Well pump and well water guides
Plain explanations from Wellborne of how Suffolk wells work, what the symptoms mean, what work costs, and which rules apply. Each group leads to the service that resolves it.
Suffolk wells in general
- LearnHow does a Suffolk well system work?
From the sand under your yard to the pressure switch on the wall: the layers, the equipment and the rules behind a Suffolk well.
Well pump replacement
- LearnHow long does a well pump last?
Pump life depends more on how the system runs than on the brand on the motor.
- Decision GuideJet pump or submersible: which is right for my well?
The depth to water decides most of it. The rest comes down to service access and how much trouble priming has caused.
- Decision GuideShould I repair or replace my well pump?
Most failures are in parts that can be repaired. The pump is worth replacing only when testing says it is done.
- LearnHow often should well water be tested?
Once a year for bacteria, after anything that opens the well, and a fuller panel when something changes.
- LearnDo I need a permit to replace a well pump in Virginia?
Not for the pump itself. The rules change when the well is built, deepened, altered or sealed.
- Cost GuideHow much does well pump repair cost in Suffolk?
Most of the price of a Suffolk pump job is set by depth: how much pipe and cable has to come out of the well and go back in.
- LearnWhat size well pump do I need?
Four measurements decide the right pump. The horsepower on the old motor is not one of them.
No water from the well
- LearnWhat should I do after my well floods?
Power off, bottled water, and nothing from the tap until the well is disinfected and tested.
- LearnWhy isn't my well pump working after a power outage?
Most systems restart on their own. When yours does not, the cause is usually one of three things, and two of them you can check.
- LearnWell pump running constantly? Why it won't shut off
If the pump never reaches cut-out pressure, water is going somewhere, or the pump can no longer deliver it.
Deep submersible repair
- LearnWhy is there sand in my well water?
A filter catches the sand. Fixing where it comes from protects the pump.
- LearnWhy is my well pump humming but not pumping water?
A hum means power is reaching the motor but it cannot turn. The cause is often a small part above ground.
Switches and control boxes
- LearnWhy does my well pump keep tripping the breaker?
When it trips matters as much as that it trips. An instant trip and a trip after minutes point to different faults.
Pressure tanks
- LearnWhy is my well pump short cycling?
A pump that starts every few seconds is wearing itself out. The tank is usually why.
Low water pressure
- LearnWhy is there air in my well water lines?
Spitting faucets have four common causes, and the fix for each is different.
Shallow well jet pumps
- LearnWhy does my jet pump keep losing prime?
Priming it again works until the leak lets air back in. Finding the air is the real fix.
Testing and treatment
- LearnWhy is there iron in my well water?
Iron is common in shallow groundwater here. It stains, fouls pumps and screens, and is handled by testing first, then treating the right type.
- LearnWhy does my well water smell like rotten eggs?
Hot tap only, or hot and cold? The answer tells you whether to look at the water heater or the well.
Well inspections
- Decision GuideWhat should I check when buying a house with a well in Virginia?
Virginia requires no well inspection at sale. That makes the buyer's own checks the only ones that happen.
Well drilling
- Cost GuideHow much does it cost to drill a well in Suffolk?
Depth to good water is the biggest unknown, and Suffolk's wells run deep.
Well rehabilitation
- Decision GuideShould I fix my old well or drill a new one?
A recovery test, the casing's condition and the water quality decide most of it.