{"id":6217,"date":"2021-03-17T08:47:20","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T15:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cleanwaterstore.com\/blog\/?p=6217"},"modified":"2026-10-02T11:17:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T18:17:27","slug":"top-7-warning-signs-your-water-well-is-in-trouble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleanwaterstore.com\/blog\/top-7-warning-signs-your-water-well-is-in-trouble\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Well Drying Up? 7 Warning Signs to Watch For"},"content":{"rendered":"

While most well owners don’t experience well water problems frequently, it can be frustrating if it happens to you.<\/p>\n

The typical modern residential well is a fantastic resource. It can produce many years of excellent water with minimal servicing, and most wells can operate for many years without maintenance.<\/p>\n

\"Homeowner<\/p>\n

However, homeowners sometimes don’t realize that their water well requires service and routine maintenance until it is too late.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Common questions about well water problems include: I have bad pressure tank symptoms; how can I fix this? Why is my well water sputtering? Why do I have cloudy well water?<\/p>\n

I need help troubleshooting the well pressure tank. How does a well system work? If you have low well production or poor water pressure, you can troubleshoot it yourself.<\/p>\n

The good news is that there are some tell-tale signs to look for that will alert you to problems with water wells and well pressure tanks.<\/p>\n

There are some simple steps that you can take to troubleshoot water well problems.<\/p>\n

Is Your Well Drying Up? Look for These Signs<\/h2>\n

If you’re wondering whether your well is drying up, the signs usually show up gradually before they show up all at once. Watch for reduced water yield, air sputtering out of the tap along with the water, a pump that runs longer than it used to, or pressure that drops off slowly over days or weeks rather than stopping all at once. A well that’s truly running dry is often preceded by warning sign #1 below, air in the system and reduced flow, so that’s the first place to look.<\/p>\n

If your water stopped suddenly rather than gradually, that’s more often a mechanical issue (a tripped breaker, a failed check valve, a stuck pressure switch) than a dry well. Either way, the seven signs below will help you narrow down which one you’re dealing with.<\/p>\n

How Does a Typical Well Pump System Work?<\/h2>\n

A typical residential water well usually has a submersible pump and one or more pressure tanks that pump water directly to the house.<\/p>\n

Some wells have “jet pumps” located on the surface or top of the well. Most well pumps are used in conjunction with a pressure tank.<\/p>\n

The well water pump system aims to maintain a constant supply of pressurized water in the house and piping system. To maintain the water pressure, the well pump is switched on and off with a pressure switch.<\/p>\n

\"Labeled<\/p>\n

This usually means the pump is turned on when the pressure switch senses the pressure is at a low point (the “cut-in” point) and off at a pre-set high-pressure point (the “cut-off” point). In some systems, there is no simple on-and-off pressure switch. These systems have a pressure sensor that works with a controller to allow the pump to pump more or less in a gradual method called a “constant pressure” system.<\/p>\n

This system uses a variable-speed pump, which allows the pump motor to spin faster or slower and pump water quicker or slower based on the pressure sensor. These are becoming increasingly popular, but the most common is the simple off-and-on pump system, which uses a simple pressure switch.<\/p>\n

The 7 Warning Signs Associated with Water Well Problems<\/h2>\n

1. The well is pumping air, and the well yield is reduced (a low-producing well)<\/p>\n

2. The well is pumping sand or large amounts of sediment<\/p>\n

3. Water pressure is low (pressure tank symptoms) or water flow problems.<\/p>\n

4. The power bill has skyrocketed. The water pump for the well keeps running.<\/p>\n

5. Water quality has changed<\/p>\n

6. Dissolved gases or bubbles, and air in well water<\/p>\n

7. The pressure switch and pump continuously cycle on and off (short-cycling).<\/p>\n

\"Infographic<\/p>\n

The Well Is Pumping Air<\/h2>\n

Specific water well problems show up after some years. A good example is when you turn on your kitchen faucet and out blasts a mixture of air and water. The worst-case scenario is that your water table has dropped to the point at or below the well pump, and the pump is drawing in air sometime during the pump cycle.<\/p>\n

Another cause is when the well pump drop pipe (the pipe that connects the pump to the top of the well and the water system) is broken. Drop pipes are either iron pipe, plastic PVC, or poly pipe.<\/p>\n

They may become broken or corroded and develop cracks or even, in some instances, break apart, allowing air to be sucked in. This kind of problem needs a skilled well or pump company to look into and repair it.<\/p>\n

The Well Is Pumping Sand or Large Amounts of Sediment<\/h2>\n

If your water well suddenly starts pumping sand, this is often a sign that the well is silting in or filling with sand and silt. Typically, the well pump is installed at least 10-20 feet above the bottom of the well.<\/p>\n

When the pump turns on, the water level in the well can drop to a lower level. If the pump is down near the bottom of the well, sand and sediment can be sucked in.<\/p>\n

Other causes for sand in water can be that the well screen has degraded and allows sand or sediment in from the gravel pack around the well screen.<\/p>\n

Sand can quickly wear out the pump valves and fill up the bottom of the well with sand. In any case, the sudden presence of sand is not a good sign, and troubleshooting is required.<\/p>\n

You can remove sand from the water before the pressure tank or storage tank using a sediment backwash filter<\/a> or a 60 mesh filter screen with an automatic purge valve.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Low Water Pressure<\/h2>\n

If you are experiencing no water from the well, there can be many causes of low water pressure<\/a>, including a failing well pump, a stuck check valve, a partially closed or bad gate\/ball valve, and a leaking or failing pressure tank. In some cases, iron bacteria clog up the pipe nipple leading to the pressure switch, causing the pressure switch to sense pressure incorrectly.<\/p>\n

If the well water tests high in iron bacteria, your pump or well screen may become clogged with iron bacteria. Cleaning the well with a special solution designed to remove iron bacteria, slime, and scale can often restore the well to a better condition.<\/p>\n

In some well systems, the pressure is often set to turn on at 30 PSI and off at 50 PSI. This pressure can be too low for today’s homes and appliances. Often, you can raise the pressure so the pump turns on at 40 to 50 PSI and off at 60 to 70 PSI, providing adequate water pressure in the home.<\/p>\n

You can often adjust the pressure switch to accommodate this higher pressure, assuming the well pump and well can operate without difficulty at the higher pressure. If you adjust the pressure switch, you must also adjust the air pressure inside the tank.<\/p>\n

\"Close-up<\/p>\n

The Electricity Bill Has Skyrocketed<\/h2>\n

When a pump wears out or becomes blocked with sand, silt, or iron bacteria, it needs to work much harder than if it were in good shape.<\/p>\n

This overworking can result in an increasingly higher power cost. Another common cause of a high power bill is when the check valve in the well goes bad, causing “short cycling.” This allows water from the pressure tank to stream back down into the well.<\/p>\n

This sends a signal to the pressure switch to turn the pump on again and pressurize the pressure tank.<\/p>\n

This on-and-off cycle may occur every few minutes and allows the well pump to run practically 24 hours a day, causing a high power bill.<\/p>\n

Water Quality Has Changed<\/h2>\n

If you notice a sudden change in water quality, this can indicate that something has happened to your well shaft, casing, pump, or drop pipe. Sudden problems such as a large amount of sand, sediment, odors, or color can indicate that surface water has penetrated or leaked into your well.<\/p>\n

A sudden change in your well water quality, such as a sharp drop in pressure or visible sand and grit, is a strong signal that something’s wrong. In these cases, start by testing your water to identify potential issues. It’s also important to reach out to a qualified professional, like a licensed pump contractor or local well driller, for further inspection.<\/p>\n

Don’t have a local contact? The National Groundwater Association<\/a> is a great resource to help you find trusted well service providers in your area.\"SimpleLab<\/a><\/p>\n

Dissolved Gases or Bubbles in the Water<\/h2>\n

Is the air dissolved in the water, or is it sputtering out of the tap in big bursts?<\/p>\n

A professional well or pump contractor must investigate and repair these water well or pump problems.<\/p>\n

The water level is fine in some cases, and there aren’t any cracked pipes or fittings. Some groundwater tables do contain contaminants and various types of gas. These gases may be dissolved within the water, yet later come out of the solution and trigger water to spurt or sputter out of the tap.<\/p>\n

These gases may be carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrogen sulfide or other gas. They can be harmful and cause significant safety and health problems. If this is an ongoing problem, you can treat the well using aeration and degassing systems, or a CWS ozone generator<\/a>, to eliminate these gases.<\/p>\n

\"Ozone<\/a><\/p>\n

Pressure Switch and Pump Continuously Cycle On and Off<\/h2>\n

A leak in the home can cause this water well problem, so the well pump continuously runs.<\/p>\n

It can also be due to corrosion of the water well casing, liner, or screen, causing holes. Holes can allow water of undesirable quality to enter the well. Look for leaking toilet flush valves, reverse osmosis systems, iron filters, and other backwashing filter systems that may malfunction.<\/p>\n

Also known as “short cycling,” this can cause your well pump to wear out prematurely and your electric bill to go up significantly. A common cause is a failed check valve. The check valve or foot valve prevents either the pump or the well pressure tank (sometimes called a bladder tank) from sending water back into the well after it has built up water pressure.<\/p>\n

If the valve fails, the pump starts, water streams down the well, and the pressure switch turns the pump on again. This on-and-off cycle may occur every few minutes and allows the well pump to run practically 24 hours a day, causing a high power bill. Replacing the check valve solves the problem.<\/p>\n

Another widespread issue is the pressure tank losing its captive air pressure. This is easy to check.<\/p>\n

Turn off power to the well pump and run water after the pressure tank or in the house until no water pressure is left. Using a tire pressure gauge, check the Schrader valve on top of the pressure tank. It should read 2 PSI less than the cut-in or lower pressure. If your well turns on at 30 and off at 50 PSI, it should have 28 PSI in it.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/p>\n

What to Check For Your Well Water Problems<\/h2>\n