Well Pump???

Jenni979 · #1 09/19/10, 02:28 PM

We're on rural water, but the pressure was so bad that we were advised to put in a pump, which we did. We have had no issues with pressure or anything else until yesterday...

Now, the pump seems to be running nonstop and we are still having issues with pressure... The water in the kitchen seems to be coming in spurts... Like, water with HEAVY pressure then air, then water again...

...and our cold water is no longer cold... It used to come out as cold as ice, not it is not even cool, more like luke warm.

I called our neighbors (they have to have a pump to get any pressure, as well) to see if maybe they were having issues and they aren't. All is well with them.

Do any of you have ANY ideas what might be going on? I hate to spend the $120 an hour the plumber charges for him to just "poke around"...

Any advice?

Thanks!

Harry Chickpea · #2 09/19/10, 02:32 PM

Sounds like the water isn't getting to your pump anymore or has a fitting that is admitting air into the incoming stream of water. Running your pump dry and continuous can damage it. Cut it off until you locate the problem.
edited to add - cut off your water heater as well for now. Running it without a full tank of water can burn out electric elements, etc..

Jenni979 · #3 09/19/10, 02:48 PM

Thanks Harry!

I already flipped the breakers for the pump & the water heater because I was afraid of burning them up...

I went out to see if I could find anything really obvious wrong with the pump (not that I know anything about them, but if there was a HUGE leak or anything like that.) There seems to be 1 small drip, about every 15-20 seconds coming from where the rural water line is attached to the actual pump, but that is all I could see.

**sigh** Looks like I will be paying a plumber a couple hundred, minimum. Sometimes I HATE home ownership...

rambler · #4 09/19/10, 02:55 PM

I would guess, whrn your pump comes on, that it is sucking air in through that small leak, and that is the source of the problem.

It could be other issues, but that's where I would start.

Likely this has been going for a while, and the pump has filled your pressure tank with air, only a bit of water left at the bottom. This makes the air & water spit out, and the small amount of water in the pressure tank is not staying as cool as a fuller pressure tank.

--->Paul