Lightning is Mother Nature’s secret weapon against Barrington wells

This is what lightning can do to your car in Barrington.
In this case, the lightning also took out the well pump.

Lightning is a potential game changer when it comes to your Barrington well pump. Let’s suppose you’re one of those people who is fastidious about maintaining your well pump and well system; in other words, you have a well technician check the pump, adjust the pressure in the well tank, look over the wiring and components and then chlorinate the well annually.

You know the importance of maintenance and how, in the long run, it will extend the life of your well pump and well system and save you far more than you’ll spend on maintenance. That includes avoiding the emergency rate of having a well technician come out in the middle of the night because your well system isn’t proving water to your home. But, that doesn’t absolutely guarantee you won’t have trouble with your Barrington well.

The unfortunate reality is that Mother Nature is the potential wild card in terms of maintaining your well system.

The damage to this Barrington well pump isn't as visibly
apparent. But, the lightning did destroy this well pump, too.

A well system if fairly impervious from most of the weapons at Mother Nature’s disposal. A well pump head can withstand winds from the most powerful hurricane. Fortunately, hurricanes are not common in Barrington. But, we do have tornadoes in the area and well pumps will do well with those winds, too, though items caught up in the wind could damage a wellhead.

Floods won’t necessarily damage the wellhead. However, floodwater could get past the well cap and contaminate the well water. This will require testing, chlorinating and treating the water. But there is one arrow in Mother Nature’s quiver that can do substantial damage to a well pump if it hits the wellhead – lightning.

Lightning can fry the electronics in the wellhead and running down to the pump. It can burn out the pump or damage the well liner.

Here's another view of the car that was burned up after
it was hit by lightning.

Lightning is powerful. It can reach 100 million volts of electricity with about 30,000 amps. It can reach temperatures of 54,000 degrees. THAT’S SIX TIMES HOTTER THAN THE SUN!!!

Obviously, designing a well pump that is impervious to lightning is quite a trick. And, when lightning strikes, there’s no guarantee that the damage inflicted will be confined to the well pump. Other items in the area can also suffer. The lightning can damage trees, start cars or homes on fire.

This is all rather disturbing to contemplate. Fortunately, these lightning strikes are rare. They happen but they don’t happen often.

How much water does your Barrington well provide?

How much water does your Barrington well provide?
You might be surprised.

A 55-gallon drum stands 33-and-a-half-inches tall and has an inside diameter of 22-and-a-half inches. In a day, the average family in America uses enough water to nearly fill six of these containers. That’s a lot of water. It means that the well out behind your Barrington home has a big job to do every day.

How much water is that really? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that the average American family uses 300 gallons of water every day. Where your Barrington family compares to that average has a lot to do with how many people are in your family. The average family in the U.S. is 2.54 people. You may have three or four, or even more, in your family.

If your family does use 300 gallons of water each day that works out to …

• 2,100 gallons per week
• 109,500 gallons per year
• Nearly 1,991 55-gallon barrels of water per year.

Have you ever really thought of how much you expect from your well system? That’s a lot of work. And, how has your well done?

If you’re like most people, your well quietly and consistently delivers all the water you demand, and for all of your purposes. Here is a pie chart of how most of us use our water:

With that big of a job, it’s really incredible that well systems perform so incredibly and reliably. Of course, it also makes sense that you can’t expect your well to keep your Barrington home provided with water without the risk that your well system would break down. It also makes sense, therefore, that annual maintenance of your well system is a very, very good idea. Maintenance will help you keep the water flowing while also keeping the cost of operation at a minimum.

Are insects doing the backstroke in your North Barrington well water?

Do you want to think about insects swimming in
your North Barrington well water? Probably not.

Would you enjoy a glass of water knowing that, a short time before you drank it, an earwig was doing the backstroke in your glass? Of course not. This is why the well out behind your North Barrington home has a cap on top.

The cap on top of your well is designed to keep bugs out, as well as contaminated standing water on the surface of the ground. The well cap is sealed to ensure bugs and standing water don’t get in. The seal can even, potentially, keep water out if there is flooding.

Just as you wouldn’t want a bug swimming in the glass of water you drink, you wouldn’t go out back and scoop up a glass of water from your North Barrington yard for a drink. It’s filthy. Who knows what’s in it, starting with the potential for bacteria and insects.

Obviously, the well cap and its seal are important components of your well system. This is why, when you have your well inspected, the well technician doesn’t just check the electronics, the charge in the well tank, and the operation of the well pump. They also check the quality of the water in your well. And, they check the well cap and its seal.

Most wellheads extend up from the ground a sufficient distance so that standing water, and flood water, are unlikely to rise to that level. However, if you’ve allowed debris to pile up around the wellhead, insects may find it more tempting to test your well cap’s seal. It’s a good idea to keep the area around your well head, and well cap, clear.

If you do have an infestation of insects in your well, a well technician will have to flush the pressure tank and hot water tank. They’ll have to remove insect parts and eggs from filters, faucet aerators, showerheads and anywhere else where the bugs have had access. Then, they’ll have to disinfect the well and water system. With an infestation or bacteria, they may have to do this more than once. Until they’re done, however, you could be drinking water with insects and bacteria.

The best way to ensure that bugs and bacteria aren’t making a home in the well water you drink, bath in and use around the house is to have your North Barrington well system inspected and chlorinated annually. With the winter approaching, this is a good time now.

Wonder Lake well maintenance saves you money and spares you inconvenience

Wonder Lake well maintenance can save you money
and a pain in the neck later.

Is there a problem with the well at your Wonder Lake home or office? You turn or lift a handle or knob and nothing happens? In other words, no water comes out of the faucet as expected. Or, maybe you’ve noticed that the water pressure is weak.

These are indications of a problem with your well. You may also notice that the pump keeps cycling (turning off and on).

What could cause these problems with your well?

• Your well pump may have failed. However, complete failure of the pump would mean no water at all.
• You could have a leak somewhere. This would most likely exhibit itself through lower water pressure and, possibly, cycling of the pump.
• Your well tank could have the wrong pressure or a torn bladder. This will, very likely, result in a cycling well pump. The water pressure may also suffer.
• Your well pressure switch may be failing. This could cause any of these symptoms. 

Whatever the problem with your well system, it’s frustrating when you lift a faucet and the well doesn’t respond in the appropriate manner. You expect that well outside your Wonder Lake home or office to deliver.

The reality is that a well that supplies water to a home or office is a mechanical system. As with anything mechanical, it can break down. Fortunately, well systems are remarkably durable. But, parts of a well system do break, and repairs can be costly.

With wear and tear, it’s even inevitable that parts of a well system will fail. For instance, a well pump will not last forever. But, well pumps have lasted 20 and even 30 years. Keep in mind that, if your Wonder Lake well system as a tank with a torn bladder, or a faulty pressure switch, and is cycling, if not repaired soon, the pump will burn out and long before it might have otherwise.

When the water stops or the pressure falls, it’s inconvenient. And, expensive. With well maintenance, however, your Wonder Lake well will last longer and save you money in the long run.

How important is water? How important is your Lake Barrington well?

How much water do you use in your Lake Barrington home? It's probably more than you think. Clearly, water is important.

If the lights in your home went out, you’d call an electrician, just as you’d call a well technician if your well ceased to flow. But, the lights are either on or off. You could have bacteria in your water but it would still flow. Clearly, your water is important, just as your Lake Barrington well is important.

Think of all the things you do with the water your well brings into your home

You use water to:

• Cook
• Do laundry
• Wash dishes
• Clean the house and floors
• Clean windows
• Water the lawn, plants, and flowers
• Give pets something to drink
• Give pet fish something to swim in
• Wash the car
• Take a bath or shower
• Brush your teeth
• And, of course, to drink

Drinking water is a very good idea. The U.S. Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends that you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day. This is because it’s healthy to stay hydrated. Consider that 60 percent of the human body is water. Naturally, you’ll want to replenish the water in your body.

Drinking water helps to flush toxins out of your body. It helps you to beat the heat and helps with digestion. In fact, drinking water can help you lose weight. If you drink a glass of water before you eat, your stomach will feel fuller before you start to eat and you probably won’t eat as much.

Water can help protect your joints, ward off headaches and fatigue. It can help you to stay energized and alert while improving your mood.

Considering all the uses and benefits of water, not only is it important to ensure that the water continues to flow in your Lake Barrington home, it’s equally essential that the water is safe and pure. This means that you shouldn’t wait until the water stops before you call a well technician out to look at your well; you should call a well technician well in advance of a problem. They can check the well to make sure the water keeps flowing while making sure the water is healthy and good for your use.

How often should you chlorinate your Port Barrington well?

That’s a good question; how often should you chlorinate your Port Barrington well?

The easy answer to "how often should you chlorinate
your Port Barrington well?" is annually.

The best answer to that question is annually. You could do it yourself but it’s better to have your well chlorinated by a professional.

You should chlorinate your well annually to ensure that you’ve removed any bacterial contaminants from your well water. Chlorinating the well will also help to remove bacteria from the well casings, holding tanks and pipes. This is a pretty darn good reason to chlorinate your well at least once each year. There are more reasons why you should have a well technician perform the chlorination.

One reason to have a well technician perform the chlorination is that, while they’re chlorinating your well, they’ll also inspect your well system and perform some basic well maintenance. For instance, they’ll ensure that your well tank has the proper pressure. This is vital since, if it’s wrong, it could indicate a problem with the well bladder that could lead to the early failure of your well pump.

Another reason to have a well technician chlorinate your Port Barrington well is that they know how to chlorinate the well without getting chlorine on parts that will corrode when they come into contact with the chlorine. Parts contaminated with chlorine will raise problems, and expenses, when it’s time to replace your well pump.

Another reason is that there are safety factors to consider. If you’re chlorinating your well yourself, you should wear appropriate clothing, such as goggles, a protective apron, rubber gloves and boots. You should mix the chlorine in a well-ventilated area. Additionally, you’ll want to perform the chlorination while minimizing the risk of electrical shock while you work. The well technician is familiar with these necessary safety considerations.

You’ll also want to have an alternative water source for 12 to 24 hours after chlorinating the well.

A well technician will also know when you want to send out a sample of your water for testing. A test can determine if you have coliform or E. coli bacteria in the water.

Yes, you could chlorinate your Port Barrington well yourself. But, why would you when the cost is nominal and the convenience of having a professional do it while you spend your time doing something you’d rather do?

Is your Spring Grove well pump sick and what are the symptoms?

Do you know the symptoms when
your Spring Grove well pump
is sick?

A healthy well pump in your Spring Grove well is a happy well pump. It will silently pump water up into your home, out of your faucets and into intended appliances on demand and without complaint. But, from time to time, a well pump can come down with an illness that can make it operate sadly and unreliably.

If you’re feeling sick, you’ll consider the symptoms and decide whether you can take some aspirin, have some chicken soup and get some bed rest or whether you need to bring your symptoms to a doctor for an expert opinion. In the same sense, when your Spring Grove well pump is sick, you can do your own preliminary diagnosis as long as you realize that you may need to call in a well professional.

So, before you call a well technician for an expert opinion, what should you look for? Here are some of the symptoms of a sick well pump:

• You’re experiencing decreased water pressure in your home or office
• There are loud or funny noises coming from your pipes
• Water is spitting out of faucets rather than providing the regular flow you expect
• The water is dirty
• You may even notice an increase in your electric bill, though there are other things that can cause this

If you find one or more of these symptoms, you may have a sick well pump. But, don’t jump to conclusions. You could have other problems with your well. That qualified well technician can clarify matters for you.

For instance, there are other issues that could cause your well pressure to fall. You could have sediment clogging a filter. You could have a torn bladder inside your well tank. A well technician will sort that out for you. But, at least you’ll know what to look for in general; you’ll know when it’s time to call a well technician to come out and look at your Spring Grove well.