Keep your well pump humming with care: but if you need a new pump

You barely hear it. Maybe it’s just a slight vibration in the pipes but you know it’s working because, when you turn on a faucet, the water comes out. Behind that reliable flow of water is a pump that carriers the water from your well and into the house or office.

Lift the handle in the kitchen and nothing happens and you’ll suddenly recognize the importance of that pump. If the water doesn’t flow soon, you may have to choose another place to stay or work for a while. Indoor water is more than a convenience; it’s a necessity.

Properly maintained, a well pump should last 15 years or more. In fact, with regular maintenance, well pumps have been known to last 30 years and more. Without that maintenance, your water pump can burn out in a fairly short period of time.

Your well system is a finely tuned mechanism. The electronics, the pressure tank and the well pump all have to work in unison, day in and day out, to ensure the water supply is available upon demand. Annual maintenance is all it really takes. You don’t have to have it checked every other month or twice a year – just once a year. That annual maintenance is generally enough to keep your well working like a well-oiled machine, and that includes your well pump.

It doesn’t hurt, of course, if you’ve had a better quality well pump installed. Discount well pumps, such as the ones sold at the big box stores, may save you a little money up front. But, in the long run, you may pay much, much more. In fact, even among professionals who install well pumps, there are differences in the quality of the well pumps they install.

STA-RITE is a commonly installed pump. It’s not a bad pump. STA-RITE well pumps are made with good-quality craftsmanship and decent materials, though many of their casings are made of a composite material.

Grundfos, however, really makes the Cadillac of well pumps. Their craftsmanship is exceptional and, from the casing to the parts inside, Grundfos uses stainless steel for its well pump parts. Each part is expertly machined to the tightest tolerances. Additionally, Grundfos well pumps are competitively priced.

Without proper maintenance, any well pump will experience a shorter lifespan. With proper maintenance, including checking the charge in the pressure tank to avoid short cycling, a superior well pump has the best chance of lasting 30 years or more.