Pressure tank, water pump or ?

10 years ago

I came home boxing day morning early - 7AM - after a Christmas Day of revelling. Ran the tap to make coffee and started about my business. A few minutes later I noticed that the water pump (I'm on a well) was still running. I observed (listened) for a little bit longer, then decided to switch pump off and back on. To make a long story short.... after a couple hours of trouble shooting I noticed that if I unscrewed the brass bolt on the top of the pump air would hiss out and then I would get water squirting out between threads. If I tighten down bolt again and switch on, pump would run and eventually pressure would return to tank and pump would cycle off.

Now, I'm not sure if THIS is related or not, but when my kids draw water fro the tap in the bathroom downstairs or from the tap in the kitchen, the water is cloudy - fine air bubbles I'm guessing since the bubbles rise and dissipate when a glass is left for a minute.

Usually once a day, maybe once every other day, I'm having to bleed off this air in the top of the pump.

I also noticed that when I first crack the water on from the kitchen the tap body jerks twice...almost like an air lock. Maybe this is unrelated and confusing to my original problem with pressure tank/pump, but I thought I'd mention it anyways.

Also, when the pump is re-establishing pressure I hear what sounds like water being "charged" in the line...I know that's not very description, but almost like pressure building...yet the gauge on the tank is steady.

A water treatment specialist suggested a foot valve problem, but that in itself is a problem because no one knows were the well is. I have been looking for it since I bought the place in March of 2013 with no success...

Maybe I included to many symptoms that confuse the issue, maybe I have more than one issue. I'd like to hear your comments...

Steve

PS.. I'm wondering if a check valve should be either before or after (or both) pump to isolate either the water tank from the pump or the pump from the supply line. Did I say that right?

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Comments (8)

bus_driver
10 years ago
When was this house built? In most jurisdictions, the top of the casing of the well (the opening) must be a specified distance above the surrounding ground level-- to prevent entrance of surface water which could contaminate the entire aquifer.
Does your pump have two pipes out the bottom or side and those pipes go through the foundation wall below ground level?
gtrshop
Original Author
10 years ago
Well it was built 40 years ago but lifted and basement dug out in 2007. I have a plan that indicates septic (which incidentally I think they didn't adhere to, but that's another issue) and gives a supposed location of the well, but nothing visible above ground. Having said that it might be that the top of the well is down in the window well, or maybe under the flower garden at the side of the house.

The pump (located obviously in the house) has a feed line of black plastic out the back end and a nylon re-enforced clear plastic pipe out the top going down to the pressure tank.
In the attached picture the feed line enters from the left and the brass screw I mentioned is just to the left of the grey plastic fitting.
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bus_driver
10 years ago
Looks to be a shallow well jet pump. If so, the well is less than 20' deep.
Somewhere between the pump and the bottom of the well is a tiny leak. It probably is in the pipe. A faulty foot valve or check valve would cause complete loss of prime.
gtrshop
Original Author
10 years ago
A foot valve problem was mentioned to me, and there is not check value anywhere within the house as far as I can tell. I bought one today but not clear where I should install it...
bus_driver
10 years ago
The foot valve, when installed, is constantly submerged in water in the well. It is the lowest component of the well pump system. So if the foot valve is getting air, the level of the water in the well is dropping below the foot valve.
And how will the foot valve be installed if no one knows the location of the well?
gtrshop
Original Author
10 years ago
Yes, well (no pun intended) that is the trick of it. Finding the actual well. There are a couple clues in the house... the pipe from the well runs inside the house along the east wall. In my daughters bedroom (the closer of the two bedrooms to the mechanical room) the east wall has a 4" build-out from being flush. This doesn't exist in the other bedroom further away from the mechanical room, and they both share the same east wall. So the pipe at least runs to that point. where it goes from there, is the mystery. We're thinking that the well head may be in the window well outside daughters room, or in the flower gardens on either side of the window. With 3 feet of snow there, it's not likely we're going to get any information before spring. So, I'm left with bleeding the pump daily.
laurabrook
10 years ago
Don't know where you are but in Cloverdale (Surrey BC), anybody who digs, drills, or puts in a well, must record it with Municipal/Provincial authority.....There are well logs available, somewhere.....Local drilling companies are also required to keep records, as well as the local assessment boards....
You might also get the gas company to come out with their special metal detector, tell them you want to dig around the house.
gtrshop
Original Author
9 years ago
Well... no pun intended...(maybe a little)..... I found out from neighbours that almost all the water in the area is done through a Sand Point.

There is a plan of septic and water, but I've discovered the information regarding the septic is inaccurate. That's another topic, but it's led me to not trust the information on the plan. According to the plan, the well (sand point) is on the east side of the house. Now that the weather is "better", the pump doesnt seem to need as much attention. Not sure what any of that means.