When should you have your well inspected?
Generally, water wells can remain operational for many years without any issues. But the time will eventually come when they need an inspection. There are signs that your well is not in its prime condition anymore.
You must read these signs and act accordingly before serious problems arise. Call WildHeron Drilling today for all your residential well maintenance needs in Rocklin, California. When should you schedule a well inspection? Below are the answers.
When your well cap or seal needs to be, or has been removed
A correctly installed well cap or seal keeps potential contaminants out of your water supply. For this component to function properly, however, it should be tightly sealed all the time. That way it will be able to protect your water from liquid pollutants and debris that can make their way into your well and cause trouble.
Check your well cap or seal regularly to make sure it is securely fitted onto the well casing. Dirt and debris could get into the well if its cover is loose, off, or broken, thus leading to water pollution. If you have found dirt and debris in your well, contact a maintenance expert before resetting the well.
When your water tastes or smells odd
Does your well water taste or smell odd? It may be a sign that inspection time has come. Having a strange smell or taste from water is annoying. But this is how your water is telling you that something is wrong. In fact, some well water impurities can have a negative impact on your health.
A weird taste and odor could be a clear indication of sediment in your well. Another possible cause of this problem is algae, which makes the water taste like soil texture or dirt.
If you are concerned about the safety of your drinking water after noticing a bad taste and smell, you may want to know what is going on in your well. In this case, Wild Heron can provide you with residential well maintenance services that will fix the problem in your well and drinking water.
When your water is cloudy
Cloudy water is another sign of a high concentration of sediment in your well. In excess quantity, the matter can degrade the quality of your drinking water. If you see debris in your glass, it is likely that sediment is the culprit behind your water cloudiness.
Sediment is actually a common thing. At normal levels, it is nothing to worry about. But if the matter makes your water cloudy, there may be a sizeable concentration of it in your well, which could be caused by surface water leaks or an issue with your water filtration system.
In any case, the increased level of sediment in your well is annoying. To address this issue, you may want to have your well inspected by an expert. They will find out the reason your water is cloudy. If it is due to your filter not working up to your needs, they may recommend you to add one more filter or upgrade the existing one.
When you experience a loss of capacity, pressure, or water production
Age affects well performance. It causes the pumped water – often referred to as the well flow rate, yield, or water production – to drop off. While this is an ordinary well issue, water wells still require maintenance on a regular basis to ensure it has a sufficient flow of water.
Any well can experience reduction or total loss of yield due to severe drought that lowers the water level or too much pumping which can dewater the well. In many instances, decreased well production over time can be linked to the deteriorating condition of the well itself.
If you notice your well has a performance decline, you better contact a water well specialist to schedule an inspection, so that the source of the problem can be identified and resolved as soon as possible.
When your pump frequently cycles on/off, or surges
There are several things that can cause your pump to cycle on and off rapidly. It could be due to a lack of air charge within the water tank. This is the most frequent cause of pump short cycling.
Another potential culprit is the failure of the control switch on your well pump. If the control switch can no longer regulate the pump activities and the amount of drawn water properly, it may need a replacement.
There is also a chance that the tube connecting your control switch to the water supply has been clogged, thus causing failure. To determine the source of the problem, an inspection may be necessary.
Clogged water supply pipes can also make your pump cycle rapidly, because it prevents water from passing through smoothly. The way to find out if your pipe is blocked is by checking the water filtration system. If it is dirty, you need to replace it to get your pump back to normal.
When you receive water quality results indicating high levels of coliforms, nitrates, or other health concerns
Generally, coliforms don’t cause disease, but their presence often indicates that other harmful bacteria are present in your water.
A positive test for coliforms may suggest that sewage contaminants and pathogenic organisms have found their way into your well. This is how coli bacteria in water pose a potential threat to your health. Its presence could be a sign of a sanitary defect in your well system.
Meanwhile, a positive test for nitrates is not a good thing as well, especially if they are found in excess amounts, because that would mean that you have significantly low quality water.
Requires a well disinfectant service – Removal of submersible pump system will be needed
It is necessary to maintain the quality of your water by having your well disinfected periodically, the process of which also requires the removal of submersible pump system. A well disinfection service will help you get rid of harmful microbes in your drinking water.
We, at WildHeron Drilling, are always ready to help our Northern California customers whenever they need well inspection or residential well maintenance. We are the professionals you need when it comes to this job.
Call us today so that our team can help you maintain a good well and ensure the safety of your drinking water.