Ran well dry/Pump sucked up sand problem

meanwhile · #1 02/12/10, 11:38 PM

Last week in the snow storm, the electricity went out. I did not know it at the time but one of the kids had the tap open in the bathroom. Of course, when the electricity went out, the pump stopped. So - we did not notice the tap/spigot in the bathtub was open. We left for days, the power came back on and was on for 3 days before we returned. (I had unplugged everything and usually that is OK when we have power outages.)

Upon my return, of course there was no water. After troubleshooting it, we found the open tap, and we had, of course, run the well dry. We checked and made sure all taps were closed, turned off the pump and switched to emergency water source (we have a back up spring water cistern) to let the well build back up.

Now, the well has built back up but I have silt in all the water lines. It is not "sand" as such. It is fine, very fine, black sand and some sparkley pieces and speks.

How do I get that out of the line? Just run more water through it? The water line is LONG LONG LONG and way downhill!

Should I have someone come pull the pump up? ? (OH please say NO!)

Do I need to clean out the pressure tank somehow? How?

Thanks!

Micahn · #2 02/13/10, 08:03 AM

If it was me I would run the water (out side not into your drain lines) until it becomes clear again.
I have had this same sort of thing happen before and that is what I done and every thing turned out fine. We lived in a home many years after it had happened and never had a problem again.

#3 02/13/10, 08:24 AM

I would consider installing a filter to keep any potential grit from getting to the faucets. I use the screen type, you can flush it every so often without replacing or removing. I've seen sludge of the sort you're talking about build up in a pressure tank, and get into the line when there was a loss of pressure.

meanwhile · #4 02/13/10, 09:36 AM

Is there a way to rinse out the pressure tank? Something the homeowner can do?

#5 02/13/10, 10:44 AM

There should be a boiler drain at the bottom where the manifold comes out. What I've always done in those cases is close off the lines and fill the tank with water, cut off the pump, and drain it down. After 2 or 3 times, I'd get a pretty decent amount of sludge out.

agmantoo · #6 02/13/10, 11:32 AM

The black shinny flakes are mica. In time they should wash on through into the house plumbing and the finally the waste lines. I would stop using the ice maker in the fridge, the washer will need the hose filters cleaned frequently and the aerators in the sinks need to be taken out until the the problem subsides. Within a week the situation should self correct. You could drain some of the water from the water heater from time to time as the water heater is where most of the mica will accumulate. If you have a bladder tank it wil over time cleanse itself and if you have a regular pressure tank the mica will stay inside and not be a problem.

meanwhile · #7 02/14/10, 08:02 PM

Thank you = I need to find a good plumber. I need help with the whole system including the junk in the lines. I need some check valves in there some place.

Thanks

BamaSuzy · #8 02/14/10, 09:26 PM

Good luck with all this. but you don't HAVE to get somebody else to pull your pump! When we lived at our previous homestead we had a lot of sand in our well and the filters would stop up....we had a submersible pump and the well was nearly 200 feet deep on the side of a hill...

I knew just how far down the hill and around the house I had to walk while pulling that heavy aggravating pipe until the pump reached ground level....

Make sure if you are working yourself that you have the electricity turned OFF and LOCKED OFF so nobody can accidentally turn it on BEFORE you do any work on the pump....

If you are don't have the knowledge to do all this, by all means get HELP!!!! best wishes!

NCLee · #9 02/15/10, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

The black shinny flakes are mica. In time they should wash on through into the house plumbing and the finally the waste lines. I would stop using the ice maker in the fridge, the washer will need the hose filters cleaned frequently and the aerators in the sinks need to be taken out until the the problem subsides. Within a week the situation should self correct. You could drain some of the water from the water heater from time to time as the water heater is where most of the mica will accumulate. If you have a bladder tank it wil over time cleanse itself and if you have a regular pressure tank the mica will stay inside and not be a problem.

Ditto!

We usually have a problem like this for a while after we have to work on the pump or the line between the house and the well. I've found that running the outside faucet for a while helps keep some of the stuff out of the house.

Remove the areators from the faucets before running water through them. Do have to check the screen in the water fill hose, if the stuff was heavy. But usually the other water use, first, helps keep that from clogging.

Oh, flushing the toilet frequently helps get it out of the lines, especially in the winter when we have the outside faucets turned off.

I'd give it a while, to see if it clears on it's own before calling a plumber.

If the problem continues, your foot valve may be too far into the well. May have had sediment/sand build up or even a slight cave in (depends on your well type and how it's lined). If that's the case, you will need to pull the pump. Determine the water depth and the actual bottom of the well. Adjust the foot valve accordingly.

But, I'd wait and see, first.

Lee

coup · #10 02/15/10, 07:01 AM

if it still pumps you are lucky and have learned a lesson..next time turn off water pump when leaving for extended time....