Can Do
Check for leaks
The number one way to prevent your well from running dry is to regularly inspect it for leaks, cracks, or weak spots. This doesn’t only help prevent your well from running dry due to water leaking out. It also preserves the life of your well, saves water, and prevents any debris from affecting your water quality.
Conserve water
Practicing water conservation makes the planet a better place to live… and it also prevents your well from running dry. Limit shower time and schedule your water usage over multiple days rather than running water-heavy appliances (such as your washer and dishwasher) every day. Keep ahead of seasonal dry spells by reading about droughts or water shortages in your area. During these dry spells, be extra careful to monitor the water level in your well and practice aggressive water conservation.
Schedule repairs ASAP
An easy way to prevent your well from going dry is to call for repairs and/or service anytime you notice issues. This will make your well last longer and save you money on costly replacements. In addition, don’t skip scheduling regular maintenance such as inspection. Learn more about what happens during a water well inspection.
Research long-term solutions
Sometimes, there’s no simple answer to preventing your well from running dry, and the solution will need to come from professional adjustment of the well itself. Discuss your options with residential well water service technicians if this problem keeps happening. Depending on factors such as groundwater level and aquifer usage, they might suggest any of the following solutions, among others:
- Hydrofracturing. This technique can only be done if your well gets its water from an aquifer. It involves blasting high-power water jets into the aquifer to clear any blockages and return normal water flow into your well.
- Lowering your water pump. Lowering your water pump may help prevent your well from running dry simply because the water pump has more groundwater to draw from. However, this does not work with jet pumps and sometimes isn’t a cost-effective solution for a perpetually dry well.
- Deepening the well. Making your well itself deeper is an excellent way to prevent your well from running dry because it increases the well’s access to water and simultaneously expands its capacity.
- Drilling a new well. If none of the above options are suitable for your well, the best way to prevent your well from running dry is to have technicians drill a new well. They will take special care to seal off your old well and ensure prime placement of your new system, so this problem is unlikely to keep happening.
Contact Us for Fast and Professional Well Service
Using these tips, we hope you can prevent your well from running dry this year and for many years to come! However, sometimes the inevitable happens, or you run into another problem with your well. If that’s the case, or you want to discuss improvement options for your well, contact Paramount Well Service today! We’ll have your home’s water back on in no time and provide you and your family with the peace of mind you deserve.
