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What Are the Most Common Well Pump Repair Issues in Magnolia?
There are a lot of working parts that make your private water well work. While the pump is just one part of the puzzle, it’s a vital piece. With good maintenance, your pump should continue to work for a long time. However, if you do experience an issue with your well pump in Magnolia, it’s probably due to one of these three reasons:
- Mineral deposits from hard water: In general, Texas has very hard water. That’s because the majority of the state’s water comes from underground aquifers. These water deposits offer clean, safe water, but the water here is also high in mineral content. On average, Texas has a water hardness of 200 parts per million (ppm), and Magnolia is no exception. That means there is a high amount of minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium in the water. While this is safe to drink and use around the house, this hard water can damage your well pump. As the mineral deposit builds up over time, it can corrode pieces of the well pump or cause the pump to stop working altogether. Adding a water softener to your well system can help prevent corrosion and other hard water issues.
- Pump not working: Pumps generally run on their own, bringing water up to the pipes and storage tanks before shutting themselves off again. It’s a fairly automated process, but sometimes a pump may simply stop working. More often than not, it’s because something has interrupted the electrical supply to the well pump. In Magnolia, this is often due to inclement weather like thunderstorms, hail, and flooding. These weather conditions can affect the electrical supply. You can check the circuit breaker to see if something tripped your well pump circuit. Otherwise, it’s best to leave the repairs to an experienced well pump repair technician in Magnolia.
- Sputtering water supply. If you are getting water from your well but it’s intermittent or sputtering out of the tap, that’s a sign there may be an issue with your pump. There may also be an issue with your water supply. It’s tough to know how long your well’s water supply will last. Some wells deliver water a hundred years later. Some dry up after just 25 years. On average, though, you’ll get between 30 to 50 years out of a well. If you are noticing issues with your water supply, it’s worth having your pump checked out first. If the pump is okay, then you may need to consider digging a different well or drilling your current well deeper to tap into more water.
What Factors Cause Premature Well Pump Failure in Magnolia?
With good maintenance, a well pump should last you between 10 to 15 years. There are a few things that can cause it to fail prematurely, though. In Magnolia, these are most commonly:
- Excess sediment in the water: A lot of the soil in Magnolia is fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam. That means there is a lot of sand and clay that could potentially clog up your well pump. Screens and filters will help keep some of that out, but if part of that filtration system fails, it could cause your pump to fail as well. Well owners may want to consider extra screens and filtration systems for their wells in the Magnolia area to prevent this issue.
- Lack of maintenance: Regular maintenance is a must for your well pump. This will ensure your well pump is working correctly as well as that the quality of your water supply is safe and clean. Most well-digging companies also offer maintenance contracts that make regular maintenance stress-free. They’ll routinely visit your well site to check all aspects of the well, including the pump, and replace any parts showing signs of wear and tear. Neglecting this regular maintenance could result in total well failure.
- Overworked pumps: Pumps need to be sized correctly for the home. If you get one that’s too small, you’ll overwork it and wear the pump out much sooner. If you get one that’s too big for your household’s water needs, then you’ll experience a bunch of other performance issues. Most homes in Magnolia have two or three bathrooms, so you’d need a pump that can handle between 14 and 17 gallons per minute (GPM). Your Magnolia well pump repair technician can recommend a pump that’s the right size for your household.
How Much Does Well Pump Repair Usually Cost in Magnolia?
If you need to repair your well pump, you can pay anywhere from $150 to $600 on average. If repair isn’t an option, then you’ll need to replace it. That can cost you anywhere from $500 to $2,000. How much you’ll pay in Magnolia, though, will depend on the following:
Repair Time
There are a variety of things that can go wrong with your well pump. Some are faster to fix than others. New wiring might take a couple of hours, while a total replacement could take several days. Most well pump repair teams in Magnolia will charge you by the hour for their services. You can get an estimate for the repair before they start the work, so you have a better idea about how much the repair will cost.
Parts Needed
Many repairs will require various parts and materials. Your repair technician will add the cost of these materials to your final repair bill. Some repairs might take a little wiring or a new washer, so the materials may cost you a couple of dollars at most. However, if the repair requires the replacement of something like the pressure tank as well, you’ll be looking at closer to $800 for materials. Your repair person can let you know how much they think it will cost to get your pump running again before they start the work.
Urgency of Repair
Some well pump repairs are more urgent than others. If you have total pump failure, you will need service sooner, and that might mean paying for a weekend or evening service call. Unfortunately, in Magnolia, these aren’t unusual. Emergency well pump repair is particularly common after a big storm. On average, Texas has 50 days of thunderstorms a year. Those storms can deliver hail, lightning, and flooding, all of which can mess with your well pump. When that happens, you may end up paying more for the repair simply due to demand. Repair teams will be working around the clock to get local wells back up and running, so they may need to pay for additional labor and overtime.
Repairing your well isn’t something you want to put off. The longer you wait, the harder it may be to repair your well and the longer your household goes without safe, clean water.
How to Avoid Costly Well Pump Repairs in Magnolia?
If you want to avoid expensive well pump repairs, prevention is the answer. Here are some things you can do to keep repair costs low while extending the life of your well pump:
- Get professional annual maintenance: Annual maintenance from a pro will help identify any potential problem areas with your well and address them before they can create a serious issue. This can give you peace of mind that your well is ready for the year ahead.
- Do a visual inspection of your well regularly: Problems can happen between service appointments, but being vigilant can often help you spot a problem early. Walk around your well and look for wet spots and soggy areas, strange smells, or discolored water from your tap. If you do detect an issue, call a repair team right away.
- Check the well after every storm: Storms are the biggest culprit for causing issues with wells. Inspecting your well after a storm can help you make sure there aren’t any issues and the well is ready to continue working.
- Keep parts above-ground free from debris and dirt: Clear away any dirt or debris that gather around the above-ground portions of your pump, such as tanks, pumps, and electrical supply. This will keep these parts clean and reduce the chance of something clogging them or interfering with how they operate.
- Clean your cooling fans: Cooling fans are an important part of the well system, so make sure you keep them clean. This will extend the life of the entire system and ensure nothing overheats in the hot Magnolia sunshine.
- Use anti-corrosion products: Magnolia has water that’s high in mineral content and iron, and that can cause corrosion of the well pump very quickly. Using an anti-corrosion product will reduce the wear and tear on your system from these minerals, so you don’t have to worry about replacement as often.
When Do You Need Permits for Well Pump Repair in Magnolia?
Well permits are managed by the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD). While the LSGCD requires all wells to be registered, they only require permits for those wells that produce over 25,000 gallons of water per day. In Texas, landowners also own the water under their land, so you are free to tap into that water to use it. That also means you do not need a permit to repair your well pump in Magnolia.
