Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Well Pump Repair Issues in Sevierville?
- 2 What Factors Cause Premature Well Pump Failure in Sevierville?
- 3 How Much Does Well Pump Repair Usually Cost in Sevierville?
- 4 How to Avoid Costly Well Pump Repairs in Sevierville?
- 5 When Do You Need Permits for Well Pump Repair in Sevierville?
What Are the Most Common Well Pump Repair Issues in Sevierville?
The most basic and easily diagnosed symptom of a well pump problem is no water in the house. Maybe you turn on a sink faucet and are greeted with nothing but a sad sputter. Don’t panic. It might be an easy fix!
No Water Coming in the House: A Tripped Circuit Breaker
Hopefully, this well pump malfunction is only caused by a “tripped” circuit breaker. In that case, the electricity that powers the pump is shut off, but it’s an easy fix. So try flipping the breaker first. But more often, no water means well or pump problems.
A Lack of Water Caused by Overuse
Well issues that manifest as no water coming into your Sevierville home can be also be caused by a lack of groundwater. The two most common causes for this is overuse and severe drought.
In Sevierville, overuse of well water is expected in the spring and summer months. That’s when residents and agricultural operations are doing the most watering of lawns, gardens, and crops, and it’s also the time of year we think to power wash driveways and exteriors. Overuse ultimately lowers the water table to the point it falls below the pump.
If you suspect overuse, reduce your water usage for a few days. Hand wash dishes in the sink, limit laundry, and be cautious of overwatering your landscaping. This will usually solve the problem.
A Lack of Water Caused by Drought
Drought can occur in Sevierville. Per the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the most recent and severe drought to strike Tennessee lasted 116 weeks. It began in February 2007 and ended in April 2009. The most intense period of drought occurred the week of October 16, 2007, and affected more than 70% of the state.
Very dry conditions are serious. When local conditions are declared a drought by the state, the water table may lower to the point that replenishment takes several months or even years.
The cheapest way to fix this problem is to lower the pump deeper into the well. To accomplish this, we’ll install an additional water pipe at the top of the well and lower the pump far enough down to be submerged again. Once the pump is immersed, we reconnect everything and test to ensure it’s all working correctly. If the pump bottoms out before it’s submerged, we may need to drill a new well.
What Factors Cause Premature Well Pump Failure in Sevierville?
While droughts do happen, and overuse is always a concern during the warm months, equipment problems are the number one cause of well pump failure in Sevierville. There are many working parts to a well pump system. Any one of them can malfunction and cause the entire system to fail.
The essential components that make up your modern well system are:
- The submersible pump
- A check valve and additional valves
- A pitless adaptor
- A well cap
- Electrical wiring plus components like a control box and pressure switch
- And the interior water delivery system — the plumbing in your home and/or barn
Sometimes the entire well system seems to be working fine until a problem with one component arises. There might be a cascading effect on the other systems. That can increase the cost to repair your well.
How Much Does Well Pump Repair Usually Cost in Sevierville?
The short (incomplete) answer is that the average cost to replace a well pump is $1,626, while the cost to repair averages around $600. Most repair jobs cost between $110 and $1,390.
The more accurate answer is that every Sevierville resident has a unique well system! Your well might be deeper, bigger, newer, or older than your neighbor’s well. You may have three family members living at home and four faucets, while your neighbor has five kids, a vast garden, and a llama farm! Therefore, every well pump repair job we do is unique, and we’re reluctant to quote average costs.
But some common cost factors affect nearly every well pump repair in Sevierville. Let’s examine them.
Size and Depth of Your Well
Both the size and depth of a well play a role in your repair costs. Common sense tells us that it requires less labor and supplies to install a pump in a shallow 25-foot well than the same repair at a 300-foot depth.
Know that shallow pumps — which are more affordable to purchase, install and replace — are ideal for wells less than 25 feet deep. Deep pumps are necessary for wells up to 150 feet in depth. A deep pump will always cost more to buy and install/replace.
Well Pump Type, Jet Pumps Vs. Submersible Well Pumps
The type of pump you have will affect the overall price of repairs. Jet pumps are, as a rule, much easier to remove and install than submersible well pumps. They are lighter and smaller and work by pulling the water up to the surface. The pump is available at ground level for repairs, but they fight against the natural pull of gravity.
Many Sevierville homeowners may find a submersible pump is a better option, especially if your household has experienced well failures due to drought or overuse.
- A deep-well submersible pump uses a pressure tank to draw water to your home.
- These pumps can extract water from depths of 400 feet, so they’re ideal for deeper wells, which are more common in Sevierville.
- The drawback of submersible pumps is that they must be pulled up from the well casing for repairs.
- That’s unlike jet pumps which are already available for repair at the surface.
Although modern jet pumps have come a long way and can handle well depths of several hundred feet, submersible pumps are typically more effective at greater depths. By moving the pump down the well, the pump no longer lifts the water but pushes it upward. Submersible pumps must be submerged in water, or they won’t work.
Off-Grid Installation and Solar Power
Sevierville residents appreciate about 204 sunny days annually. So many local homeowners are making the switch to solar power. Yes, it will reduce your carbon footprint and lower your electricity bills, but it can pose a problem for homes that rely on well water.
If your batteries or inverters aren’t installed correctly, or if a family is overusing the energy, that can cause hiccups to the power supply to your pump. The continual, sporadic boosts of electricity might lead to early burnout. Not only will you be replacing your pump, but you’ll be investing in new solar batteries as well. So move forward carefully when moving your traditional pump’s power off-grid. It might be a better choice to install a solar-powered pump.
How to Avoid Costly Well Pump Repairs in Sevierville?
Like every other piece of machinery we use — automobiles, appliances and so on — wells do age. As your system gets older, the rate at which water is pumped will eventually decrease. In Sevierville, this is especially common among wells that were not properly developed when first drilled.
Know that wells require regular maintenance. Proper maintenance will ensure plenty of water flow and drinking water safety. So test your well water every year.
Every three years, test pH and total dissolved solids. And remember, if there are apparent foul stains, smells, or tastes coming from your water, you’ll likely need more well maintenance.
Contact us to inspect your well annually at a minimum for signs of damage or contamination. Be sure the area (100 feet) around your water well is clear of debris or items that might pollute your household’s water supply.
When Do You Need Permits for Well Pump Repair in Sevierville?
Minor well pump repair does not need to be permitted in Sevierville. However, you will always need a permit to install a new well in Sevierville. (remember, we don’t speak on behalf of the city or county, so be sure to check the city website.)
Per the city, your proposed plans for a new well will be reviewed, corrected, and returned. Expect the process to take somewhere between 10 to 14 working days.
- Real estate developers and prospective home builders can contact Sevier County Health Department for permits and inspections at (865) 429-1766.
Lastly, know that all new well pumps must be installed by a licensed installer like us in the state of Tennessee. We can help you select the right pump based on the diameter of the well casing, depth, water level, well yield, and a number of water fixtures or residents in the home. Our professional well pump installers will use these figures to determine the appropriate size and type of pump for your household.
