Questions
Wells, pumps and what usually goes wrong
The questions we get asked most often, answered the way we would answer them on the phone.
When do I call a service tech?
Give us a call right away if:
- A breaker trips twice.
- More than one fuse blows.
- The water pressure is surging.
- The lights dim when the pump turns on.
- The pump starts and stops more than usual.
- The water pressure is low.
- Water is discolored, muddy or cloudy.
- The overload trips more than twice.
Several of these are early warnings rather than failures. Catching them early is usually the difference between a repair and a replacement.
What is the lifespan of a submersible well pump?
A good brand of pump and motor installed correctly will typically last 15 to 25 years. The same goes for pressure tanks and control boxes.
If you are experiencing problems every few years, then it is most likely poor quality products, improper design, or an error in the application — not simple bad luck. That is worth sorting out, because you are otherwise going to keep paying for it.
No water at the house — is the pump bad?
Not necessarily. It can be a breaker or fuse, the control box, the pressure switch, a leak in the line, or a pressure tank that has lost its air charge. Any of those is a far smaller job than pulling a pump.
Call before assuming the worst. We would rather find the cheap fault.
Do you drill new wells, or only service pumps?
Both. We drill new water wells for homes, subdivisions, business and irrigation, and we work on existing wells — re-drilling, liners, down hole camera inspections and well abandonment.
Estimates on new wells are free. More on well drilling.
How big a system can you design?
Whether you need one gallon per minute or over 3,000 plus per minute, we can design and install a water system that will supply the gallons per minute, pressure and quality that you need.
Pressure tanks run from one gallon up to 120 gallons, with multiple tanks in series for mid-size systems, and painted-and-epoxy-coated steel tanks from 500 to over 5,000 gallons on the large ones.
My water smells or stains — can that be fixed?
Usually, yes. Hard water, iron staining, a sulfur smell and bacteria each have their own answer: softeners, iron filters, sulfur removal without chemicals, and chlorine or hydrogen peroxide injection.
What areas do you cover?
We work out of Troy and cover Lincoln, St. Charles, Warren, St. Louis, Pike and Montgomery counties. See the service area.
Do you answer after hours?
Yes — (636) 528-9554, night or day. Losing water at nine at night is exactly when people need a well man, and service calls are handled as soon as possible.