# Should I repair or replace my well pump? > Repair or replace a well pump: which faults are fixed at ground level, when the pump is finished, and why Suffolk's deep wells change the answer. Read first. URL: https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/guide/repair-or-replace-well-pump/ Decision Guide Most failures are in parts that can be repaired. The pump is worth replacing only when testing says it is done. Repair when the fault is in the pressure switch, control box, tank, wire splice or a check valve, all of which can be fixed without a new pump. Replace when the motor tests shorted or weak, the pump can no longer build pressure, or a tired pump is already out of a deep well. Test results, not age alone, should decide. Key points - Switches, capacitors, tanks and splices are repairable. - A shorted motor or worn-out pump end means replacement. - On deep wells, replace a tired pump while it is already out. - Higher bills and slower recovery are early signs of decline. [Wellborne](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/) tests well systems before recommending a new pump, across Suffolk and the surrounding area. Most “pump failures” turn out to be something else, and the test results, not the pump’s age, are what decide. ## What can be repaired These are all fixed without replacing the pump: - **[Pressure switch](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/pressure-switch-and-control-box-repair/).** Pitted or welded contacts, a clogged sensing port. Replaced at the tank. - **Control box parts.** A failed start capacitor or relay on a three-wire pump. Replaced on the wall. - **[Pressure tank](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/pressure-tank-replacement/).** Lost air charge or a torn bladder. Recharged or replaced. - **Wire splices and cable.** A splice that has let water in, or damaged cable. Requires a pull, but the pump stays. - **Check valves and drop pipe.** A leaking valve or split pipe. Requires a pull, but the pump stays. - **[Jet pump](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/jet-pump-repair/) suction side.** Leaks and foot valves that make a jet lose prime. ## When the pump itself is finished - **The motor tests shorted or open.** Insulation and winding resistance readings show windings that have failed. - **The pump cannot build pressure.** Impellers worn by sand or age deliver too little water at the well’s depth, even though the motor runs. - **The pump is locked.** Seized bearings or impellers jammed with sand. - **Repeated failures.** A pump that keeps tripping overloads or failing is often better replaced and the cause corrected. ## Early signs of decline A pump rarely dies without warning. Signs that one is wearing out: - It takes longer to reach cut-out pressure than it used to. - Electric bills creep up with no change in water use. - Pressure fades during long use where it used to hold. - The amp draw has changed from earlier readings. Those are reasons to plan a replacement before it fails at a bad moment. ## Why depth changes the answer On a shallow jet-pump well, replacing a pump is a modest job, so it is reasonable to repair until the pump finally quits. On a deep submersible, the expensive part of the job is pulling hundreds of feet of pipe and cable. In the Virginia Cooperative Extension clinic of 204 Suffolk households, 59% of owners reported wells deeper than 300 feet. If a deep pump is being pulled to fix a splice or a check valve and the pump itself is old and tired, replacing it on the same pull usually costs less over time than pulling it again in a year or two. ## Questions to ask before agreeing to a new pump - **What were the amp readings** when the pump was called to run, and how do they compare with the motor’s rating? - **What did the insulation (megohm) test show** on the motor and cable? - **Were the pressure switch and control box tested** and ruled out? - **Was the water level checked**, so the new pump will not fail the same way? - **Will the pipe, wire, splices and check valves be inspected** and replaced if worn while the pump is out? - **Is the pressure tank sized for the new pump?** Clear answers to those questions mean the decision rests on measurements. A recommendation to replace without them is a guess, however experienced the guesser. ## Upgrades worth considering at replacement When a pump is being replaced anyway, it is the cheapest moment to change things that need the pump out: heavier cable for a deep setting, a new pitless adapter, stainless or upgraded check valves, or a [constant pressure system](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/constant-pressure-well-pump-installation/) with a compatible motor. None is required, but each is far cheaper now than as a separate pull later. ## The cost side A national budgeting range for replacing a well pump is $900 to $2,500, and deep Suffolk wells often sit at or above the top. A ground-level repair costs a fraction of that. The [cost guide](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/guide/well-pump-repair-cost/) explains what goes into each. For a test-based answer on your own pump, call [(757) 919-1972](tel:+17579191972). Related service [Well pump replacement](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/well-pump-replacement/) More guides - [How long well pumps last](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/guide/how-long-do-well-pumps-last/) - [Well pump repair cost](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/guide/well-pump-repair-cost/) - [Sizing a well pump](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/guide/well-pump-sizing/) - [A well pump that trips the breaker](https://wellbornesuffolkwellpumprepair.com/guide/well-pump-tripping-breaker/) ## Questions people ask ### Can a submersible pump be rebuilt? The motor and pump end are separate parts, so one can sometimes be replaced without the other. On an older unit, replacing the whole pump is usually better value than paying to pull it twice. ### My pump is old but working. Should I replace it? Not just for age. If it reaches pressure normally, does not cycle and its amp draw is steady, it can keep running. Watch for slower recovery and rising bills. ### Is it worth replacing the tank when the pump is replaced? Only if the tank is failing or too small for the new pump. A waterlogged tank would short-cycle a new pump, so it is checked every time.