There’s no such thing as a maintenance-free private well - in Wonder Lake or anywhere else

A maintenance free well? The water just doesn't flow that way. There is no such
thing as a 'maintenance free well.'

We all know that we have to maintain our cars if we want them to keep running while keeping their value. At least, we should know that. But, there are more people who think that their private well in Wonder Lake is maintenance free.

Why would they think otherwise? Time after time, they turn on a faucet and water comes out on demand. If it works again and again why would it one day stop?

Actually, there is a very real potential that your private well in Wonder Lake would stop working leaving you and your home or office dry. And there is another concern; just because the water comes out when you turn on the faucet doesn’t mean that the water is safe.

Why would the water stop running?

The water comes out of the faucet on demand because your private well is connected to the house by pipes and mechanisms that move the water from the well, through your plumbing pipes and out of the spigot. Those mechanisms include a pump, a pump motor, a pressure tank, wiring and electronics. If any of these breaks you’re out of water.

Why would they break? Your well pump could break because it includes moving parts that pump the water up through the pipes. Moving parts create friction against other parts and that causes wear. Eventually, the wear is too much for the parts and breakage occurs. This isn’t a question of maybe – it’s a question of when.

Fortunately, well pumps are well made. They can generally operate efficiently for years. But, if the well pump doesn’t break, the well pump motor can break. It’s a motor and motors break over time.

The pressure tank can breakdown because it’s more than just a container that holds water; it’s actually a container that holds water and air. Other than the oxygen that’s in the water, the air in the pressure tank is separated from the water by a rubber bladder. If setup properly, the bladder helps the air to keep an appropriate amount of pressure on the water. But, if the bladder doesn’t have the correct pressure the tank won’t work properly.

If the pressure tank has the wrong pressure it can cause wear and tear on other parts, such as the pump and motor. Without the right pressure, the pump may cycle, kicking on and off repeatedly. As we said, the normal operation of a pump causes wear. If it operates repeatedly, not only is there the normal wear but there is also the risk that the mechanism will heat and wear excessively.

Of course, the bladder in the pressure tank can also rip. This is a more frequent problem when the air pressure is set wrong. At that point, the bladder is more susceptible to tearing.

As for the electronics, corrosion is an ever-present risk.

All of these risks are mitigated by proper maintenance – making sure the well has a pump, motor, tank and electronics that are operating correctly.

As for the quality of the water, an annual chlorination is a must to help keep away bacteria and other foreign contaminants and pests that would make the water less than healthy to drink.

This is a substantial list of potential problems with a private well and we didn’t even mention the troubles you could have if the well cap doesn’t seal properly (bugs can make a home in the bottom of the well cap and the well). The lesson is that, if you take care of your private well it will take care of you.

The reality is, whether you live in Wonder Lake or not, there is no such thing as a maintenance free well.

There’s no such thing as a maintenance-free private well

If you don't maintain your private well, you can't take a clean,
fresh water supply for granted. There's no such thing as a
maintenance-free private well.

We all know that we have to maintain our cars if we want them to keep running while keeping their value. At least, we should know that. But, there are more people who think that their private well is maintenance free.

Why would they think otherwise? Time after time, they turn on a faucet and water comes out on demand. If it works again and again why would it one day stop?

Actually, there is a very real potential that your private well would stop working leaving you and your home or office dry. And there is another concern; just because the water comes out when you turn on the faucet doesn’t mean that the water is safe.

Why would the water stop running?

The water comes out of the faucet on demand because your private well is connected to the house by pipes and mechanisms that move the water from the well, through your plumbing pipes and out of the spigot. Those mechanisms include a pump, a pump motor, a pressure tank, wiring and electronics. If any of these breaks you’re out of water.

Why would they break? Your well pump could break because it includes moving parts that pump the water up through the pipes. Moving parts create friction against other parts and that causes wear. Eventually, the wear is too much for the parts and breakage occurs. This isn’t a question of maybe – it’s a question of when.

Fortunately, well pumps are well made. They can generally operate efficiently for years. But, if the well pump doesn’t break, the well pump motor can break. It’s a motor and motors break over time.

The pressure tank can breakdown because it’s more than just a container that holds water; it’s actually a container that holds water and air. Other than the oxygen that’s in the water, the air in the pressure tank is separated from the water by a rubber bladder. If setup properly, the bladder helps the air to keep an appropriate amount of pressure on the water. But, if the bladder doesn’t have the correct pressure the tank won’t work properly.

If the pressure tank has the wrong pressure it can cause wear and tear on other parts, such as the pump and motor. Without the right pressure, the pump may cycle, kicking on and off repeatedly. As we said, the normal operation of a pump causes wear. If it operates repeatedly, not only is there the normal wear but there is also the risk that the mechanism will heat and wear excessively.

Of course, the bladder in the pressure tank can also rip. This is a more frequent problem when the air pressure is set wrong. At that point, the bladder is more susceptible to tearing.

As for the electronics, corrosion is an ever-present risk.

All of these risks are mitigated by proper maintenance – making sure the well has a pump, motor, tank and electronics that are operating correctly.

As for the quality of the water, an annual chlorination is a must to help keep away bacteria and other foreign contaminants and pests that would make the water less than healthy to drink.

This is a substantial list of potential problems with a private well and we didn’t even mention the troubles you could have if the well cap doesn’t seal properly (bugs can make a home in the bottom of the well cap and the well). The lesson is that, if you take care of your private well it will take care of you.