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How to Choose the Right Expert Water Purification Company

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:57:31 GMT

Choosing the right water purification company in Raleigh, NC , can make all the difference in the quality and safety of your home’s drinking water. With over 30 years of experience, Action Well & Pump knows what it takes to protect local households. But what should homeowners look for when it comes to picking the right water experts?

What Does a Water Purification Company Do?

Removing dangerous or unwanted substances from your home’s water supply is essential for health and comfort. This means filtering out sediments, chlorine, bacteria, and even hard minerals that can cause scaling or damage appliances. Professionals use specialized equipment and training to find the root cause of water problems, rather than just masking them. Unlike simple DIY filters, expert help provides long-term solutions and custom systems that truly fit your needs.

Why Professional Help Beats DIY

Many people trust simple water pitchers or faucet filters to do the job. Unfortunately, these products only treat certain contaminants and might not handle complex or local water problems in Raleigh. A professional water purification company offers custom solutions after testing your actual water supply. Their technicians can spot issues that over-the-counter filters cannot fix, like bacteria, iron, or heavy metals. Plus, they bring in years of experience to install, service, and maintain systems built for your home.

Start With Custom Water Testing

Before you pick any purification system, you need to know what is actually in your water. Custom testing makes all the difference. Action Well & Pump offers on-site water testing with a mobile lab, so you get real results quickly and conveniently. Testing can reveal problems you never noticed, such as invisible bacteria or well water issues. This step helps you avoid guessing and spending money on a system that does not fix your unique water challenges.

Know Your Purification Technology Options

There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Here are the most common types of water purification technology and when each makes sense:

Sediment Filters: Good for well water or after heavy rain. These filters trap sand, dirt, and rust particles.
Carbon Filters: Helpful for removing chlorine, bad tastes, and smells from city water.
Reverse Osmosis Systems: Great for homes with salty water, dissolved minerals, or heavy metals.
UV Purifiers: Best if you need to kill bacteria and viruses, especially for well water.

A conversation with a water purification company can help you match the right system to your home’s needs. They will explain which solution works best based on your water test.

A Checklist for Choosing Your Water Purification Company

Before you hire any company, take time to ask these important questions. They can help you find true experts and avoid future trouble.

Do you have experience with the local water issues in Raleigh? Different towns have different challenges. Choose a company that knows your area.
Can you provide proof of certification and insurance? This protects your home and ensures the work is legal and safe.
Do you offer custom water testing? Only settle for a system that matches your personal water test results.
What kind of warranty do you provide? Good companies back their work and their equipment.
Who will maintain the system after installation? Regular servicing keeps your water safe. Ask about service and emergency support.
Can you explain the ongoing costs? Be clear about filter changes, yearly checks, and possible upgrades.
Do you have references or reviews from other Raleigh customers? Past customer testimonials show what you can expect.

Why Experience and Local Knowledge Matter

Working with a long-standing water purification company gives you extra peace of mind. Over the years, experts learn how local geology, pipes, and weather affect water. Companies with decades of experience are also more likely to have reliable service and lasting solutions. They can easily handle sudden water changes, like storm runoff or drought. That makes a big difference for your family’s health and comfort over time.

Watch for Maintenance and Support Promises

Water purification is not a set-it-and-forget-it service. Filters and technology will need regular checks and maintenance. Ask how often you need service visits and what is included in their maintenance plans. Some companies provide remote monitoring or can remind you when it is time to change filters. Good support ensures your water stays clean year-round.

Choose for Quality, Not Just Cost

While it may be tempting to go with the lowest price, remember that your home’s water is not a place to cut corners. The best value comes from expert advice, high-quality products, and dedicated customer service. Try to balance budget with safety by choosing proven companies that offer certified systems and full support.

Ready for Cleaner Water in Raleigh?

Choosing the right water purification company can make all the difference for your family’s health. If you are ready for custom water solutions in Raleigh, trust Action Well & Pump’s three decades of local know-how and advanced mobile testing. Let the experts make your water clean and safe. Contact us today for your in-home testing appointment!

Hard Water: Causes and How Water Softeners Provide Solutions

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:23:24 GMT

Have you ever noticed stubborn spots on your dishes, dry skin after showering, or a chalky buildup on your faucets? These are common signs of hard water, a widespread issue affecting many homes in Raleigh, NC. For local residents seeking relief, water softeners in Raleigh, NC, offer practical and effective solutions to the challenges that hard water brings. This in-depth article explores what causes hard water in Raleigh, how it impacts your home and daily life, the benefits of installing water softeners, and why partnering with a trusted local expert like Action Well & Pump is your best bet for tailored water treatment solutions.

What is Hard Water, and Why Does Raleigh Have It?

Hard water is water that contains high concentrations of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. While these minerals occur naturally, their abundance in Raleigh’s water supply is due to the region’s unique geology. As water moves underground through rock formations such as limestone and dolomite—common in the Raleigh area—it picks up these minerals, resulting in hard water.

This mineral-rich water is perfectly safe for drinking but can cause several problems when used throughout your home. Residents frequently recognize hard water by the following signs:

Whitish or chalky deposits on sinks, showers, and faucets
Difficulty making soap lather, leading to more detergent use
Dry, itchy skin and brittle hair
Water spots on dishes and glassware

These everyday nuisances stem from the mineral content in Raleigh’s water and highlight the importance of solutions like water softeners to improve water quality.

How Hard Water Impacts Your Household Systems

Beyond the inconvenience of residues and skin irritation, hard water can seriously affect your home’s infrastructure and appliances over time. The minerals in hard water begin to crystallize and form “scale” as water heats or sits in pipes and machinery. This scale buildup has far-reaching effects:

Reduced Efficiency of Appliances: Appliances such as water heaters and dishwashers become less efficient as the scale insulates heating elements, requiring more energy to perform the same task, increasing your utility bills.
Shortened Lifespan: Scale deposits cause mechanical wear and clog pipes, leading to costly repairs or the premature need to replace appliances.
Plumbing Problems: Accumulated scale reduces pipe diameter, which restricts water flow and increases pressure on your plumbing system.
Daily Cleaning Challenges: Soap scum and mineral deposits make it harder to clean surfaces and leave fabrics feeling rough and dull.

If left unaddressed, the effects of hard water can be frustrating and expensive for homeowners in Raleigh.

Why Water Softeners Are Essential for Raleigh Homes

Fortunately, water softeners provide a highly effective way to neutralize hard water’s impact on your home. These systems work by exchanging calcium and magnesium ions with sodium or potassium ions in a process called ion exchange, effectively “softening” the water.

Benefits of Water Softeners include:

Improved Water Quality for Everyday Use: Soft water feels smoother on skin and hair, and soap and detergents work more efficiently, saving you money on cleaning products.
Protection for Your Plumbing and Appliances: By preventing the buildup of scale, water softeners help appliances and plumbing last longer and function more efficiently.
Energy Savings: Appliances don’t have to work as hard with soft water—this translates into lower power and gas bills.
Cleaner Home: Enjoy spotless dishes, shiny fixtures, and brighter, softer laundry.
Reduced Maintenance: Less frequent repairs and less frequent descaling or pipe replacements mean less hassle and expense.

For Raleigh residents, investing in water softeners can be a long-term cost saver, improving comfort while preserving home systems.

Choosing the Right Water Softener for Your Home

Not all water softeners are created equal. Raleigh homeowners should be aware of the different types of water softening systems available and select the one best suited for their household size, water hardness level, and budget.

Salt-Based Ion Exchange Softeners: The most common and effective option, these systems replace minerals causing hardness with sodium or potassium ions.
Salt-Free Water Conditioners: These units do not remove minerals but alter their structure to prevent scale buildup. These can be an alternative for those avoiding added sodium.
Dual-Tank Systems: These provide continuous soft water even during regeneration cycles and are ideal for larger households.
Magnetic or Electronic Descalers: These devices attempt to reduce scale through magnetic fields, though their effectiveness is debated.

Determining the right system involves professional water testing and consultation to analyze your water quality and usage needs.

Why Choose Action Well & Pump for Water Softeners in Raleigh, NC?

With so many water treatment options on the market, working with an experienced expert ensures your specific problems are properly diagnosed and addressed. Action Well & Pump has extensive experience servicing the Raleigh area and understands the local water quality nuances.

Their expertise includes:

Comprehensive water testing to pinpoint hardness levels and other contaminants.
Personalized recommendations on the best water softeners tailored to your home.
Professional installation by trained technicians, ensuring your system operates flawlessly.
Ongoing maintenance and support to keep your softener performing optimally.

Choosing Action Well & Pump means getting trusted advice and dependable service, helping you get the most value from your water softener investment.

Get Softer Water and Protect Your Home—Contact Action Well & Pump Today!

Ready to experience the numerous benefits of soft water in your Raleigh home? Don’t let hard water take a toll on your plumbing, appliances, and comfort any longer. Call Action Well & Pump at 919-545-0155 now to schedule a comprehensive water quality assessment and discover the best water softening options for your household.

Visit our contact page to request a consultation or to learn more about how we deliver trusted water softener solutions tailored specifically for Raleigh, NC, residents.

Protect your home and family with cleaner, softer water—partner with Action Well & Pump, your experts in water softeners in Raleigh, NC.

The Impact of a Well Water Softener Installation on Water

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 17:09:05 GMT

When your well water leaves your skin dry and clothes dingy, the problem often lies in its hardness. Hard water can make everyday household tasks challenging and leave residents frustrated. The good news? A well water softener installation in High Point, NC, can drastically improve the quality of your water, making it better for bathing, cleaning, and cooking. Action Well & Pump is here to explain just how transformative a well water softener can be for your home.

How a Well Water Softener Enhances Your Daily Life

A well water softener installation can profoundly improve your daily life. It enhances water quality for bathing, making skin and hair feel smoother and cleaner.

Improved Water for Bathing

Your shower is a place to unwind or kickstart your day. Hard water, however, can ruin the experience by leaving a soapy residue on your skin and hair. A well water softener installation changes this. It removes the calcium and magnesium that cause hardness, making your water gentler. Softened water lathers better with soap, making your skin feel smoother and your hair shinier.

Better Water for Cleaning

Cleaning your home should not be a battle against stains and soap scum. Hard water leaves a film on your dishes, clouding your glassware and silverware. It also collects on bathroom and kitchen surfaces, leading to time-consuming scrubbing. With a well water softener installation, these chores become easier. Softened water prevents the build-up of soap scum, helping you keep your home spotless with less effort.

Improved Cooking and Drinking Water

Cooking with hard water can affect the taste and quality of your food. It even impacts your appliances, causing build-up that reduces their efficiency and lifespan. By using a well water softener, you ensure that the water is free from minerals that alter taste and accumulate in your kitchen gadgets. Your pasta, coffee, and soups will taste better, and your appliances will thank you for the extended life.

Broader Benefits of Softened Water

Softened water offers significant benefits beyond daily use.

Skin Health Improvements

Hard water is notorious for exacerbating skin conditions like eczema and leaving your skin feeling itchy and irritated. Softer water is kinder to your skin. It lets your natural oils remain, reducing the likelihood of flare-ups and making your skin feel more comfortable.

Superior Laundry Outcomes

Are your clothes fading and feeling stiff after washing? Hard water impacts the effectiveness of your detergent, leaving residues on fabrics. A well water softener helps detergents dissolve better and rinse out completely. Your clothes will look brighter and feel softer, prolonging their life and keeping your wardrobe looking its best.

Overall Household Comfort

Using soft water also means fewer maintenance headaches. Hard water buildup affects your plumbing, water heater, and appliances, leading to frequent repairs. By installing a well water softener, you can save on long-term maintenance costs and enjoy a smoother operation of your household systems.

Enhance Your Home’s Water Quality Today!

Considering the numerous benefits of a well water softener, it's clear how vital it is for homes. At Action Well & Pump, we specialize in well water softener installation in High Point, NC, tailored to your home's specific needs. Our team is ready to help you improve your water quality and overall comfort. Don't wait! Enhance your home’s water today. Contact us for expert well water softener services in High Point, NC.

Why High Point, NC, Homes Need a Well Filtration System

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 03:40:40 GMT

If you rely on well water in High Point, NC, ensuring its purity is crucial for your family’s health and your home’s plumbing. A well filtration system in High Point, NC , removes harmful contaminants, improves water taste, and protects your appliances. But why is filtration so important here? Let’s explore the key reasons.

Protect Your Home With a Well Filtration System in High Point, NC

Well water in High Point, NC, can contain sediment, iron, sulfur, and even bacteria due to local geology and runoff. Without a proper well filtration system installation in High Point, NC, these contaminants can lead to:

Unpleasant taste & odor (e.g., sulfur’s "rotten egg" smell)
Stains on sinks, tubs, and laundry from high iron content
Potential health risks from bacteria, nitrates, or heavy metals

Regular testing helps identify these issues, but a filtration system provides a long-term solution.

Health Benefits of a Well Filtration System in High Point, NC

Unfiltered well water may expose your family to:

Bacteria & parasites (E. coli, coliform)
Chemicals & heavy metals (lead, pesticides)
Hard water minerals cause dry skin & hair

A well filtration system in High Point, NC, removes these hazards, ensuring safer drinking, cooking, and bathing water.

How a Well Filtration System Saves Money in High Point, NC

While filtration systems require an upfront investment, they save money over time by:

• Reducing bottled water purchases

• Preventing appliance breakdowns

• Avoiding costly plumbing repairs

Choosing the Right Well Filtration System in High Point, NC

Every home’s water needs are different. At Action Well & Pump, we offer customized solutions, including:

• Sediment filters

• Water softeners

• UV purification systems

Get Clean, Safe Water Today!

Don’t wait until contaminants affect your health or damage your home. If you need a well filtration system in High Point, NC, call us today for expert installation and maintenance!

5 Common Problems Solved by Well Water Softener Installation in High Point, NC

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:17:39 GMT

For homeowners and property owners who rely on well water in High Point, NC, water quality can often be a source of frustration. If you're dealing with hard water, mineral buildup, or other water-related issues, well water softener installation in High Point, NC , can offer an effective solution. A well water softener in High Point, NC , is designed to address these common problems and improve the quality of your water. At Action Well & Pump, we specialize in providing professional solutions to these issues, ensuring that your well water is as clean and safe as possible. Below are five common problems solved by installing a well water softener.

1. Hard Water Stains and Scale Buildup

One of the most common issues well water users face is hard water. High levels of calcium and magnesium in the water can lead to unsightly stains on faucets, glassware, and shower doors, as well as mineral buildup in pipes and appliances. Over time, this scale can clog plumbing and reduce the efficiency of water heaters and dishwashers. Well water softener installation in High Point, NC , can help reduce the hardness of your water, preventing scale buildup and keeping your home’s plumbing system and appliances running smoothly.

2. Soap Scum and Decreased Lathering

Hard water makes it more difficult to lather soap and shampoo, leading to soap scum buildup on bathroom surfaces. If you're tired of constantly scrubbing your bathtub and shower to remove this stubborn residue, a well water softener in High Point, NC , can solve the problem. By softening the water, the soap will work more effectively, and you’ll have less scum to clean.

3. Dry Skin and Hair

If you notice that your skin feels dry or itchy after showering, or your hair feels rough and lacks shine, it could be due to hard water. The minerals in hard water can strip your skin and hair of natural oils, leaving them feeling irritated and dehydrated. Installing a well water softener in High Point, NC , can eliminate these issues by removing the harsh minerals from your water, leaving your skin and hair softer and healthier.

4. Damaged Appliances and Plumbing

Mineral buildup caused by hard water can wreak havoc on your plumbing and household appliances. Over time, these minerals can accumulate in water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, reducing their efficiency and lifespan. Pipes may also become clogged with scale, leading to reduced water flow and potential leaks. A well water softener installation in High Point, NC , helps protect your appliances and plumbing from this damage by reducing the amount of minerals in your water.

5. Increased Water Heating Costs

Hard water can make your water heater work harder than necessary. The scale buildup inside your water heater reduces its ability to heat water efficiently, causing it to consume more energy. This leads to higher utility bills. With well water softener installation in High Point, NC , you can prevent this issue by softening the water before it enters your water heater, ensuring that your appliance runs more efficiently.

Improve Your Water Quality With a Well Water Softener

If you’re tired of dealing with hard water problems, consider installing a well water softener in High Point, NC . At Action Well & Pump, we specialize in providing effective solutions to improve the quality of your well water. Whether you’re facing hard water stains, soap scum, or damaged plumbing, our team is here to help. Reach out to us for more information or to schedule an installation.

Red Water From Your Well: What It Means

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 23:47:54 GMT

Water is an essential resource for our daily lives. We use it for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. However, sometimes the water that comes from a well can turn red, which could be concerning. This blog post will guide you through what red water from your well means, why it happens, and what you can do about it.

What Causes Red Water From Your Well

There could be several reasons why your well water turns red. One of the most common reasons is high levels of iron in the water. When iron is present in the water, it can react with oxygen and create rust particles that turn the water a reddish-brown color. Manganese could also be the cause. Manganese is a natural element found in rocks and soil, and when it's in high levels in well water, it can turn the water red. Additionally, the presence of bacteria in the water can also turn it pink or red.

Is Red Water From Your Well Safe to Drink

The answer to this question depends on the cause of the red water. If the reddish water is due to iron in the water, the water is generally considered safe to drink, but it might taste metallic. However, when it's bacteria or other contaminants, it's essential to avoid drinking the water. Water contaminated with bacteria can cause gastrointestinal issues such as stomachaches and diarrhea.

How to Fix Red Water from Your Well

The first step to fixing red water from your well is to diagnose the cause of the problem. A water test can tell you if the water has high levels of iron or bacteria. Once the cause is determined, you can apply the correct solution. Installing a water softener or iron filter might help remove the excess iron or manganese. Additionally, using chlorination can kill bacteria and other microbes that cause discoloration and odor.

What a Professional Can Do

A professional well contractor with extensive expertise and years of experience possesses the necessary knowledge to meticulously assess the problem at hand and provide the most suitable solution. They have the ability to conduct water tests, enabling them to accurately identify the specific issue. Understanding the inner workings of wells, they can install water softeners or iron filters if that is the problem, or utilize chlorine to effectively eliminate bacteria if that is the concern.

You can rest assured that a skilled professional will thoroughly inspect your well, assessing the overall quality of your water supply, and ensuring the implementation of the most effective equipment to address the specific issue in a comprehensive manner. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality ensures that your water supply will be restored to optimal condition.

Preventive Measures

The best way to prevent red water from your well is to schedule regular maintenance and testing for your well. You should also make sure your well cap is secure and the well is adequately sealed to prevent the entry of contaminants. Additionally, if you live in an area with high iron content, flushing the well periodically prevents the buildup of sediments and minerals.

Water is an essential resource, and it's crucial to ensure it's safe to drink. If you notice that your well water turns red, it's essential to find out why and take appropriate action. Fixing red water from your well is straightforward, but it's critical to ensure you address the underlying issue to prevent future occurrences. Preventive measures such as regular testing and maintenance of the well can help you avoid the issue entirely. By understanding the causes of red water from your well, you can take the necessary steps to ensure you have safe and high-quality water for your daily needs.

If you have a problem with red or dirty water, contact us at Action Well & Pump Repair.

Testing Your Well Water: What You Need to Know

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:45:44 GMT

If you have a well pump that supplies water to your home, you might be wondering whether you should test the water quality and make sure it is safe to drink. Here is a bit of information about why testing your well water is important, how often you should do it, and what parameters you should test for.

Why Test Your Well Water?

Unlike public water systems that are regulated by the government and regularly tested for contaminants, private well owners are responsible for maintaining and testing their own water supply. Well water can be affected by various factors, such as the geology of the area, the depth and age of the well, the condition of the well equipment, and the activities on the land around the well.

Some well water contaminants can cause health problems. Other contaminants can affect the taste, smell, color, or hardness of the water.

How Often Should You Test Your Well Water?

The frequency of testing your well water depends on several factors, such as the type and location of your well, the history of the water quality in your area, and any changes in your water's appearance or taste.

However, you should typically test your well water at least once a year for dissolved solids, bacteria, nitrates, and pH levels. You should also test your well water whenever you notice any changes in your water's color, smell, or taste, or if you have any plumbing work done on your well system.

What Parameters Should You Test For?

There are multiple parameters to test when checking your well water. Here are some of them.

Bacteria

Bacteria are microscopic organisms that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses, such as diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, and fever. The most common type of bacteria that contaminate well water is coliform bacteria.

Coliform bacteria, such as E. coli, are found in the environment and in the feces of humans and animals. A positive coliform bacteria test indicates the presence of potentially harmful bacteria in the water.

Nitrates

Nitrates are compounds that contain nitrogen and oxygen. They are naturally present in soil and water at low levels. However, they can also come from human activities, such as fertilizer use, animal waste disposal, septic systems, and industrial processes.

High levels of nitrates in drinking water can cause a serious condition called methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome in infants under six months old. This condition reduces the ability of blood to carry oxygen and can cause alarming symptoms such as shortness of breath, bluish skin coloration, and even death.

Arsenic

Arsenic is a toxic element that occurs naturally in some rocks and soils. It can also come from mining operations, agricultural runoff, industrial waste, and wood preservatives. Arsenic can enter well water through erosion or leaching from these sources.

Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water can cause various health problems, such as skin lesions, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders.

Lead

Lead is a heavy metal that can contaminate well water through corrosion of pipes, solders, fittings, or fixtures that contain lead. Lead can also come from natural sources, such as rocks and soils.

Lead can cause serious health effects, especially in children and pregnant women. The substance can damage the brain, nervous system, kidneys, blood cells, and reproductive organs. It can also cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, anemia, and low birth weight.

Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. It can enter well water through cracks or openings in the ground or well casing.

Radon can be released into the air when using water for showering, washing, or cooking. Breathing radon can increase the risk of lung cancer, especially for smokers. Radon can also cause stomach cancer if ingested with drinking water.

To have your well water system tested, contact Action Well & Pump Repair. We can correct well water issues that could jeopardize your health.

Advances in Well and Pump Repair: Ensuring Reliable Water Supply

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 15:52:03 GMT

Water wells have long been a vital source of fresh water for residential, agricultural, and industrial needs. Ensuring the proper functioning of wells and pumps is crucial to maintaining a consistent water supply. Here are five significant advances in well and pump repair that have improved the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of water systems.

Advanced Pump Diagnostics

Effective pump repair starts with accurate diagnostics.

Remote Monitoring Systems: Many well systems now feature remote monitoring systems that continuously collect data on water levels, pump performance, and electrical usage. These systems send real-time alerts to homeowners and service providers when irregularities are detected, enabling prompt action before major issues arise.
Downhole Cameras: Downhole cameras are used to inspect the interior of wells without the need for costly and time-consuming excavation. They provide visual confirmation of problems such as sediment buildup, casing damage, or pump issues, allowing for more targeted repairs.

Modern technology has revolutionized the way well and pump issues are identified, making the process quicker and more precise.

Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)

Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are a game-changer in pump technology. They allow for precise control of pump speed and power consumption, resulting in significant energy savings and extended pump life.

Energy Efficiency: VFDs adjust the pump's speed to match the actual water demand, reducing energy consumption during periods of low usage. This not only lowers electricity bills but also minimizes wear and tear on the pump.
Soft Start and Stop: VFDs provide soft start and stop functions, reducing the stress on the pump and electrical system. This helps extend the pump's lifespan and reduces the likelihood of sudden failures.

These advancements make pump repair friendly on the environment and on energy costs.

High-Efficiency Pump Designs

Advancements in pump design have led to more efficient and durable pumps that require less maintenance.

Submersible Pumps: Submersible well pumps are now the standard due to their energy efficiency and reliability. They are sealed units that operate underwater, eliminating the need for priming and reducing the risk of contamination.
Corrosion-Resistant Materials: Many modern pumps are constructed from corrosion-resistant materials like stainless steel and composite plastics. This extends their lifespan, especially in regions with aggressive water chemistry.

Both of these pump design advances allow for pumps that can last longer in the conditions of a well.

Water Treatment Integration

Water treatment and filtration systems are increasingly integrated into well and pump systems to ensure water quality and safety.

UV Disinfection: Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems are used to treat well water by inactivating harmful microorganisms, ensuring that water is safe to drink.
Filtration and Softening: Water softeners and filtration systems can be incorporated into well systems to improve water quality by removing impurities, minerals, and unwanted tastes and odors.

Both of these systems create safer drinking water for all.

Renewable Energy Integration

As the world shifts towards sustainable practices, renewable energy sources are being integrated into well and pump systems.

Solar-Powered Pumps: Solar-powered well pumps harness energy from the sun to power water pumps. These systems are environmentally friendly and reduce energy costs, making them an ideal choice for remote or off-grid locations.
Wind-Powered Pumps: In windy regions, wind turbines can be used to generate electricity for well pumps. These systems offer a renewable and reliable source of power.

Homeowners and property managers should consider these advances when maintaining their water systems to ensure uninterrupted access to clean and safe water. Regular inspection and maintenance by qualified professionals are essential to keep these systems operating at their best.

Regardless of the problem you are having with your well or pump, we at Action Well & Pump Repair can handle it for you. You need to be sure your water supply is reliable. Give us a call and we will find the issue and solve it so you never have to worry about your water.

Essential Components of a Water Well System

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 21:50:42 GMT

Understanding the essential components of a water well system is crucial for homeowners, farmers, and anyone relying on well water to ensure a well-functioning and efficient water supply. Here are the key components that make up a water well system, shedding light on their individual roles and collective importance in delivering safe and abundant water.

Well Casing

The well casing is a large tube inserted into the well opening and helps keep the well accessible and prevents groundwater contamination. This tube serves as the basis for the rest of the well's construction and holds everything in place. The regulations in your region may specify the minimum length of the casing.

The casing may be made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, metal (stainless or carbon steel), or a composite of these two. The material you choose will depend on your initial budget, the quality of the underlying water source, and the prevailing geological conditions. PVC casings are more common in modern wells because they are more resistant to corrosion and other forms of degradation.

Screen

A well screen is a form of sieve installed in a well to filter out big debris that could otherwise clog the pump or cause other plumbing problems in the house. Typically constructed from stainless steel, the well screen is installed at the well's base to further filter groundwater before it enters the well's casing.

Pitless Adapter

A pitless adapter is an instrument used to join a well's casing to the structure's water distribution pipeline in a hygienic and leak-proof fashion. Once a frost line is found, the pitless adapter is connected to the well casing beneath the frost line to prevent the water from solidifying.

The pitless adapter allows easy access to the well's pump and other parts for upkeep and repairs.

Well Cap

A well cap is a top-mounted, watertight lid that encloses the well system's outer casing. The well cap keeps dirt, insects, rodents, and their waste from falling into the well and contaminating the water supply. Most well caps consist of aluminum or thermoplastic and include a sturdy vent screen.

Well caps also prevent water from leaking out. When water moves through the well system, the cap lets air out and keeps the pressure both within and outside the well the same. The well cap is easily removable to allow for well maintenance.

Pressure Tank

A pressure tank, often called an expansion tank, measures and modifies water pressure. The tank connects to the pump's input and discharge, and uses pressurized air or another gas to lessen the number of times the pump needs to cycle.

A pressure switch in the tank triggers the pump to pull more water from the source when the waters pressure drops below a specified threshold. This additional water remains in the tank and the cycle repeats until the necessary pressure is obtained.

In most configurations, the tank can come with a pressure gauge and on/off switch for the pump. Pressure tanks are available in a wide range of sizes and often consist of steel or polyethylene. Most well owners favor steel tanks due to their durability and long-term cost savings, whereas polyethylene tanks are prized for their lack of leak potential and safety.

Well Pump

A well pump draws water up from a well from the aquifer, which is the water-bearing rock structure underneath the well. The well pump also feeds water into the pressure tank to store extra water for emergencies. Well pumps can either use a submersible pump or jet pump.

Submersible pumps are commonly employed in deep wells because of their ability to raise water from below ground level. In contrast, a jet pump is ideal for shallow wells.

Contact us at Action Well & Pump Repair for well services like filtration, pump repair, and tank maintenance. We serve most outlier locations in North Carolina.

Why Do You Have Red/Orange Dirty Water Stains?

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:55:30 GMT

You would likely be alarmed that, instead of crystal-clear water, you see dirty water coming out of your faucet, around your bathroom, or in a glass of water. What could cause this problem? Discover some common causes of dirty water in a home’s water supply.

You Have a Surplus of Iron

A likely reason is that your water has a sudden influx of iron. Iron displays itself as rusty red or orange. A lot mistake iron for mud. While iron will not likely make you sick, it can stain your toilets, sinks, appliances, clothes and hair. That can cause major frustration and potential replacement costs.

So where does the iron come from? Iron forms from stagnated water in the well column.

So what you can do when your well water has iron contamination? You can treat your water. Iron filtration systems are highly effective in removing iron from your water. Additionally, you can also install an aeration device at the well and a reverse osmosis system at the kitchen sink.

A backwash iron filtration system will get rid of all types of iron. Ferrous iron causes the water to turn red/orange after a period of time has passed. Ferric iron comes out of the fixture already red or orange. Iron can also be found in the color of black which is called Magnesium. A well water expert can help you determine the iron type and the best treatment for it.

You Can Rely On Us

When you have red/orange dirty water and stains in your home, do not despair. Instead, turn to Action Well and Pump. We know the steps to take remedy the situation. We are able to deal with any well water issues.

Get in touch with us today to discuss your red/orange dirty water situation. We look forward to helping you have clear water and stain-free plumbing. Let us know of any questions or concerns you have. Never compromise on healthy drinking water.

8 Factors to Consider When Buying a Water Pump

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 23:41:40 GMT

A pump is a machine that can move water from one location to another. Water pumps are essential in households, especially if you want to pump water from a well.

Several factors come into play when you want to buy a new water pump. We've collected eight things to consider when buying a water pump.

1. Flow Rate

Flow rate refers to a water pump's efficiency. The rate denotes the time the pump takes to move a certain amount of water. Typically, the measurement records the number of liters per minute.

Choose a pump that can move enough water for your needs. If you are looking to supply water to a farm or job site, a flow rate above 2500 liters per minute is necessary. In contrast, a flow rate of about 200 liters per minute may be perfect for normal household water requirements.

2. Inlet Size

The average measurement of the inlet ranges from 1 to 6 inches, although bigger sizes exist. Generally, a big inlet guarantees faster water speeds at the outlet. If you want to complete your job quickly, choose a pump with a relatively larger inlet.

3. Maximum Head

Maximum head refers to the farthest distance from which the pump has to pull the water. The maximum head becomes greater as the depth increases.

Normally, you need to select a pump with a maximum head that is slightly greater than the water depth. This choice is meant to cater to the inevitable fluctuations in water levels. For example, if you have a water well that is 50m deep, your water pump should have a depth of 60m.

4. Pump Capacity

Pump capacity refers to the amount of energy the pump requires to move a specific amount of water. This energy is usually in the form of electrical power. The optimal pump capacity depends on the required water discharge and depth. A pump with high capacity will perform better but use a lot of electricity.

5. Size of the House

The size of your house will determine the type and model of the selected pump. The pump choice will also depend on the type and number of appliances in your house that use water.

Pump manufacturers typically measure pump size in gallons per minute (GPM). A pump that measures 12 GPM can supply enough water to a four-bedroom house . Such a pump allows you to use every fixture and appliance daily.

6. Type of Pump

Pumps are available in many types. The first type is a submersible pump that consists of a valve, motor, and pump. The submersible pump can function properly inside the water as long as you submerge the pump fully.

Jet pumps are another common type of pump that you can use in your home. These pumps have a motor that will push water at high speeds.

You can also choose a centrifugal pump that comes with a fan. This pump uses a suction mechanism and is more affordable than other types of pumps.

7. Pump Environment

Outdoor pumps require special materials and installation for protection from weather elements. For instance, the pump can easily freeze when the temperature drops. Other environmental considerations include dust and vapors.

8. Water Properties

Water may have different properties that can affect the performance of your pump. You need to know the temperature and viscosity of the water before you buy a pump. Also, consider if there are any solids present in the water.

Protect Your Pump

A pump is essential if you live out in the country and get your water from a well. Nevertheless, the pump may experience problems that may require some repairs.

Action Well & Pump will help you to repair the pump, tanks, and well liners. Reach out to us today to get help with your pumps.

4 Types of Water Filtration Systems Ideal for Your Well Water

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 14:45:43 GMT

A well can be a reliable source of water for your home, especially if you live in the countryside. However, well water may contain viruses, bacteria, chemicals, and other harmful things. These toxic substances can cause diseases or damage your property. Therefore, install a filtration system to purify your well water.

Choosing the most appropriate filtration system can be tricky, so know about the types of water filtration systems.

1. Activated Carbon Filter

An activated carbon filter can extract bacteria, chemicals, and other substances from well water. The filter can also remove any foul smell in the water.

A carbon filter uses raw carbon to treat well water. The process starts when the carbon particles expand due to an increase in temperature. These larger particles will attract and trap any impurities in the water passing through the filter.

Two types of activated carbon filters exist: point-of-entry and whole-house systems. Whole-house systems will be at the point where well water enters your house. These systems use a double filtration system to remove any impurities before the water enters your house. Whole-house filters may also have testing ports to determine the purity of water before, during, and after filtration.

Point-of-use systems are behind a specific faucet in your home. This filter is ideal if you get your household water from multiple sources.

2. Iron Filtration

If your well water has too much iron, you might experience a metallic taste or have stained plumbing fixtures. The best way to combat these issues is with an iron filtration system.

These systems are often either point-of-use or whole-house systems. They often use both oxidation and filtration to provide cleaner and clearer water. The amount of iron in your well water can determine the best system and filtration methods for your home.

Usually, with oxidation, it attracts the iron, which allows the iron to become easier to capture. Then, through filtration, the iron filter simply traps the iron and doesn’t allow it to pass. However, frequent filter cleaning is necessary to keep the filter unclogged and take out all the collected iron.

3. Ultraviolet Filter

An ultraviolet (UV) filter can detect and eliminate microorganisms in well water. The device works by focusing UV rays on the water passing through the filter. The rays will penetrate and destroy the cellular structure of microorganisms in the water.

A UV filtration system can kill protozoa, bacteria, and viruses. However, the UV may be unable to pierce the cell walls of certain microorganisms. Hence, if your water testing reveals the presence of hard-to-kill organisms, buy a UV filter that explicitly targets these microorganisms.

In addition, your filtration system will only work if the system connects to an uninterrupted electric supply. Consequently, buy a UV filter that stops water flow into the house in case a blackout occurs.

4. Reverse Osmosis Filter

The reverse osmosis filter has a membrane that can remove debris, chemicals, and microorganisms from well water. The filtration system takes advantage of solubility differences in the water. Reverse osmosis is effective because it can remove total dissolved substances from the water.

A key disadvantage of reverse osmosis is that the filter indiscriminately removes all particles from the water, including beneficial minerals. Consequently, filtered water may have poor taste and minimal health benefits. The solution may be to add post-filtration tools that add minerals to the water to enhance the flavor.

Wells can supplement your home's water supply, but the water may contain impurities. As a result, you need to choose the right filtration system and work with a qualified well services provider, such as Action Well and Pump. We provide multiple services, such as water filtration and water well pump repair. Contact us for all your water well needs. We look forward to helping you have the best well water for your home. Let us know what we can do for you.

Dirty Water? Confused about what type of filtration is right for you? Watch this youtube video for more information.

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 01:14:56 GMT

Looking to filter the iron issue you may be experiencing? This excellent video explains why filtration is so important. Never compromise the quality of your water! Give Action Well & Pump a call today. Copy and paste the link below into your web browser.

https://youtu.be/s6tCyuFzis0

Should You Add a Pressurized Bladder or Holding Tank to Your Well?

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 15:29:02 GMT

Your water well is a vital part of maintaining a healthy and comfortable home. But does it include a holding tank? If not, it's a good time to consider the many benefits of this valuable water management tool. Here's what well owners should know about pressured bladder and holding tanks.

What Is a Pressurized Bladder and Holding Tank?

A holding tank connected to a well serves as a storage device to store your water. The well pumps water into the tank on a regular basis to keep it at a preset level. Then, when you turn on a tap or faucet, the water comes from this tank rather than from the pump itself.

Of course, you generally don't want water for your home or land to come trickling out of the tank based solely on gravity. Many well water storage tanks use a pressure, or bladder, system to create water pressure. This system uses the buildup of pressure from the rising water inside the tank to create the potential energy needed to force that water out when you turn on a tap.

How Does a Holding Tank Help You?

If your well works okay, why add a storage tank? One of the best, most valuable reasons is to reduce the burden on your water well pump.

Every time you turn on a faucet, the pump must turn on and push that water out to your home. However, this means extra work for the pump and more cycling on and off — a process known as short-cycling. This wears down that pump and cause it to reach its expiration date sooner than it would otherwise.

A pressure tank allows the pump to work only when the tank gets low enough to signal that more water is needed to replenish it. The rest of the times you turn on that tap, the pressure tank does the same job through hydropneumatics.

The pressurization aspect of the tank also helps equalize the water pressure to your home. Because the pump stores the water in the tank before use, you may experience less disruption from the pump needing to draw it out each time upon request.

Where Can You Learn More?

You should take the decision to install a pressurized bladder and holding tank to an existing or planned well seriously. While it has a number of benefits, including lowering pump expenses, it must fit your household water use to be effective. Start by learning more about how these systems work and how they might fit with your particular well.

Action Well & Pump Repair can help. We'll work with you to assess your goals and budget and find the right solution for you. Call today to make an appointment or get answers to your questions about tanks, wells, pumps, and more.

3 Common Types Of Residential Well Pumps

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 18:15:01 GMT

Every home requires a consistent water supply for drinking and maintaining hygiene. However, not all homes in the United States have access to a constant water supply from the municipal water system. For this reason, many homeowners rely on well water.

If you have a well, you need a pump to help you move water from your well into your home. Nevertheless, you need to understand the different types of well pumps available since not all pumps can match your well. This article highlights three different types of well pumps commonly used for residential wells.

1. Submersible

A submersible well pump is a long cylindrical metal device placed within the well to pump water. This pump uses a motor to draw groundwater and pumps it up via a flow sleeve into the reservoir above the ground.

A submersible well pump is popular among many people since this pump has a powerful suction force, allowing your pump to move water over long distances. Furthermore, this pump utilizes gravity in the pumping process, meaning your energy costs will reduce. For these reasons, a submersible pump is suitable for deep wells.

Another factor that makes a submersible pump popular is its durability. According to most people, this pump can serve you up to 25 years , allowing you to save on the cost of buying new well pumps regularly.

A submersible pump lasts long for several reasons. First, since you have to place this pump underwater, its engine is constantly cold, meaning the motors won't burn out quickly. Also, this pump is watertight, preventing water from reaching the motor. If water reaches your motor, it will corrode the metal parts and your pump may stop working.

2. Jet

A jet pump is simply a non-submersible well pump that draws water from a well via a suction pipe to provide water for domestic use. Since you don't have to install this pump within the well, maintaining this pump is quite easy.

Jet pumps come in two major types:

Single-drop . This jet pump is similar to a submersible well pump in terms of features and functionality. The only difference between the two pumps is that a single-drop pump can only draw water from a shallow well. Additionally, you'll have to install a single-drop jet pump within your home.
Double-drop . A double drop pump is more powerful than a single-drop pump. This pump has more impellers and diffusers than the single-drop jet pump. Moreover, this pump has a jet injector that enables your pump to draw water from a deep well. Although you'll install the jet unit within the well, the impeller motor remains above the ground.

One thing worth noting about a jet pump is that this pump requires priming to work properly. Priming refers to refilling your jet pump with water before it begins to operate. Operating a dry pump can permanently damage your pump.

3. Centrifugal

A centrifugal well pump is a device that comes with impellers to help you draw water from the well into your home. When these impellers rotate, they create a suction force and draw water. Once water enters the fast-rotating impeller, the machine casts water throughout the impeller's perimeter through centrifugal force. As the impeller rotates, it pushes water to the pump's outlet.

There are several advantages of using a centrifugal well pump. First, this pump doesn't have drive seals, eliminating corrosion risks. This pump is also affordable compared to other pumps.

Nevertheless, a centrifugal pump is small, meaning this pump cannot draw water from a deep well.

A well pump is an essential device in any home that depends on well water since this machine helps to supply cleaner water and cut water costs. However, you need to consult an expert before buying a well pump since not all wells fit your pump. For more information on well pumps, contact Action Well & Pump repair.

4 Reasons to Install a Whole-House Filtration System for Your Well Water Supply

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 18:12:35 GMT

Many homes across the country are reliant on well water. In fact, the EPA reports that over 13 million households receive their primary water supply from wells. An efficient water filtration mechanism will improve the safety and quality of your well water supply. While there are many filtering systems to choose from, whole-house filters provide an all-in-one solution for dealing with untreated water.

Whole-house filters connect to your home's main supply line and actively filter heavy metals, pathogens, and bacteria from incoming water. If you need to improve the quality of your well water, here are four reasons why a whole-house filtration system is the best option.

1. Many Water Filtering Mechanisms to Choose From

Whole-house filters use various mechanisms to remove heavy metals, pathogens, and other contaminants from well water. For example, carbon filters work by using activated carbon blocks to attract and absorb parasites, lead, and bacteria. And because carbon filters are easy to install, you can lower setup costs and reduce installation times.

Whole-house systems also use reverse osmosis, water ionizers, and infrared filters to remove contaminants from well water. Reverse osmosis filters use pressure and a porous membrane to filter heavy metals and fluorides. Water ionizers leverage the polarity of water to induce an electric charge on the filter. In this way, some heavy metals and pesticides will bind to the filter if they're oppositely charged. Infrared systems use a combination of light and heat to kill bacteria and eliminate minerals from hard water.

2. Centralized Water Softening

Speaking of hard water, most wells contain water with a high mineral supply. This hard water could crystallize on your plumbing fixtures and cause blockage. You can avoid plumbing issues by installing a whole-house filtration system with in-built water softening. The water softening component uses a salt-free mechanism to remove minerals without discharging them into the environment. So if you have a septic tank, you won't have to worry about soil contamination after the water softening process.

Efficient water softening technology doesn't reduce your home's water pressure or waste the incoming water supply. And because the softening occurs on your main lines, you'll enjoy centralized water filtration and softening at the same time.

3. Advanced Iron Filtration

Iron is one of the most notorious heavy metals in well water. If left unchecked, iron may accumulate in pipes, infuse a metallic taste in drinking water, and even clog up your appliances. Effective iron removal involves more than just using standard filtration methods.

A whole-house iron filter can oxidize iron deposits and filter them into a separate holding tank. Some iron filters will also remove other heavy metals, such as manganese. Because the installation process is quick and convenient, iron filters only need minimal maintenance.

4. Higher Sanitation Standards

If you're concerned about sanitation in your well water, you can use a multi-stage filtering system. Multi-stage systems use a combination of filtration mechanisms to kill as many bacteria and pathogens as possible. For example, carbon, reverse osmosis, and resin filters work alongside chlorine injections to remove organic contaminants and inorganic particles.

A multi-stage process also results in fresh-tasting water that you can drink directly from the faucet. And because the filtration process is scalable, you can treat large quantities of incoming water to meet the demand of your home.

Whole-house filtration systems are an excellent solution for treating well water. Therefore, consider investing in effective filtration systems to improve sanitation and reduce maintenance costs. At Action Well and Pump, we specialize in a wide range of water well services. Whether you're having pump issues or you need a new filtration system installed, contact us to make sure the job is done right.

Water Well Pumps: Benefits, Common Problems, and Professional Repair Services

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:03:18 GMT

Did you know that millions of people in the United States get their drinking water from private or domestic wells? If you wonder why so many people opt for this water source, consider that water wells are reliable water sources that help you cut utility bills while simultaneously providing clean and healthy drinking water.

To enjoy these benefits, you need a quality well pump. This machine enables you to pump water from the well to various areas of your home or water storage facility. Read on to learn the benefits of owning a water well pump, common issues that affect these devices, and their best remedies.

Benefits of Owning a Water Well Pump

Owning a water well with a state-of-the-art well pump is vital. Installing this equipment in your well offers you the following benefits:

Access to Clean, Tasty Water

If you relied on tap water before installing a water well on your property, you likely consumed awful-tasting water at some point. Or maybe you experienced your tap water smelling like spoiled eggs. That smell may have resulted from a high hydrogen sulfide concentration. Chemicals, like chlorine, and metals, like copper, often contaminate public water systems, affecting the water’s taste.

Since you manage and monitor the condition of your well, you can take measures necessary in ensuring your household has access to clean, good-tasting water. One of the best ways to achieve that end involves hiring well experts to install filters and other water treatment systems like reverse osmosis and ion exchange equipment to purify your water.

Reduced Costs

Drilling a residential well on your property can be costly, especially when your finances are constrained. Luckily, well pumps are quite affordable, and the entire residential well drilling and pump installation project is extremely cost-efficient in the end. The average US household spends $1,000 annually on water costs. You can reduce this cost and bolster your savings by using water from a residential well. Therefore, if you want to avoid high-metered utility water bills, especially when you use irrigation or sprinkler systems regularly, install a well on your property.

Common Water Well Pump Issues

Unfortunately, well pumps, like other machines, are susceptible to breakdowns. Common issues you are likely to encounter while using these pieces of equipment include:

Failure to Pump Water

Turning on a faucet only for nothing to come out is frustrating. After all, you need water to cook, clean, and execute various other tasks. If your home has this problem, your water well pump may be faulty. These machines often fail to pump water due to a lack of power or blown fuses.

A failing well pump can also trip the circuit breaker, leading to no water. To determine why your water well system isn't providing water as required, call a water well and pump expert to troubleshoot and fix any prevalent issues immediately.

Murky Water

Having a water well on your property can provide you with a constant supply of clean and safe drinking water. That's why you should be concerned when murky or muddy water comes out of your faucets. Two main causes of this problem are water level changes and a collapsing water well structure.

To make matters worse, your drinking water will fill with grit and sand as the problem aggravates and the pump pulls from shallow waters. That is why you should seek a reputable well and pump repair expert when your system starts providing muddy, murky, or cloudy water.

Hire Water Well Pump Experts

Residential water well system and pump problems are common. However, if your residential well is misbehaving, assign repairs to trained and certified experts, especially if the well in question is your primary source of drinking water. Hire Action Well & Pump professionals today for all your water well and pump repair needs. Our repair technicians will ensure your household has access to safe and clean water again in no time.

2 Common Sources of Well Water Contamination & How to Combat Them

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 23:05:15 GMT

If you just purchased a home equipped with a water well, then you understand the importance of keeping your well water free from harmful contaminants that can endanger your family's health. However, you may not understand how contaminants enter the groundwater that supplies your well and just where these contaminants come from.

Read on to learn about two common sources of well water contamination and how to combat the problems they can cause.

1. Landfills

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has many regulations in place designed to protect the groundwater that supplies wells from landfill contamination. However, no method is foolproof.

Landfill leachate - a liquid by-product of waste decomposition that can contain a wide variety of hazardous chemicals, bacteria, and other pathogens - can enter the groundwater near a landfill as garbage decomposes.

While landfills are typically equipped with linings and special drainage systems that collect leachate and guide it into containers for disposal before it enters the surrounding soil, these linings and drainage systems can malfunction, leading to inefficient containment and collection of this hazardous liquid.

Leachate often contains e. coli bacteria, nitrate, and heavy metals. While the ingestion of hazardous bacteria can lead to many types of illness, consumption of heavy metals, such as arsenic and manganese, and other contaminants found in leachate can increase the risk of cancer.

The best way to prevent landfill leachate from entering your water is to ensure the well is installed as far away from local landfills as possible. The EPA requires at least 500 to 800 meters of distance between residential water wells and municipal solid waste landfills.

Have water well experts test your well water for contaminants at least once a year. If contaminants, such as those found in leachates, are found in your well water, the well expert will help you determine the pollution source and find ways to remove these pollutants from your well water.

2. Septic systems

When septic systems are designed and working properly, they should not pollute the groundwater. However, failing systems, septic tanks with cracks in them, and ill-designed septic tank drainfields can fail to remove all hazardous bacteria from wastewater, or effluent, before it is discharged into the ground where it can then seep down into the local groundwater supply.

In addition, wastewater that surfaces in your yard during septic system back-ups can enter your well through cracks in the well casing or loose well caps.

Shallow water wells are more likely to suffer from septic system contamination, and when installed very close to septic systems, wells can be contaminated by bacteria such as e.coli found in septic tank effluent.

The first step to preventing water well contamination from septic systems is to check local regulations and ensure your well is located the required distance from your own or neighbors' septic systems. Next, have your septic system inspected on a regular basis to ensure it is working properly and remove harmful bacteria and other pathogens from wastewater before it is discharged into the soil.

Have your well inspected regularly for well casing cracks, damaged well caps, and other problems that can make your well more susceptible to contamination from any pathogens in the surrounding soil.

Finally, every homeowner who has both a water well and septic system on their property should install an ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection system in their well to safeguard against pathogens in septic system effluent. These light systems kill many types of harmful pathogens in well water, including e. coli and even many bacteria that are resistant to chlorine disinfection.

If your family obtains your drinking water from a well, now you know two common sources of water well contamination and how to prevent the water well pollution that they can cause. Contact the experts at Action Well & Pump Repair for all of your water well needs, including UV light disinfection system installation, today.

An Introduction to 2 Types of Water Well Pumps

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 18:25:47 GMT

Water wells are the primary source of water for 15 percent of the U.S. population - over 43 million people. Water wells vary in size, depth, and design based on the specific needs of each home, and the types of well pumps vary as well.

Using a water well is the most affordable way to provide your home with clean water. However, if you use well water for the first time, you may not be familiar with well pump usage, service, and repair. Learn more with this introduction to the three types of water well pumps, as well as their strengths and weaknesses, to help you get the most out of your water well.

1. Submersible Pumps

As you might infer from their name, submersible pumps go below the surface of the water in your well. Submersible pumps come in several sizes for use in both shallow and deep water wells. While above-water pumps use suction to pull water up from a well, submersible pumps push water upward instead.

Utilizing a push design allows submersible pumps to be made with very simple constructions. Most submersible pumps consist only of a hermetically sealed electric motor, an impeller to draw in water, and a tube to transfer water to the surface. A simpler design means fewer possible points of failure, so submersible pumps often last several years longer than other types of well pumps.

2. Hand-Crank Pumps

A hand-crank pump is any device that you must operate manually to draw water from a well. Hand pumps were one of the first mechanical solutions for extracting well water. Unlike other types of well pumps, hand-crank pumps are not meant to be relied on for everyday usage in modern homes with well water. However, a hand-crank pump is always good to have in the event of a power outage.

Most hand-crank pumps use a valve and a piston or diaphragm to extract water by creating suction. Deep well hand pumps are even usable for wells hundreds of feet underground. These pumps connect to a machined cylinder at the bottom of the well that pushes water upward when a person cranks the pump.

No matter what type of water well pump you have, it will benefit from regular inspections by a well pump repair professional. Well pumps usually do not require much in the way of care and maintenance, but a few issues can appear from time to time. Get in touch with Action Well and Pump today so you can rely on our team of professionals for all of your water well and well pump service needs. We look forward to helping you soon.

Does Your Water Smell Like Rotten Eggs? You Can Fix It

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 21:30:31 GMT

When you turn on your faucets, you expect clean, free-flowing water that does not have a smell to gush forth. Unfortunately, this is not always the case if you use well water. Some well owners smell a horrible odor. This odor is sulfur and often smells like a rotten egg. There are a couple of questions you must ask yourself to help to determine if this smell could becoming from your well or your water heater. Once you determine the source, there are some steps you can take to get rid of it.

When Do You Smell It?

One of the first things to figure out is exactly when you smell the odor. Do you smell it at all times or only when you turn on your hot water faucets? If you smell the odor anytime your water is running, hydrogen sulfide gas in your well is the most likely culprit.

The natural decay of organic matter within your well creates a bacteria that feeds off the small amounts of sulfur found in water. These bacteria thrive and multiply by converting the decaying organic compounds into energy. Hydrogen sulfide becomes a by-product due to the lack of oxygen in a deep well.

The smell being only discernable when the hot water is on may indicate that the odor is generated by your hot water heater and not your well. Some electric water heaters use a magnesium anode to reduce corrosion and increase the life of your water heater. A chemical reaction between the magnesium anode and the naturally occurring sulfate in your water can cause hydrogen sulfide.

A simple test can determine if hydrogen sulfide is present in your water. Tests can be performed using home testing kits available at many of your big box stores. You can also consult your local health department or local county extension agents for testing resources in your area.

How Do You Fix It?

Where the hydrogen sulfate is will determine how you remove the odor. If the problem is in your water heater, the fix may be as simple as replacing the magnesium anode with an aluminum rod. Swapping the metals will eliminate the chemical reactions causing the hydrogen sulfide.

If the odor is originating in your well, there are several ways to fix it. They each have different price points and maintenance requirements.

Shock Chlorination Treatment

Using liquid or granulated shock chlorination treatment is one of the simplest, quickest, and cheapest ways to address hydrogen sulfide in your well. This treatment involves pouring a chlorine-based product directly into your well to kill the organic bacteria that is causing the odor.

While shock chlorination may work for a short time and eliminate the odor, you run the risk of the bacteria quickly returning. High levels of chlorine can also kill the beneficial bacteria in your septic system.

Oxidizing Filters

When placed on the incoming water line, these point-of-entry devices use a variety of mediums to convert the dissolved contaminants and gases into solid particles. Once solid, the filters can then eliminate these particles from your water.

Oxidizing filters require regular backwashing to keep the particles from clogging the filters and allowing sludge to enter your plumbing system. Filters constructed from certain mediums may need to be regenerated from time to time. While some filters can be restored using certain chemicals, others will need to be serviced by the vendor.

Sulfur Eliminator

One way to eliminate hydrogen sulfate from your well is to introduce oxygen. The sulfur eliminator circulates the water in your well through the device, reintroduces the oxygenated water back into your well, and releases the stinky gases into the air. Once treated for a very short period, your well water will no longer smell.

Action Well & Pump Repair can help you identify and eliminate the source of the rotten egg smell coming out from your well system. Give us a call today.

5 Compelling Reasons To Own A Water Well

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 13:30:25 GMT

Perhaps you live in a rural area with no municipal water supply. If this is the case, you should consider investing in a water well for your home. Private wells are now quite popular that even people living in urban and suburban areas are now drilling them, and it's easy to see why.

Water wells gives you peace of mind for a few reasons. Your hydration needs are easily met, they are lenient to your pocket, and the well water packs amazing health benefits.

Check out the benefits you will enjoy from having a private water well on your property.

1. Reliable Supply

The municipal water supply is quite handy for city dwellers. However, the supply is unreliable, especially if the water mains break or other emergencies arise. With your private water well, you know your water source and worries about sewer contamination are non-existent.

You will not pay the extra fees of pumping water from miles away to your home because you have water nearby that you can use anytime you wish.

2. Free Water

One primary reason why people drill water wells is to enjoy the freedom it brings. After drilling your well, the water you pump into your faucet is entirely free. You will not incur any municipal fees or monthly bills. Some states actually offer you a federal tax credit for installing a well on your property.

That notwithstanding, you must be ready to incur the cost of periodic water well maintenance from a well-recognized environmental company. This step ensures that you continually have safe water for use at home.

3. Property Value

Your property value will significantly improve after building a water well. Factors such as the well's condition and the age of the water influence the property's value. So if you haven't used the water well for some time and plan to sell your home, try to engage water treatment services to ensure the well is in good shape.

A property with a maintained water well is always attractive to potential home buyers. In addition, if you are a farmer, an irrigation well is a sure property value booster.

4. Environmentally Friendly

The municipal water goes through a vigorous treatment process to make it safe for consumption. The process uses considerable energy, which negatively impacts the environment. Well water, however, has the earth as its natural filter. The rocks and sand in the underground aquifers naturally filter the water and remove any contamination.

With a fresh and healthy water supply in your home, you can kiss the bottled variety goodbye. Well water is eco-friendly since it's not chemically treated like municipal water. With renewable well water in place, you will not need to use methods that harm the environment to get water.

5. Health Benefits

In general, treatment plants remove the natural minerals in water that are good for your health. Fortunately, well water usually retains all the essential natural minerals that can improve your health and enhance its taste.

Although it's a good call to test water for any pollutants, most well water is usually safe for consumption. If the well has hard water, invest in a filtration system instead of settling for the chlorine or fluoride-treated tap water.

Apart from meeting your hydration needs and easing digestion, natural unfiltered water helps maintain healthy skin, keeps the heart in good shape, and improves brain function. Water is also good for inflamed joints and muscles and helps with weight loss.

It's paramount that you work with a professional who knows the ins and outs of water wells. Talk to us at Action Well & Pump Repair for all your water well needs. We have the equipment and experience to handle all your water well issues.

Hard Water in Your Home? What to Know

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 21:56:08 GMT

One common nuisance to many households is hard water. Hard water comes with a lot of inconveniences and unwanted costs. So, what is hard well water? What are the signs you have hard water in your home? What is the appropriate remedy for hard water? Read on to find out.

What Is Hard Water?

Simply put, hard water is water with an abundance of mineral content, mainly magnesium and calcium. As water percolates through the underground rocks, the collected minerals dissolve in the water. If you usually use well water at home, it's probably hard water.

Although magnesium and calcium aren't necessarily harmful, hard water sediments are known to harbor harmful bacteria. Any water with more than three grains per gallon (GPG) falls in the hard water category.

What Are the Signs of Hard Water?

You might ignore the hard water signs until it begins to emit a foul smell. Discover some common signs to look out for.

Excess Soap Scum

Scum usually forms after using soap in hard water. You will often find white spots in washing machines, sinks, and the dishwasher. These hard water spots occur after the water evaporates and leaves calcium residue on the soap.

Sometimes, the soap scum can harbor bacteria and create a hygiene hazard. Although you can remove the scum with a scrub, it will still re-occur if you don't treat the water.

Low Flow Rate

Low water flow rate and frequent clogging of the pipes indicate hard water. Sometimes, limescale buildup in the pipes can choke off the water flow. This occurrence is particularly evident when water won't flow through the small holes of the showerhead due to clogging.

Also, hard water does not react effectively with soap and makes it hard to achieve a good lather when bathing. When you find a soapy residue on your body after bathing, blame it on the hard water.

Rough Clothing

Do your jeans and towels feel rough and stiff? Rough clothing happens after the mineral deposits stick on fabrics and the hard water can't thoroughly rinse the deposits off. If the hard water is left untreated, washing clothes with the hard water will eventually discolor and weaken the fabric, and you have to spend more on new clothes.

Irritation Issues

After bathing in hard water, you will hardly wash away all the soap. The soap residue dries the skin and makes it itchy, especially sensitive skin like babies. Hard water might also trigger skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema, especially in small children.

High Water Bills

The mineral buildup can damage or corrode pipes and other water-using appliances. This corrosion forces you to spend more on repairs. Plus, magnesium and calcium buildup can crack pipes and cause leaks. Also, when limescale builds up, your boiler might struggle to heat water and result in high utility bills.

What Is the Solution for Hard Well Water?

Tired of rough clothing, irritation issues, and increasing water bills? Discover some solutions you can explore.

Washing Soda

You can use washing soda when doing laundry. Washing soda contains carbonic acid salt that softens hard water. This chemical removes all the magnesium and calcium in the water so that soap can lather up faster.

Filtration System

A well water filtration system not only gets rid of the calcium and magnesium but also eliminates cloudiness, tastes, and odors. You can drink the water, cook with it, and even garden without any worries. A filtration system is one of the most effective hard water treatment options.

Is hard water giving you sleepless nights? We have a solution for you. Contact Action Well and Pump . Our filtration system will filter all the water coming to your house so you can enjoy clean and healthy water from now on.

4 Well Services to Help Improve the Taste of Tap Water

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 21:41:37 GMT

Tap water is an ideal way to enjoy a refreshing drink or use the water for other drink options like coffee and tea. If you've lived in your home for an extended amount of time, then you likely recognize the taste of your tap water and will notice when any changes occur. If your water suddenly changes taste, then the source of the problem could involve your well.

Check out four well services that can improve the taste of water so you can enjoy fresh glasses of water on a daily basis.

1. Well Inspections

Before you make any major changes to your well, hire an expert for a well inspection. If the taste of your water changes, you may feel tempted to purchase a tap water filtration system or pitcher. While a filter could clean the water, you will basically put a bandage over a bigger problem and not figure out the proper solution.

A non-invasive well inspection will use cameras and devices to determine the health and condition of your well. Through the inspection, a well water technician will also gather water samples to test. For example, the water you drink may taste saltier than usual.

The excess salt could be from the layers of earth or water runoff. Determining the source will help eliminate the excess salt and improve the taste of your tap water.

2. Well Leak Repair

If your well has a leak, then not only does water escape the well, but excess minerals and materials will contaminate the water. Well leak repair is essential for having the cleanest and best-tasting tap water. A leak may commonly occur in the holding tank within the well. If the leak is large, then you may consider replacing the whole tank.

Through a tank replacement, you will eliminate years of damage and provide your taps with clear and tasty drinking water. The leak repairs can also improve the water pressure in your home and ensure you get the maximum amount of water flow in the home.

3. Water Softeners

The minerals and natural erosion that occurs around water sources could eventually make your water hard over time. The number of materials in the water could increase and result in hard water. Hard water not only has a different taste but could cause stains in your sink and sink drains.

A water softener system will provide your whole home with softer water. The clean water source will eliminate a lot of the extra minerals and the aftertaste when drinking an excessive amount of hard water. The system you choose for your home will depend on the size of the home and the specific features you seek.

4. Dual Water Filtration

Along with water softeners, well experts may recommend dual water filtration systems. A dual system uses two filters to remove dirt, debris, and excess ingredients in the water. In some cases, a well can only do so much to protect the water from the natural elements. A filter system acts as a final step to filter out water for the whole house.

A dual filter system does double the work to provide you with clean drinking water. You will likely notice a change in flavor quickly. Depending on the size of the filter, you have to change it out every few months, and each time you do, you will often notice a positive change in the water quality and taste.

For more information on our well services, contact us at Action Well and Pump . Our experienced technicians will help ensure you have safe and delicious drinking water for years to come.

A Color Guide to Well Water Problems

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 19:49:22 GMT

When you turn on a faucet in your home, you expect clean and clear water. Unfortunately, problems can occur with well water systems and the water that

arrives in your home could be cloudy. The "dirty" water could appear in a wide range of colors. Knowing what each color typically represents will give you

a better idea of what problems you're up against.

Follow our quick color guide to learn about well water colors and when to contact emergency well water services for a solution.

White

If your water looks cloudy and has a white appearance, then you could have problems with air bubbles and the pump located at your well. If your well

pump is not working properly, then air could become trapped inside well pipes and break down in the water to create a cloudy appearance.

A full inspection of your well can determine if the pump is a cause of this problem. Through testing and multiple cycles, your cloudy water should clear up

after repairs. The cloudy water may not seem the most appealing but is typically OK for everyday use in the home. You should still seek out quick repairs

so the air leaks do not cause bigger issues.

Red

Red water suddenly coming from your faucet may look like something out of a horror movie, but the cause is typically innocent. Red water is most likely the

result of rust in your well water system. If your home is older, the pipes may have rusted over the years. As the rust breaks down or flakes off into a well,

your water supply turns red.

Seek out rust repairs quickly to provide safe water for your home and prevent stains on tubs or sinks. If rust breaks down pipes too much, then your home

could have a water leak.

If the red water also features a brownish tint, then the source could come from the well itself. Well collapse, water level drops, or surface infiltration could

turn your water reddish-brown. A full inspection of your well will highlight any issues. New equipment will help filter water and ensure your well operates

smoothly.

Blue

Blue water may seem like an odd visual, but this color change does occur in some well water systems. Typically, blue water means that your water has high levels of copper. The copper could come from materials found within your well.

When you contact well water services to evaluate the blue color tint in your water, one of the first things the technicians will do is test the water. The test

will indicate if you have high levels of copper from the well water source. If you do, then pumps and filters may be added to reduce the amount of minerals

that come into your home.

Black

The darkest colors in your water will usually indicate the most problems. Typically, the darker the water appears, the more dangerous the water is for your

home. In regards to your well, black water could indicate signs of major problems like mildew. The growth of mildew inside your well could result in the

tarnished water, and you should contact a well water specialist for immediate repairs.

You do not want to expose your home to contaminated water and should avoid water use until the problem is fixed. In some cases, black water could be a

result of septic tank issues. Waste from a septic tank could have leaked into the well, essentially created a looping system of waste coming in and out of

your home. Along with the black colors, you may notice the water smells unpleasant, like sewage or rotten eggs.

Treat your discolored water with our professional services at Action Well and Pump . We will help clean your well, test your well, and ensure clean water is

delivered to the faucets in your home.

Signs Your Water Well Needs Maintenance

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 18:39:49 GMT

A well is an invaluable asset that provides a reliable water supply and increases your property's value. While a well can serve you for decades, it is essential to perform regular inspections and maintenance to keep it operating optimally.

Knowing the signs that your well requires maintenance can prolong its lifespan and prevent costly problems. Learn six signs that you need to call in a well specialist to service your well.

Sediment in Water

A large amount of sediment such as sand in your water may indicate that your well pump is set too low, that the pump is oversized, or that the well screen is degraded. Typically, a well pump should be positioned 10-20 feet from the bottom of the well. If it is set too low, it can draw in sand, grit, and sediment.

Alternatively, a well pump may be too powerful and thus pull in sand from the well's base.

Sand that is in the water can result in clogs and the premature wear of your water pump. Therefore, you should consider having your well inspected to determine the cause of the sand uptake and fix it before it harms your well pump.

Increase Energy Bills

If your energy bills skyrocket for no apparent reason, your well could be causing it. Your pump could be worn out and could require more energy to operate, which increases utility bills.

Another cause of increased energy bills is a faulty check valve, allowing water from the pressure pump to flow back to the well. Consequently, the pump has to work harder to pump more water from the well into the pressure pump.

Air in your Water

If you open your kitchen faucet and it sputters before the water flows out or a mixture of water and air gushes out, one of two things could be the problem. First, your pump drop pipe may be broken or corroded and hence allowing air into the system.

Second, your well's water table may be low - perhaps at or below the water pump. As a result, the pump may be sucking in air as it struggles to get enough water into the system.

Peculiar Taste and Smell

If your well water has a pungent taste and smell, corrosion, contamination, or the presence of gases could be the culprit. Many well owners report a rotten egg smell in the water, which can emanate from dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and methane. These gases pose significant health and safety issues. '

You should call in a well professional to handle any stinky smells in your well water. For example, in the case of a rotten egg smell, the professional can use a sulfur eliminator to remove gases in your well and restore water quality.

Pump Never Shuts Off

A well pump that never shuts off could signal an issue with the pressure tank or a leak in your system. It could also show that your pump is failing and thus struggling to pump water.

Unfortunately, a pump that is always running is detrimental. It causes tremendous wear on the pump's components while reducing its lifespan. As a result, your pump could fail sooner than usual, requiring costly replacement. You can expect to pay between $927 and $2,483 to replace a well pump.

Low Water Pressure

The prominent causes of low water pressure include a malfunctioning well pump, a leaking pressure tank, a failing gate valve, and a clog. Also, a low water level can cause low water pressure. A well professional can help you establish the cause of the problem and fix it.

While a well has invaluable benefits, it is vulnerable to numerous issues. Contact Action Well and Pump for all your well and pump problems in North Carolina. We have over 30 years of experience in the water well business and have everything you need to keep your well and pump operating effectively and efficiently.

Excessive Iron in Well Water: Hazards, Signs & Removal Techniques

Wed, 05 May 2021 18:53:31 GMT

Iron is a natural mineral present on Earth. As rainwater flows through iron-filled soil and rocks, it dissolves the iron in these natural substances and carries iron particles into the groundwater below. For this reason, well water typically contains some iron that, in small amounts, is not harmful to human health.

However, some water wells contain excessive amounts of iron that cannot only lend an undesirable metallic taste to water but also cause problems around the home and potentially harm the health of some people.

Read on to learn about the potential hazards of well water that contains too much iron, signs of excess iron in well water, and well water iron removal techniques.

What Are the Hazards of Excess Iron in Well Water?

Health experts in the state of North Carolina believe that well water with an iron content above 2.5 mg/L can potentially harm the health of some people who suffer from one of several medical conditions called iron overload disorders.

People who have one of these disorders, such as hereditary hemochromatosis, can suffer damage to the organs of the body that store the iron, including the heart, liver, and pancreas if they consume too much iron.

While rare, even relatively healthy people can develop iron toxicity if they consume too much iron. The symptoms of iron toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and potential gastrointestinal system damage. Also, some medical studies also show that the consumption of too much iron can contribute to the development of cancer.

Finally, well water with a high iron content can leave red or brown stains on household appliances and build up on the well pump, pipes, and other plumbing devices it runs through, potentially causing frequent clogs.

What Are the Signs of High Well Water Iron Content?

The most foolproof way to determine if your well water contains too much iron is to have it tested by an accredited water testing laboratory.

However, a few common signs of high well water iron content include:

Water has a metallic taste
Water appears clear when coming out of the faucet, but turns red or yellow upon standing
Water leaves yellow, brown, or red stains on laundry and plumbing fixtures

Since some iron types provide a food source for harmful bacteria, another sign that you may have excess iron in your well water is trouble controlling the bacteria in your well.

How do You Remove Excess Iron From Your Well Water?

The right well water iron removal technique depends on the iron type detected in your water. The main three types of iron present in well water include ferric iron, ferrous iron, and organic iron.

Ferric Iron Removal

Ferric iron, which is insoluble and often present in the water in the form of particles, can be removed from well water with a sub micron-rated sediment filter or a well filter made especially for iron removal if iron levels are below 10-15 mg/L . For wells with more ferric iron content than this, aeration or chemical oxidation treatments are often needed alongside a dedicated iron filter.

Ferrous Iron Removal

Ferrous iron is water-soluble and completely dissolves in water. When less than 5 to 10 mg/L of this iron type is present in hard water, an ion-exchange water softener can often remove it as it softens the water. However, when the iron content is higher than this, removal with a special iron filter, such as a manganese greensand filter, is typically more effective.

Organic Iron Removal

Organic iron is often found in shallow wells and those affected by surface water. This iron type can be difficult to remove because tannins in water often bind to this iron and prevent oxidation. However, chemical oxidation treatments coupled with iron filtration devices can help eliminate excess organic iron. In some cases, the installation of a whole-house reverse osmosis treatment system is a better option for excess organic iron removal.

If you suspect that your well water may contain excess iron or just found out that it does, then contact the water well experts at Action Well and Pump to discuss your water well iron removal options today.

What if the Power Goes Out? A Hand Pump May Be the Answer

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:47:04 GMT

With a municipal water supply, you still have running water even in a blackout. But if you have a private well, what happens when there is no electricity? What will you use to wash up or cook for your family? How will you make coffee in the morning?

A simple solution is a hand-powered pump. They may seem like something from an old movie, but hand-powered pumps are still useful tools. A hand pump can be installed alongside the existing electric pump in most wells so that it's ready and waiting when the power fails. Read on to learn more.

What Are Hand Pumps Used For?

Hand pumps draw water up from an existing well when there is no power using manual pumping. They are great for an emergency, but can also supply water in remote locations. The Forest Service has hand pumps installed in some national parks for visitors and campers.

How Do They Work?

Many different kinds of hand pumps are in use all over the world. How each type works varies depending on its purpose and location. There are two main types typically installed in private home wells.

The first is a lift pump. With this type, when you push down on the handle a piston inside fills with water. When you raise the handle, the water is lifted up the pipe. This type of pump could theoretically lift water any distance but is limited by the strength of the user. Lift pumps are typically only used in wells less than 25 feet deep.

The second type is called a piston pump. Instead of lifting the water, these types use a piston to push water up a pipe from the bottom. Much less force is needed to push water up a pipe than to pull it, which means this style can be used in much deeper wells. Some piston pumps work at depths of almost 300 feet.

How Much Water Can I Pump by Hand?

Which pump you use determines how much water you can draw at once. The largest piston pump models can pump as much as thirty gallons of water per minute from depths of up to three hundred feet. Factors like the volume of the pump and the diameter of the piping determine how much water can be brought up at once.

How Difficult Is It to Pump Water by Hand?

The depth of the water level and the kind of pump determine how much force is needed to pump water. The hand pumps used by the Forest Service in campgrounds require less than five pounds of force and can be used by a person in a wheelchair or by a small child.

Many hand pumps can also be fitted with a small solar-powered motor.

What Kind of Pump Do I Need?

The type of pump depends on the static water level of your well. Your well may have been drilled very deep, but the water level is usually much closer to the surface. The aquifer deep underground is at a greater pressure than surface water. Consequently, more water flows into the shaft as it is pumped out, keeping the level of the water near the surface.

The static water level in your well can vary over time and depends on factors like:

Average rain or snowfall
Periods of drought
Elevation above sea level
Atmospheric pressure

At Action Well and Pump , we have the tools to measure the depth of your water. We can also estimate how much it is likely to change through use and environmental conditions and recommend the right-hand pump for the depth of your well, your climate, and your usage.

Solve tomorrow's problems before they start. Have a professional help you choose the right backup pump system today.

Hydrogen Sulfide in Well Water: Everything You Should Know

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 19:15:10 GMT

Hydrogen sulfide is the main cause of the rotten egg smell in your well water. The hydrogen sulfide gas is produced by sulfur bacteria found in water.

How Can You Detect Hydrogen Sulfide in Water?

Detection of hydrogen sulfide in your water source is not easy unless the concentration is very high. Nevertheless, the strong odor, among other telltale signs, can help you determine if hydrogen sulfide is present in your well. Here are common signs:

Change in the normal color of your well water to black or brown, signifying the presence of bacterial sulfur lime.
Change in the appearance of your plumbing pipes or the well walls.
Change in the appearance of your plumbing equipment and fixtures due to corrosion.

You can test your water to ascertain if hydrogen sulfide is the cause of the above changes in your water and plumbing fixtures.

Is Hydrogen Sulfide Harmful to Your Health?

The characteristic rotten egg smell in well water can cause worries anxiety. Too much exposure to that smell can cause fatigue, headache, and irritation to people with asthma.

The risk threshold entirely depends on the level of concentration. The health effects may be higher if the concentration of the gas in your water surpasses 1mg/L .

How Can You Remove Hydrogen Sulfide From Your Well?

Aeration

Since hydrogen sulfide is a gas, experts inject air into the well so that the gas (hydrogen sulfide) can escape. The aeration method is the safest as the method does not add more chemicals to the well.

Do you have a rotten egg smell in your well? If so, contact Action Well and Pump today for a fast solution. We offer same-day service, inclusive of free inspection and cost estimates.

Is Your Well About To Dry Up? 3 Warning Signs

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 14:42:44 GMT

Over 43 million people in the country rely on private wells as their primary source of household water. If the well taps into a rich aquifer, you expect a constant supply of water for many years to come. However, the effects of drought can lower groundwater levels and this problem requires prompt action. For example, a well contractor can lower the pump, deepen the well, or drill a new well after an assessment of the water levels.

As a private well owner, your biggest fear is for the well to dry up and cause water supply problems. To avoid such a situation, stay on the lookout for the following warning signs.

1. Deteriorating Water Quality

If the aquifer is rich in water, the pump system always delivers clean water with no odor or smell. A reduction in groundwater levels leads to a supply of murky water with a foul smell. When the water levels fall, the pump system continues to suction any liquid available. With no clean water in the aquifer, the system draws the little water available mixed with sediment.

If you notice any change in the quality of your water, contact your well pump contractor for professional inspection. Your neighbors could also have a similar problem which would indicate the aquifer supplying your wells has dried up.

A well installation expert has the prerequisite equipment and expertise to troubleshoot and diagnose any well problems. After a water level test, the well contractor can decide to lower the pump as a short-term solution before the rains come.

If the well stays dry for a longer spell, the professional can recommend hydrofracturing to clear silt and sediment in the aquifer. Another option is to deepen the well to restore the water supply.

2. Sputtering Water Flow

When the faucets sputter, this situation points to air presence in the pump's plumbing. Air mostly enters the well system through leaks or valve problems. If the faucets continue to sputter after repairs, this points to low groundwater levels.

The well pump system continues to work at the same rate, but with inadequate water in the well, air slips into the pipes. A problematic flow of the water wastes a lot of energy and increases the cost of well maintenance.

3. Overworking Well Pump

If the pump runs more than usual, it's likely that the water levels in the well are low. The same applies to a situation where the well pump constantly turns itself on and off more frequently than is normal. All these signs are indications of a pump working in overdrive to compensate for low water levels in the well and they require professional inspection.

The frequent cycles can cause damage to your well pump and reduce its lifespan. The pump system also consumes more energy to ensure a constant supply of water above ground. If you notice any unusual pattern in the pump's cycle, get a qualified contractor to check the condition of your well.

A private well reduces water costs, guarantees a constant supply of clean water, and improves property value. To enjoy all these benefits, keep a close watch on the installation and report anything unusual to a qualified well contractor. If there are any signs of reduced water levels, your well systems professional can give the best recommendation to ensure an uninterrupted supply of water to your property.

If you have any well problems in the Triad and Triangle area, our team at Action Well and Pump is ready to help. We're a family-owned, well pump company with over 20 years' experience of exceptional service to this community. Contact us today for any well services in this area of North Carolina.

3 Effective Tips for Preventive Well Maintenance

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 20:43:23 GMT

About 13 million households in the country rely on private wells for drinking water. Wells offer multiple benefits, including reliable water supply and access to natural unfiltered and better-tasting water than municipal supply.

Like any other critical installation in your home, a well system can fail due to mechanical issues or wear and tear due to age. Such issues compromise the quality and quantity of water you get. A failing well is also costly to maintain hence the need to identify any well problems early.

Preventive well maintenance guarantees maximum efficiency and longevity of the well. It also prevents costly breakdowns.

Here are some professional tips for effective well maintenance.

1. Proactively Look for Well Problems

You should be proactive in maintaining your well system by looking out for any emerging problems. Here are some tell-tale signs of well system problems to look out for:

No water/low water pressure
Sputtering water in faucets
Muddy/cloudy water
Increasing utility bill
Gases in the water
Foul smell in the water
Metallic or poor taste in the well water
Pressure switch problems

If you notice any of these well problems, contact a professional well contractor in your area for diagnostic tests, and repairs. When you repair these well problems early, you guarantee smooth flow of clean and safe water on your property.

2. Protect the Well System

Here are some simple things you can do to protect your water well as part of preventive maintenance:

Keep hazardous materials and chemicals away from the well
Ensure the well cap fits well and is in the best shape
Separate your well from the rest of the buildings on your property
For landscaping purposes, ensure the well cap is at least one foot off the ground.
Take precautions whenever you work around the well to prevent dumping of waste into the water.
Maintain detailed well installation, and maintenance records
In case your well outlives its usefulness use a professional well service to seal it completely.
Look out for any leaks or holes in your piping
Look for rust any part of your water system

3. Checklist for Professional Well Maintenance

A certified well technician should carry out a comprehensive assessment of every component of the well to identify any faults. Some of the processes involved in well servicing include:

Inspection of the equipment (A video inspection of the well)
Flow tests to evaluate the output of your well
Testing for the cleanliness of the water
Testing for coliform and E. coli bacteria at your local public health laboratory to ensure the water is clean and safe to drink
Maintain your lawn and clear any weeds or grass around the well pump
Check the well caps or well coverings periodically as they're the first line of defense. Replace any corroded or damaged part.

The tests help prevent a situation where you will eventually need to replace the entire well system. These tests identify any developing problems early enough and the well technician repairs them before they exacerbate. The professional tests and servicing also improve the efficiency of the well system and save you constant repair costs.

A well-maintained well guarantees supply of clean water for your home without dependency on the municipal supply. If the well systems require inspection or repairs always hire a certified well service to do the job. Well contractors invest heavily in well maintenance technology and equipment to improve safety and efficiency of their work.

Follow these pro maintenance tips to keep your well in the best shape throughout.

If you need any well system solutions around the Triad and Triangle area, NC, contact us at Action Well and Pump today. We have served this community for over 20 years delivering excellent, comprehensive well system solutions using the latest technology.

Water Well Pump Winterization: What You Need to Know

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 14:58:06 GMT

With the weather getting colder, now is the ideal time to begin winterizing the different components of your home. Homes with a water well require special attention during the winter season. When the weather dips below freezing, the well pump can freeze and become damaged.

No matter if you live in your home all year or just at different parts of the year, water well pump winterization is important. The following are some things you need to know about winterizing your water well pump.

Why Should You Winterize Your Well Pump?

A well pump is an important component of a home's plumbing system. The pump supplies potable water to your home and should remain in good repair. For this reason, you need to make sure you maintain it properly. When the weather gets cold, the well pump can freeze and suffer damage.

Freezing temperatures cause the water within the pump to expand. As the ice freezes, it needs a place to go. The ice cracks through the casing of the pump and will cause damage, which can require significant repair.

Does the Depth of the Well Matter?

The depth of a water pump does matter. If your well pump is deeper in the ground, the odds of freezing is less and you may not have to winterize. When the well pump is more shallow, you need to take extra care to winterize to prevent damage.

What If You Do Not Use Your Well Pump Often?

If you have a vacation home or a second home in which you do not live in throughout the year, you should winterize for the cold season before you leave. A water pump not used regularly is more likely to freeze. Unlike in your daily home, where you shower and wash dishes in hot water frequently, a stagnant pump doesn’t have warm water flowing through it to prevent freezing problems.

When you fail to winterize your well water pump in a home you do not live in full time, you may return to a home with significant water damage due to non-use during freezing weather.

How Do You Winterize a Well Pump?

To winterize the well pump, you first must ensure the power is disconnected. You otherwise risk an electrocution injury. Next, open any faucet in your home or outside to empty any water left in the line. The removal of the residual water also removes the water pressure left behind.

The next step is to disconnect the drainpipes from the well pump. This is another part of removing the additional water from the lines. Any water left behind in any part of the pump leads to the potential for damage. If necessary, use an air compressor to aid in this process.

Be careful if you intend to use antifreeze in your well pump. You cannot use the same type of antifreeze you would typically see in automobiles. Only food-grade propylene glycol is safe to use in a well pump that supplies your home's drinking water. This is the final step of well pump winterization. If you live in your home year-round, you may want to avoid adding antifreeze to your well pump system.

This process is generally the same for most residential well pumps, but be sure to check with the manufacturer of your system. You may have special instructions to follow for your particular pump.

A home's water well pump is one of the most important parts of the house. For that reason, you need to take care of it with regular maintenance. We at Action Well and Pump provide customers with a variety of water well services. If you need service on your well pump, please give us a call.

Equipment and Materials That Maintain or Repair Wells

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:15:55 GMT

Your water well may be a reliable source of water that operates automatically whenever it's needed, but don't be fooled into forgetting its maintenance needs. After all, a well and pump have many moving parts and do need regular professional maintenance and occasional repairs.

You'll need to hire an expert to ensure the best results with your well care regime. Not only do they have the training and experience, but well professionals have all the equipment to get the job done right. Discover some of the types of equipment and materials a professional may use to maintain or repair wells.

Well Flow Meter
A well flow meter is a tool that allows your well expert to check essential well operation specifics such as the system pressure and the water flow rate of your well. These specifics can offer insight into the health of the well, so checking them at periodic well maintenance visits or inspections is critical.

Based on the results from the well flow meter, your well professional can tell you if your water pressure and well yield are adequate. If not, you may need repairs or even a booster pump or some other well aid to help the well along.

Well Sounder or Water Level Probe
The water level in your well can vary by season, and it could be extra low if you place too much strain on the well's water supply. To check for any potential issues with water level and water supply, your well care professional will check the water level periodically.

To check the level, your well maintenance technician may use a device such as a sonic well sounder or an electric water level probe. Both can provide quick, accurate readings. A sonic well sounder fires sound waves to detect the distance of the water, and an electric water level probe sends down a wire that electrically detects when it hits the water surface.

A low water level can sometimes offer a signal that something is wrong with the well. But even if the water level is normal, measuring it is important because this gives you and your well expert a baseline for a normal water level reading for your particular well.

Digital Multimeter
Another part of the well inspection and maintenance visit will be to check the electrical performance of the well pump motor. To that end, your professional will need to measure the electrical output of the pump motor using a meter such as a digital multimeter. This meter can help to detect any electrical issues that may need repair.

Well Liner
A well liner reseals a damaged well casing (the vertical pipe or tube that forms a wall to keep the well from collapsing). For instance, if your well casing suffered a belowground crack during an earthquake, your well expert might use a well liner to repair it.

The well liner goes inside the casing and around the cracked area to keep out any contaminants from your well.

Replacement Parts
As you can imagine, replacement well parts are another type of supply that well experts often use when repairing a faulty well or maintaining an old or neglected well.

One common point of failure is the pressure switch. A well expert may simply need to replace the pressure switch to get your well working again. The tank and the pump controller are two other parts your well expert may need to replace.

As you can see, various tools, equipment, and materials can all help your well expert take great care of your well. Whether your well behaves oddly and needs some troubleshooting, whether it just needs a maintenance visit, or whether it's not working at all, call your local well repair experts today for a diagnostic and repair visit.

What You Should Know About Well Casings and Well Liners

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 15:37:37 GMT

As a homeowner with a private well, you may not know everything about how your well's machinery works, but a basic knowledge of its anatomy will be very useful to you. In addition to the well pump itself, you will want to learn the basics of the well's holding tank, casing, and plumbing system, as well as informing yourself on the quality of your well's water.

Discover some of the basics you should know about well casings and liners.

What Are They?

A well casing is basically the wall of the well. It protects the well's vertical length that sinks down through the ground to access the groundwater. Usually, the well casing is a cylinder shape, and it is typically made of a sturdy material to provide long-lasting protection. Often, a well casing is simply a large pipe of steel or sturdy plastic.

In areas with certain geological characteristics (such as solid rock belowground), you may need to use a steel casing. However, other geological characteristics may allow for a plastic or even concrete well casing. Both of these alternate materials have the advantage that, unlike steel, they will not rust. State regulations may dictate characteristics like casing length.

A well liner is not present in every well. The term may refer to a rubber seal that patches a hole in the casing (also called a packer) or a thin metal lining (also called a repair sleeve) that lines the entire interior of the casing. Either way, a liner provides a secondary line of defense when something goes wrong with the well casing.

How Do You Tell If Something Goes Wrong?

Since the well casing's main job is to keep contaminants out of your well water, the signs that something has gone wrong tend to include water that smells or looks different. If you suspect your water is contaminated, stop using it until you have had a professional check your well.

You will also want to inspect your casing if your water's annual testing, recommended for all private water wells, produces abnormal results. Visible mechanical damage to the aboveground well casing is another red flag.

If your well has a liner, symptoms of liner damage are typically similar. However, since a liner is likely a thin layer of material to fit in the casing without taking up too much space, it is more likely to need frequent replacement. So even if you do not notice any problems, you should inspect the liner and check the water quality on a regular basis.

How Are Casings and Liners Repaired?

Typically, a well liner is a repair part for a damaged well casing. So, if you have a well casing that leaks, your well experts may simply install a liner in the damaged portion of the casing. If your liner is giving out, your well experts may simply replace it.

However, a liner is not always the best option for well casing repair. Sometimes, your contractor can simply repair the part of the broken casing (especially if the broken section is above ground). If damage is severe and neither of these options are likely to work, your contractor may recommend drilling a new well.

These basics can help you get up to speed on just what your well casing does and the role that a well liner or packer can play in the process.

For more information on your well's function and maintenance and repair needs, call up your local well experts such as Action Well and Pump . We can provide well services that encompass anything your well's casing or liner may require.

Water Well Pump Efficiency: What You Need to Know

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 23:11:08 GMT

Your home's water well pump is a crucial part of your home's infrastructure. You need to ensure it runs efficiently to both keep your water fresh and save you money. Over time, your well can begin to operate inefficiently. Without proper inspection, you could risk losing access to your water supply system.

If your energy bill has suddenly increased, your water well pump may be the culprit. The following are some tips to help prevent efficiency issues with your water well pump.

Inspect the Water Well Pump Often

One aspect of water well pump ownership that homeowners sometimes neglect is regular inspection. This is often easy to overlook. You simply turn on a faucet and expect the water to run as usual. However, to properly maintain your pump and keep it running efficiently, it needs regular inspection at least once a year.

The professional well pump inspector will perform an Ohms test at each inspection. This test will determine the efficiency and overall lifespan of the pump. They will also test your amperage to ensure the pump does not waste energy.

In addition, the inspection will include an evaluation of the actual wiring of the system. The inspector will look at the wiring to make sure it does not have corrosion or needs repairs. If necessary, the wiring can be replaced to ensure the proper operation and efficiency of the pump.

Clean a Well Pump System

Another component of a healthy water well pump is cleanliness. Over time, debris and bugs can invade the system. This debris can eat at the wiring system and cause a power loss. To keep your water well pump system clean, you simply need to look at the wiring. To do this, look at the pressure switch and observe any debris or damage to the wiring.

To prevent any further damage, you can spray a lubricating spray at the bottom of the pressure switch to keep it in good working order. To help deter bugs, place some mothballs near the switch to keep any further damage at bay.

Set Air Pressure

A water well pump has an air bladder that keeps the system operating at full efficiency. If you hear the well pump turn on and it stays on for longer than a few minutes, you may need to reset the air pressure.

The bladder in the system should be set just below the optimal low pressure required by your system. This will vary based on your water well pump. The lower pressure is necessary because it makes sure the pump only runs when necessary. If the pump runs when it is not necessary to do so, it can use more energy than needed and can even cause premature wear and tear.

To check the air pressure, you can use a tire pressure gauge. Check the pressure in the system regularly or any time you notice the pump running longer than it should.

Consider an Upgraded System

If you want to keep your pump at peak efficiency, you may want to consider an upgrade in your system. As you search for the most efficient system, you may want to get professional recommendations. Some of the more efficient models have stainless steel impellers to ensure the system is strong and functions well.

If you need assistance with your water well pump, or if you have questions about an energy-efficient system, please contact us at Action Well and Pump . We are happy to help you in any way to ensure your system runs optimally to avoid loss of water in your home. We look forward to hearing from you!

Factors That Determine Well Depth

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 01:06:13 GMT

The desired depth of a well determines the overall cost of the project. The depth depends on various factors, most of which are out of your control. Below are some of these factors.

Water Table Fluctuations

The water table is the upper limit of underground water. Water saturates the ground below the water table, while the ground above is unsaturated. The well will draw its water from the underground water so it should be deep enough to reach the water table.

Unfortunately, the water table is not a static line. The water table varies by:

Season
Location
Local groundwater use

Your well should be deep enough to reach the lowest possible level of the water table. Otherwise, the well might lack water during some parts of the year.

Surface Contamination

The presence and nature of surface contaminants also determine the depth of the well. The well must be deep enough to avoid contamination. Potential contaminants include:

Chemicals, such as nitrates, from fertilizers
Microorganisms, such as bacteria, from septic systems
Chemicals, such as ammonia, from household cleaning products
Contaminants in surface water that feed underground water

Proper siting of the well should help avoid such contamination, but that is not always the case. The deeper the well is, the more contaminants will filter out by the time the water reaches the well.

Water Quality

Underground water tends to accumulate in aquifers, large underground rocks permeable enough to accumulate water. The quality of underground water tends to vary by aquifers. For example, some aquifers contain more mineral contaminants than others.

If you have poor quality aquifers in your area, your well must be deep enough to avoid the contaminated areas. That way, you can bypass and case off the poor-quality aquifers so that they don't contaminate the well water.

Aquifer Yield

Your well should also be deep enough to provide your required water quantity. The quantity of water a well can produce depends on:

The depth of the well
The diameter of the well
The vertical distance from the bottom of the well to the water table

Underground water quantity varies by location and depth. You don't have to dig very deep if an aquifer is permeable enough and properly saturated with water. The required depth increases if the aquifers in your area don't carry enough water.

Desired Water Quantity

The drilling depth also depends on how much water you expect from your well. Your expected water quantity depends on how you plan to use the well. For example, you may want your well to provide water for:

Everyday use in the house, such as drinking, cooking, and plumbing needs
Landscaping water
Swimming pool use
Your animals

The more water you need, the deeper the well should be. Otherwise, you might run out of water prematurely every day or on days of heavy usage. Get an estimate of your water needs, and your driller will calculate the appropriate water depth.

Government Regulations

The government has a say on how deep your well can be. Most of the regulations specify the casing depth. Adequate well casing helps to:

Maintain the structural integrity of the well
Confine groundwater to its zone
Prevent well water contamination

For example, if the casing requirement is 30 feet, then you well must exceed that depth to meet the casing requirement.

The calculation for appropriate well depth involves many factors. Action Well and Pump has over three decades of experience in well drilling, servicing, maintenance, and restoration. If you want to drill a well, contact us today so that we can help you get clean, safe, and adequate water for your home.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Pump for Your Well

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 17:13:14 GMT

Water is sometimes a scarce resource but always necessary for survival. People who live away from natural water sources such as lakes and rivers have to rely on piped water or groundwater for their daily needs.

If you don't have access to piped water, you should consider constructing a water well. You'll also need a reliable pump to maintain constant water supply to your entire home. But how do you select the right one? Discover factors to consider when buying a water well pump.

Well Depth

The depth of your well is a crucial factor that can determine the right pump for you. The depth of the water well can vary depending on the method of construction. Dug wells typically go up to 30 feet under, driven ones go up to approximately 50 feet, and drilled wells, which are the deepest, go under up to hundreds of feet.

If you built the well, then you already know its depth, but if you bought the house with the well, you might need to hire professionals to measure it. For dug wells, you should pick shallow pumps, such as centrifugal pumps. Driven or drilled depths need deep pumps such as jet and submersible types.

Centrifugal pumps have an internal fan that generates suction that, in turn, draws water up. Submersible pumps utilize a pump motor installed underwater. The motor, which is connected to an aboveground power source, rotates impellers that transport water up. Submersible pumps can be useful in both shallow and deep wells.

Water Needs

Your family's water needs can help you identify a perfect well pump. If you live in a three to four-bedroom house, pick a pump rated 8–12 GPM. This pump will ensure all the rooms have a continual supply of water.

If you pick a small pump for your house, some rooms might lack water, or it might pump at low pressure. Also, if you select an oversized one, the machine might pump at imbalanced energy, which can lead to reduced or inconsistent performance. Therefore, you should choose a size right for your house.

Other than the GPM, you should also check the horsepower (HP). If you have many appliances and family members who need water, choose residential pumps with a high HP to supply water to all places at the desired pressure.

Features

A reliable well pump has advanced and handy features. Scrutinize the valves to ensure that they can efficiently prevent incorrect water movement, such as the backflow of water to the well. Also, check the pressure tank to make sure that your appliances receive water at moderate flow.

Another feature that you should look at is the pressure switch, which turns water on or off based on the pressure. Most pumps have their maximum pressure at 60 psi. The switch will automatically switch the water off when this pressure is exceeded and turn on when pressure lowers.

Remember to examine the motors, bearings, and impellers. You can consult professionals first to be well-informed about the critical features of a dependable water well pump.

You need to invest in a quality pump for your well. The factors in this guide can help you find the right pump for your needs. At Action Well and Pump, we offer a broad range of water well services, including pump repair and water filtration solutions. If you need our services, contact us right away.

What Is Pump Cavitation and How Can It Affect Your Well?

Sat, 13 Jun 2020 20:05:35 GMT

Generally speaking, modern well pumps are extremely reliable pieces of equipment, with simple, robust designs that allow them to endure long periods without maintenance. However, all types of well pump, from jet pumps to submersible centrifugal pumps, can be badly damaged or even destroyed by a phenomenon known as pump cavitation.

What Is Pump Cavitation?

Most commonly-used well pumps function in broadly the same way, using internal impellers to force well water to the surface where it can be used. However, for these impellers for function effectively, they must be able to keep water at a sufficient flow rate and pressure level as it passes through the pump and towards the surface.

If water is not flowing into the impeller housing at a sufficient rate or pressure while it is rotating, the small amount of water that is present will start to lose pressure and increase in temperature, often at alarming rates. This causes the water to evaporate, creating bubbles of superheated air and water vapor inside the pump's impeller housing.

Cavitation can also occur when water pressure is optimal at the pump's intake valve, but too high at the discharge valve. This causes water to pass into the impeller housing faster than it flows out, increasing internal pressures and causing the rapidly recirculating water to evaporate.

When the rotating impeller collides with these bubbles, they implode, releasing an enormous amount of heat and creating powerful shockwaves inside the housing. These superheated implosions can deal severe damage to well pumps, causing extreme metal fatigue and leaving noticeable pitting on the surfaces of the impeller and impeller housing.

Cavitation can severely shorten the working lifespan of any pump, and can completely destroy a pump if the problem is ignored. It most often occurs in centrifugal well pump types, such as jet pumps, but cavitation in submersible pumps is still possible and extremely damaging.

How Can I Tell if My Pump Is Experiencing Cavitation?

As you can imagine, the near-simultaneous implosion of thousands of superheated bubbles can create an enormous amount of noise. If your well pump is surface-mounted, the most obvious sign of pump cavitation will be loud thumping and grinding noises coming from the impeller housing. If you hear these, deactivate the pump immediately to minimize the damage caused.

However, the telltale sound of pump cavitation can be more difficult to detect in submersible well pumps, especially those used in deep water wells. If water is flowing out of your well at decreased rates and pressures, this can be a sign of cavitation, but it can also be caused by other, less serious pump malfunctions, such as minor blockages

If you suspect your submersible well pump is suffering cavitation issues, check for vibrations travelling up the water lane to the surface, and inspect the water flowing out of your well (if any) for pieces of damaged impeller or impeller housing. You should also keep an eye on the power consumption of your pump, as cavitation can cause your pump's power consumption levels to intermittently spike.

What Should I Do If My Well Pump Has Cavitation Damage?

The damage caused by even brief periods of pump cavitation can be widespread, and may not be limited solely to the impeller and impeller housing.

Other vital components of a pump can also be damaged by the heat and vibrations created by cavitation, including essential, difficult-to-repair components such as motors and pressure sensors. If your well pump has suffer from cavitation, you should always have it thoroughly inspected by a reputable pump repair service.

If cavitation damage is not extensive, it may be possible to keep your pump functioning by having the impeller replaced and the impeller housing replaced or repaired. However, you should be prepared for the possibility that your pump is too badly damaged to function, as cavitation is one of the main causes of well pump failure and replacement.

As you can see, cavitation in well pumps is a serious problem that should be avoided whenever possible. If you have any more questions about cavitation in well pumps and how it can be avoided, contact the well pump experts at Action Well and Pump .

Common Well Water Problems and Solutions

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 18:12:16 GMT

Millions of people around the country use well water in their homes. In most cases, this water is perfectly fine to use. However, sometimes, contaminants can get into your well water and cause issues. Below are some common issues that users of well water may face and how those issues are typically handled.

High Fluoride Levels

Fluoride is found in most water systems throughout the country. At low levels, fluoride is actually beneficial to your health by keeping your teeth strong. But sometimes, the fluoride levels can rise and cause some issues, such as stains on your teeth.

If you want to test your fluoride levels, contact a well water service team. Should they find increased levels of fluoride, you can install a reverse osmosis filtration system to mitigate the effects.

Hard Water

One problem that any home can face — not just users of well water — is that of hard water. Hard water occurs when you have higher levels of magnesium and calcium in your water. When you have hard water, you may notice problems such as low water pressure, stained sinks, scale buildup on the faucets, and dry skin.

To get rid of hard water, a well water specialist will add a water softener to your water filtration system. You can choose to either use a traditional salt-based system or a greener, salt-free alternative. If you suspect you have hard water, call for treatment soon to extend the life of your appliances.

Acidic Water

A less common problem is that of acidic water. This can happen when runoff from mines and plant decomposition drops your water's pH levels below 7.0Ph. If you have acidic water, you may notice some cloudiness in the water, leaks in your pipes, or a metallic taste to your drinking water. To solve this issue, a well water specialist may install an acid-neutralizing filter to eliminate the acid from your water.

High Levels of Fecal Bacteria

Bacteria can infiltrate your well water through agricultural runoff or cracks in the walls of your well. If this happens, you and your family may experience illnesses or notice an odor to your water. Treat bacteria entering into your water as quickly as possible to limit the negative health effects. Call a well water servicing team, and have them shock your well water with chlorine to kill the bacteria.

Broken Water Pump

Finally, a broken pump in your well will be noticeable in a few ways. You may receive no water flow at all to your home, or the pressure from the flow may be very weak. Another common sign of a broken well water pump is if the pump does not stop running. 

When you call in a well servicing team, they will run a few tests to determine the exact cause of the problem. They will check your circuit panel, the pressure gauge on the pump, and the lines connected to the pump. Depending on the problem, they may recommend either replacing the pump, repairing some of the lines, or simply switching your circuit breaker back on.

Take Care of Well Water Issues Quickly

No matter what kind of issue you have, you should have it looked at sooner rather than later. Doing so could improve your health, save your appliances, and reduce your home utility bills.

To have an expert team come to your North Carolina home and inspect your well water system, please  contact us   today for more information. We would be happy to schedule an appointment to come to your home or answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you.

Learn About Submersible Well Pumps and Signs of Pump Failure

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 14:30:57 GMT

When choosing a choosing a submersible pump, it remains underneath the water in your well, completely submerged.

A protective layer protects your pump from the water, but age and general wear and tear may still damage it. Since you physically can't see the pump, you must watch for signs of submersible jet pump failure.

Introduction to Submersible Pumps

Your submersible pump's purpose is to move the water from the well to the surface.

First, the pump pulls the water into the intake. In the intake, an impeller rotates the water and propels it through a part known as the diffuser. After this process, the water heads for the surface, where it eventually enters your home.

Because the pump has so many moving components, these parts may wear out over time. Sediment that remains in your pump may also cause erosion. If you leave these issues unaddressed, they can progress into more serious problems, possibly causing complete pump failure. Therefore, you must look for certain issues that denote a problem.

Keep in mind that an average pump lasts anywhere from 8 to 15 years.

Signs Your Pump Is Failing

Changes in how water comes out of the faucets are the most common signs of pump failure or problems with your pump.

Absence of Water From the Faucet

One sign of submersible pump failure is a lack of water from your faucet. If you notice water isn't flowing from your faucet, check your circuit breaker. Check to see if the circuit for your pump is in the off position. Turn it back on if it is.

If you still don't have water after checking the breaker, the problem could lie with your storage tank's pressure switch or the pump.

Increase of Electric Bill

Monitor your electric bill carefully. Often, when your appliances begin to fail, they work overtime to compensate. Ultimately, you experience an increase in your electric bill as a result. If your pump is failing, it may run more often to compensate, which will increase your bills.

Aeration at the Faucet

When you turn on your faucet, take note of the water flow and any noise. Sputtering is a sign of a failing pump, in some instances. Aeration at the faucet can also mean a bad check valve.

Change in Water Quality

Always monitor the quality of your water. Sediment can enter your pump, and if the pump isn’t working optimally, the sediment can get into your water and may cause it to appear muddy or cloudy.

Water Pressure Decrease

Sometimes, the first sign of pump failure is low water pressure. When this happens, you'll notice less water coming from your faucets. Since other issues in your plumbing system may cause changes in your water pressure, you should consult a professional before replacing the entire pump.

Easy Fixes to Check For

A pump failing, especially before anticipated, is uncommon. Some of the above-listed issues may stem from other pump-related issues, but not the pump itself.

For example, if your water table is too low, the pump can't access the water. Refrain from using your water for a few hours to give the water table time to refill. Then, check it again to see if you can get enough water.

Also, not all signs of pump failure mean you need to replace the entire pump. Sometimes, the problem is from a corroded, replaceable component.

Because the submersible pump is underwater and inaccessible to you, always hire a professional to check on it if you suspect pump failure. Other problems can cause the same symptoms and issues as pump failure, so a professional can inspect your entire plumbing system and make the right repairs.

Contact Action Well and Pump , serving various regions throughout NC, if you experience any of the aforementioned signs of pump failure.

How Can You Restore an Unused Well?

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 06:49:50 GMT

Most homes with well water rely on their wells daily, but there are several reasons why a well may go unused. Long-term renovation, such as after a fire or other serious disaster, can lead to a well remaining idle for months or longer. Or, if you purchase a home that was left sitting on the market for years, then you may be inheriting a well that's been out of use for quite some time.

As with any piece of old home equipment, your well requires some special considerations before you can bring it back online. This article will outline the essential steps to take before you start pumping water from an old, unused well.

Assess the Wellhead's Physical Condition

Before beginning, assess the physical condition of the wellhead. If you are purchasing a home, then it is crucial to perform this evaluation before closing the sale. The reason the well was left idle can also provide some clues to its current state. Was the well abandoned? Has the home been unoccupied? How long has the well been out of operation?

From the surface, it can be challenging to perform an in-depth assessment. Focus on the overall condition of the exposed casing, cap, and any nearby piping or electrical conduit. You should consider excessive corrosion on either the casing or conduits a sign of trouble. Likewise, the casing should extend above the ground by at least one foot.

A well that has gone unmaintained for some time may have issues with the cap no longer sealing correctly or with dirt or vegetation build-up. The well cap provides a crucial barrier against surface-level contaminants entering the well, so note any issues with the seal before bringing the well back into service.

Address any physical issues with the wellhead before moving on with service restoration.

Perform a Water Quality Inspection

After checking and restoring your wellhead, it's time to test your water. Your well's casing and cap provide a seal that prevents surface-level contaminants from entering the groundwater. If a well has been unmaintained for some time, then pollutants may have penetrated this barrier. Testing the water quality of any unused well is essential to ensure that it is safe and healthy.

If there are signs of contamination despite an intact wellhead seal, then it may be necessary to conduct a downhole inspection. This detailed inspection uses a camera with a flexible wire to inspect the interior condition of the casing. Depending on how long the well has been inactive, it may be advisable to conduct a downhole inspection even if the water quality tests do not show any issues.

Inspect and Test All Equipment

Finally, it's time to run your pump and ensure that everything is in working order. If you have disabled power at the breaker (or fuse) box, then it's a good idea to inspect all connections before restoring electricity. If present, check the above-ground pump for visible signs of damage. Inspect the pressure tank for corrosion and other issues.

Note that the procedure for thoroughly checking a pressure tank can be complicated. If you decide to perform this work yourself, always shut off power first and drain the tank. If you are unsure of the age or condition of the tank, then it is highly advisable to have a professional perform this service. A faulty pressure tank or pressure switch can prevent the entire system from operating.

No matter the reason that your well has been left idle, Action Well and Pump can bring it back into service. We can help you to assess, test, and repair your well equipment as needed. Contact us today to restore clean and fresh water to your home.

A Homeowner's Guide to Well Water Sediment

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 18:49:26 GMT

Sand or sediment in your well water is more than an inconvenience. Sediment can clog well pumps, fill well tanks, and even clog your home's plumbing. Learn the signs of a well sediment problem so you can address issues before real damage occurs.

Signs of Sediment Issues

Sediment issues are sometimes obvious, but not always. You may have sedimentation problems in the water even if the well isn't bringing up buckets of sand.

Visual Symptoms

Visual symptoms of a well contaminated with sediment can be quite subtle. In severe cases, the pump may bring up substantial amounts of sand, leaving no doubt that there is a sediment issue. In other cases, the sediment can be diluted into the water. In this case, the water may seem cloudy when fresh from the tap. If you leave a glass of water to set, the sediment may sometimes collect at the bottom.

Testing Protocols

Unless you are bringing up obvious sand and dirt, testing is necessary to verify sedimentation problems. A well service can test for contaminants like bacteria, as well as for minerals and sediment like manganese, silica, and iron. If the water has an off flavor or off color, tests for tannins and turbidity may also be necessary. At a minimum, your well should be tested every three years or if you suspect a problem like sedimentation.

Common Causes

Sand in the well can usually be traced to one of two causes -- problems with the pump or issues with the screen that lines the well. Fortunately, both types of issues can be repaired if addressed promptly.

Pump Placement and Sizing

Sediment sinks to the bottom of a well, which is not the place where you want the pump. If the submersible pump is placed too near the well bottom, it may bring up quite a bit of the sediment that tends to settle.

An oversized pump can also be the issue. If the pump is working too hard for the well size, it may cause too much water movement in the lower areas of the well. This will stir up the sediment so that it is sucked up

Well Screen Problems

The well screen acts like a filter. Water can seep through, but sediment should be filtered out. Not all wells have screens, though, and sometimes the issue is a breach in the well casing. If there are any issues with the well casing that are leading to sediment seepage into the tank, then they must be repaired.

Possible Solutions

Every well is unique, which means that you need to work with a well service to determine the best solution for your circumstances. Generally, these are the types of repairs that are available for well sedimentation.

Inspection and Adjustment

Often all your well needs is either a new pump or a location adjustment of the current pump. A location adjustment is the simplest, since your well tech can simply raise the pump in the well and solve the problem.

If your well technician determines that pump size is the issue, then a new smaller pump is the solution. A submersible pump can last 25 years, so you want to make sure it's the right one.

Well Repairs

A prompt repair is necessary in order to save the well If sand is actually leaking through the casing. The installation of new well screen can solve the issue, whether the problem is with the old screen or if your well casing itself has a breach. Although more involved than a pump adjustment or replacement, the installation of a new screen is still less expensive and time consuming than a new well.

Contact Action Well & Pump Repair for more help with any well issues that you encounter.

Cloudy Well Water? 3 Common Causes and Solutions

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 18:41:46 GMT

If you have a well that supplies your home with water and have become used to your well water's relatively clear appearance, then you may feel alarmed if your well water suddenly appears cloudy. While most causes of well water cloudiness are no cause for alarm, others can be health hazards that you need to correct.

Read on to learn about three common causes of cloudy well water and their solutions.

1. Air Bubbles or Dissolved Gases in Water

One cause of cloudy well water is the presence of air or dissolved gas bubbles in your water. When many small air or gas bubbles are present in water, well water can take on a surprisingly cloudy appearance.

When your well water level drops very low, your main well pump can begin pumping a mixture of water and air into your home taps. To solve this problem, monitor the water level in your well and make an effort to reduce your home water consumption when your well water level begins to drop.

Other well devices, such as water filters, must introduce air into well water as they treat it. If you just installed a new well water purification device, then the bubbles in your water are likely due to the new device and no cause for alarm.

These bubbles can also signal the presence of natural gases in your water. Methane is the most common natural gas found in well water, and it is typically harmless when just a small amount is present. However, if the methane content of your well is higher than 28mg/L , then the gas can pose a risk of explosion.

If you notice that your well water is filled with tiny bubbles when it comes out of your home taps, have your well water tested for presence of dangerous dissolved gases to obtain peace of mind that your water is safe for your family to use and consume.

2. High Water Sediment Level

Cloudy well water can also signal a high sediment level in the water. To test for excess sediment, fill a glass with well water and then let it sit for several hours. If you then find debris at the bottom of the glass, then your water cloudiness is likely due to excess water sediment.

Most water contains trace amounts of sediment, and this sediment is no cause for alarm. The sediment level of your well could increase suddenly after surface water leaks or if your well's groundwater becomes contaminated due to nearby drilling. Alternatively, a problem could have developed with your well's water filtration system.

If you suspect that the sediment level of your well water increased, then have a well expert examine your well water filtration system. If they find that your existing filter does not meet your water filtration needs, then they may recommend installation of an additional filter or an upgrade of your current one.

3. Excess Iron or Manganese Content

Another cause of cloudy well water is the presence of excess iron or manganese. These harmless minerals can suddenly enter your well water when the bedrock in or near your groundwater supply is disturbed by mining. Water than contains excess iron or manganese can also have a metallic taste, slight grey appearance, or black flecks in it.

While not a health hazard, this excess mineral content can make water appear unsightly and make it difficult to get clothing clean in the washing machine. A special well filter can remove excess iron while excess manganese can be removed from well water with a chemical water treatment.

If your well water suddenly appears cloudy, then there are several possible causes of this cloudiness. Contact the well experts at Action Well and Pump today to have an expert determine the cause of your well water problem and make needed well equipment adjustments to solve the problem.

Problem With Your Water Pressure Tank? What You Need to Know

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 20:43:01 GMT

If you have well water, you know you have a concern when your water pressure begins to decrease. The problem may lie with your pressure tank. There are several different issues that your pressure tank may have, and it is important that you can recognize these issues so you know how to react. Here are some things you should know about water pressure tanks.

How Does the Pressure Tank and Well Pump Work Together?

One way to think about your well pump and your water pressure tank is that they work like a generator and a battery. A pressure tank stores the pressure, similar to a battery storing power. The well pump creates the water pressure, or the output of a generator.

These two components work together to create the water pressure you need for your home. If the pressure tank does not work, the well pump will switch on. This will cause the well pump to cycle on and off too frequently and result in damage to the pressure tank. The damage can be extremely expensive and difficult to repair.

How Long Can a Pressure Tank Last?

This time often depends on how long the bladder pressure tank will last, and several factors play into this. First, you need to consider the actual quality of the pressure tank you install.

A cheaper pressure tank won’t last as long as a more expensive, quality tank. Cheaper tanks may last about five years , while quality tanks can last over 25 years. If have the correct size tank for your home, your pressure tank can last even longer.

Additionally, the water quality has a lot to do with the longevity of your pressure tank. When water contains a lot of rocks or sand, the sediment will rub on the tank and could cause a hole to form.

The frequency of cycling also has an impact on the life of a pressure tank. A pressure tank is meant to keep the amount of pump cycling to a minimum thanks to the layer of air in the tank above the water. If someone in your home turns on a faucet, the air in the pressure tank will expand. This reduces the air pressure.

Once the pressure increases, the well pump will turn on to refill the water tank and restore the pressure. When the cycling happens too often, the bladder in the pressure tank can become compromised.

What Are the Signs of Pressure Tank Problems?

There are several warning signs you should keep a look out for. If your water pressure seems to change frequently, you may have an issue with your pressure tank. When you turn on the faucet and the water pressure goes up and down as the water flows, this indicates a frequent change in pressure and needs attention.

If the top of your pressure tank feels full and cold, this could be a sign of a problem. You can remove the top of the pressure tank and gently tap the top. If it sounds hollow, there is no issue. However, if it seems full, you likely have a water pressure issue. Try to avoid moving the tank around to determine how full it is, as you can damage pipes in the area.

Few things are more frustrating for a homeowner than issues with your well water system. This is a complex system, so you should learn how it works to prepare for any possible problems. If you have questions or problems with your well, please give us a call at Action Well and Pump . We’ll help you diagnose and fix any issues you have with your well.

How to Handle Your Water Well After a Major Flood

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 22:06:49 GMT

From time to time, North Carolina experiences major flooding, particularly during hurricane season. If your home has a water well, you can experience major issues. Flood water can uproot trees and other large debris and loosen the sediment in the affected area. All of these events can damage your water well and contaminate your water.

After a flood, you should test and treat your water to ensure it is safe to consume. If a flood damages parts of the well system, you should have the well repaired as fast as possible to prevent even more damage to your well and your water source. Here are some things you should know.

How Do You Know If the Flood Water Has Infiltrated Your Water Well?

Once a natural disaster such as a flood or hurricane happens, North Carolina state departments will monitor the water quality in the affected area and inform its citizens of any possible risks to water sources.

You will need to check with your local waterworks department to obtain this information if they do not put warnings out for public knowledge. You can make a phone call to find out if your water is healthy or just check the department's social media accounts, as they likely contain urgent information.

If your area suffers a significant flood or if the floodwater is over your well cap, make sure to have your water evaluated as soon as possible. Be sure to have bottled water on hand in the meantime. You do not want to ingest contaminated water.

What Should You Do If the Flood Water Infiltrates Your Water Well?

If you discover floodwater in your well, the likelihood of pollutants, bacteria, and other contaminants present in your well water is quite high. Your water is not safe to drink. The floodwater is so forceful that it can cause surrounding sediment to erode the pump and flood into the well.

If your well is older or shallower, the risk of contamination is higher. When the flood is major, your well can collapse completely.

When you suspect the well is contaminated, even the slightest chance, you need a professional to inspect the well. The well will need professional disinfection. The process of cleaning the well takes some time because it has to be done correctly.

What Type of Damage Can Occur?

In addition to a flooded water well, the pump itself can also suffer damage. The dirt and sediment from a flood can erode the delicate components of the pump. The gears and valves need a proper cleaning to keep them from burning up. The well pump contains electrical parts, so you should not attempt to repair the well yourself. A professional inspection is necessary.

After the floodwater is gone, leave the electrical connection to the well off until you call a well contractor. The chance the electrical system of the well was submerged in the flood is likely, so you should not do anything with it. Instead, be sure the power to the well is off. You can do this by simply flipping the breaker switch in your home's electrical panel.

Flood damage can be so severe, and your first thought may not be your water well. However, this is one of the most important items to think about once the flood is gone and you begin to reconstruct the damage. Never use your home's water after a flood until you work with a professional well contractor to make sure the water is healthy for you and your household.

If you have any questions about your water well, please contact us at Action Well & Pump Repair .

6 Benefits of Owning Your Own Water Well

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 21:46:10 GMT

Have you considered owning a home with a well? Do you want to install a well on your current property? Are you unsure of the merits of owning your own well? Discover six benefits of owning a water well on your property.

1. You’re Not Dependent on a Municipal Source

A municipal water source is easy and convenient for town and city dwellers. However, if something goes wrong, then everyone who depends on that source faces issues. With your own water well, you won’t ever face a widespread issue such as sewer contamination. You can also use your own well for watering your property even if the nearby communities have water usage restrictions.

Although you will have to fix your water well if it experiences issues, you won’t ever have to feel like you have no control over your own water.

2. You Often Pay Less for Your Own Well

While initial installation, periodic repair, and regular maintenance carry their own costs, a water well more than pays for itself in its everlasting supply of water. You aren’t stuck with hefty monthly water bills or fees to the city for rights to their water. You simply pump the water right from your well into your home, free of charge.

3. You Help the Environment

Many municipal water sources require large amounts of treatment and processing to make them healthy and drinkable. This processing can use large amounts of energy to do so. In contrast, well water also has its own natural filter: the earth.

Additionally, well water is constantly renewable, which means that you don’t have to worry about relying on diminishing resources or utilizing environmentally unfriendly methods to get water. The water is simply always there, ready for use.

4. You Increase Your Property Value

Properties with wells often see their value increase. The value depends on the type of well, the condition of the well water, and the age of the well. However, if you have a well that is useable for drinking, this is often an asset, as you don’t have to pay for the water rights to the municipal source. Additionally, if you own a farm, irrigation wells are also good choices to increase your property value.

5. You Improve Your Health

In an effort to make the water as drinkable as possible, water treatment plants often remove natural minerals that can actually help your health. Well water, on the other hand, has all those natural minerals. While you certainly want to test your well water for contaminants, most well water sources are fine to use.

And with natural, unfiltered water, you can help your health in various ways. Besides providing your body the water it needs to stay hydrated and digest food, well water can help your skin look healthy, protect your heart, and increase your brain activity.

6. You Have Better-Tasting Water

Due to the treatment that municipal water receives, this water can sometimes not taste the best. People often turn to bottled water and only use their municipal water for washing dishes. However, since well water has a natural filter, it often provides the cleaner taste that many people want from their water.

Call Your Well Experts Today

At Action Well and Pump, we know wells. We are equipped and experienced to handle all your needed well repairs and diagnose the issues your well experiences. We can help you better understand all the benefits that well water can bring to your home. Whether you need to repair your well pump or inspect your water quality, you can rely on us. Please contact us today to tell us about your well.

Low Well Water Pressure? 4 Possible Problems

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 18:02:31 GMT

If you live in a home equipped with a well, then you may have taken the good water pressure in your home for granted until it diminished. Low water pressure can lead to showers that take longer and don't feel as refreshing, washing machines that take seemingly forever to fill up, and that chore of hand-washing dishes taking much longer than it used to.

You may not immediately know the cause of sudden low water pressure in a home equipped with a well. Read on to learn about four common causes of this sudden decline in pressure.

1. Clogged Sediment Filter

If your well is equipped with a sediment filter, as most are, then the key to why your home's water pressure suddenly dropped could be as simple as a clogged sediment filter. While how quickly your filter becomes clogged depends highly on the quality of your well water, a good rule of thumb is to change it every six months to not only maintain maximum water pressure, but also keep your water clean.

However, some well owners need to change these filters as often as every three months, depending on local water quality.

To make determining when to change your filter easier, add a pressure gauge to your water filtration system and change the filter when there is a loss of pressure of about 10 Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI).

2. Pump Pressure Switch Problems

Another problem that can cause a reduction in home water pressure is a bad pump pressure switch. This switch is located in your well's pressure tank, and it sends a signal to the well pump to increase the pressure in your tank when it drops below a predesignated PSI, which is typically 40 PSI.

Most pump pressure switches have an internal spring. Some pressure switches go bad when this spring weakens. The electrical components that most pressure switches are equipped with can also malfunction.

However, even if your pressure switch is still in great shape, it could simply need to be readjusted to activate the well pump before water pressure in the home gets too low.

3. Air Bladder Needs Recharged

If you have a bladder pressure tank, then the reduction in your home's water pressure could be due to a problem with your pressure tank's air bladder.

This air bladder helps increase pressure in your tank by exerting force against the water in the tank. If the air bladder is under-inflated, then it is not exerting enough pressure against the tank water to keep the water pressure in your home high.

Thankfully, an under-inflated air bladder often simply needs air added to it to help increase a home's water pressure. Well professionals call adding air to an air bladder an air bladder recharge, and they frequently perform this service for well owners.

4. Wrong Pump Type

You have many types of water well pumps to choose from, and some consistently provide better water pressure than others. If you have a standard pressure well pump, then you may notice that your water pressure fluctuates throughout the day. You will likely desire the consistently high water pressure that a constant pressure, or variable speed, pump provides.

While a standard pressure pump typically activates when water pressure in a pressure tank drops by as many as 20 PSI, constant pressure pumps turn on to increase the water pressure in your well system when water pressure drops as little as 5 PSI.

If the water pressure in your home has dropped, then you can have your great water pressure back after a well professional finds the cause of the problem. Reach out to the well professionals at Action Well and Pump for a well inspection and expert repair today.

Considerations for Planning for a Private Well on Your Land

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 14:13:06 GMT

Many households use groundwater as an alternative to public water supplies. Owning a private well offers several advantages, among them being uninterrupted access to clean water. Homeowners also relish the fact that they do not have to contend with water bills.

Whether you are looking to construct a well on undeveloped land or on land that you have recently developed, you will need to consider several factors to ensure proper location and efficient drilling of your new well.

Read on to learn more about planning for a private well on your land.

Hiring Specialists for Groundwater Exploration

Before constructing a private well, you must identify the appropriate location for drilling or boring the well to ensure a safe source of drinking water.

Find a reputable provider of surveying and planning services to assess your land before setting up a well water distribution system.

Data Collection

Groundwater exploration entails the collection of data on the hydrological and geological characteristics of your land to determine the feasibility of constructing a well in the area.

Such an assessment generally entails evaluating rock positions and formation, identifying potential locations for installing the well, and determining factors such as the quality and quantity of water.

Many factors will influence the location for your well. Important factors to consider include the steepness of your land, the drainage properties of the soil, and the location of amenities such as a septic tank, cesspool, landfills, and roads.

Interviews

The survey may also entail speaking to neighbors to find out about existing wells, aquifer locations, and water management dynamics in the locality.

Methods

Survey and planning specialists use a variety of techniques to collect relevant hydrological and geological data. Examples include surface and sub-surface exploration, the magnetic method, water winching, and gravity method.

Understanding the Different Types of Wells

Wells come in three different types depending on the method used to set up the well. These include bored, driven, and drilled wells.

Bored Wells

Also known as dug wells, bored wells are constructed by digging a hole in the ground, about 10–30 feet deep using powerful equipment such as an earth auger. Concrete, tile, and other such sturdy material reinforce the walls of the well.

Driven Wells

The construction of driven wells entails pushing a small pipe into a ground area with sandy soil and shallow water. Driven wells are relatively inexpensive to construct, but they are only suited for areas with shallow waters of about 10–25 feet deep. When constructed using a machine, these wells can go down to 50 feet deep.

Drilled Wells

Drilled wells are the deepest types of well and can be constructed more than 1,000 feet deep. Depending on the nature of the ground and the desired depth, drillers use different types of equipment including rotary and cable drilling machines.

Identifying Water Use

When planning to construct a private well, you must determine the various uses of water in your household and entire property.

Understanding your water use will help survey specialists determine whether a certain location will be able to provide enough water to meet your needs and, therefore, whether building a well would be worthwhile.

On average, a person in the US uses an estimated 80–100 gallons of water per day. Other water uses to consider include farming activities, lawn sprinklers, swimming pool, and fire protection, among others.

A private well is a significant investment. To avoid costly mistakes such as water contamination and low-yielding wells, have a reliable well and pump specialist to turn to when you have issues with your well or its various components. Call us today to discuss your needs.

4 Natural Disasters That Can Lead to Well Problems

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 16:20:50 GMT

Sometimes, extreme weather events or other natural disasters can damage your well pump or well casing, contaminate your aquifer, or harm your well water supply in some other way. Here are four natural disasters you should prepare for in case they cause well problems.

1. Earthquakes

Fortunately, North Carolina isn't known for having a lot of strong earthquakes. But on the flip side, this also means many homeowners don't know about the damage an earthquake can cause to their well. Some of the less serious ways an earthquake could affect your well include:

Raising or lowering the water level

Increasing or decreasing the volume of your well

Causing temporary cloudiness

However, more harmful effects can also occur. The well casing, which is set in the ground, could become cracked or otherwise damaged by ground movement. And in some cases, an earthquake could contaminate your well with something dangerous or cause it to dry up completely.

Be sure to keep a supply of drinking water on hand so you can stop drinking from your well after an earthquake until you can determine if your well survived unscathed. If you notice any changes after an earthquake, call in professionals for inspection and water testing.

2. Floods

Floods can occur during hurricanes or independently. Whether it's due to a dam breaking or just an unprecedented amount of rain, a flood can be a serious problem for your well. If the well itself has standing water around it, avoid turning it on or you could be electrocuted. After the water goes down, don't drink out of it until after you have it inspected and tested.

However, flooding can also affect your aquifer even if the well itself doesn't flood. Floodwaters can carry agricultural chemicals, fecal bacteria, and other contaminants and pathogens in such high concentrations that they actually make their way into the groundwater. So anytime you have a major flood event in your area, you should get your water tested.

3. Hurricanes

Hurricanes and tropical storms can affect wells in two different ways: physical damage and flooding. Physical damage can occur if the well is hit by a large object (for example, if a tree falls on it during the storm). Flooding is also quite common during tropical weather events, bringing with it the potential for well contamination and electrocution.

Another issue hurricanes can cause that affects wells indirectly is power outages. In many places, the power could be out for weeks after a major hurricane. Be sure you have a way to get water out of your well during a power outage (such as a generator), and keep a large supply of bottled drinking water on hand in case your well suffers physical damage or flooding.

4. Droughts

In a drought, you may lean heavily on your well to keep your lawn and garden alive due to the absence of rain. But for the same reason, your well and your entire aquifer could suffer from lower than usual water levels. This can affect your well's function in several ways:

Reduce the volume you get from your well

Lead to more contaminated water

Leave your well more likely to run dry

So during a drought, you may need to limit the amount of water you use for purposes such as landscaping and cleaning. You also need to keep an eye on the quality of your water. Does it look, smell, or taste different? If so, it may be drawn from a more distant aquifer with lower water quality. You should have it tested to make sure it's still safe to drink.

As you can see, these natural disasters all have something in common: you need to be prepared, and you need to get your water tested and your well inspected afterwards. Call Action Well & Pump Repair today for all your well repair and inspection needs.

4 Signs Something Is Wrong With Your Pump or Well

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 02:25:21 GMT

Nobody wants to wake up in the morning to realize that their water isn't running correctly, yet many people run into this issue every day. If you live in a rural environment, you may not realize the problem until it has worsened to a point where you need a well pump professional. When you learn how to recognize the signs early, you can take steps early to remedy the situation.

1. No Water Comes Out

Water that comes on when you turn the faucet is easy to take for granted. If you turn the handle and no water comes out, it can be shocking, but it's also a symptom of a problem.

First, ensure that your pump has power and that the fuse hasn't shorted out. If these two things are not the problem, you may need to set your sights on your well and pump.

If you are in a season where people commonly overuse water, it is possible the water table has fallen below your pump. You might not have water for a while, but limiting water use for several days could relieve the problem on its own.

In some cases, a dry well is associated with a region-wide problem. In cases like these, you might have to wait for several months to see your water completely replenished. You might want to have a professional come out and lower your pump, which can be a cost-effective solution if you are seriously low on water.

2. Your Water Looks Dirty

Do you see clouds of dirt in your water? Your water table might be running too low, meaning you have more concentrated dirt making its way into your water. Another common cause of this problem is your pump not filtering out dirt properly, leaving you with drinking dirty water that certainly doesn't taste good.

If your water is dirty, you have to be careful about your pump. When you have a lot of dirt accumulating, your pump works incredibly hard to filter it out. As a result, you may notice your pump wears down more quickly.

3. Your Faucets Are Sputtering

When you turn on your faucet, you might notice that the water comes out with a sputter instead of a smooth flow. Sputtering faucets are a common issue when you have air in your pipes, perhaps brought on by a pump that isn't working properly because it is malfunctioning or because it has a break.

A professional will examine the well to check your pump for any possible malfunctions. Remedying the issue could be as simple as a quick repair or it may require a brand new pump entirely.

4. Your Water Tastes Bad

Have you noticed that your water suddenly tastes terrible? The cause could be corrosion inside the pipes leading from your well and pump. Sometimes, the cause is actually inside your well. For example, bacteria could have contaminated your water, which is common with older wells.

Not all issues that make water taste bad are dangerous, but you should still have your water tested. A lab can tell you exactly what is causing the issue, and a plumber may be able to help you address the issue and ensure you and your family are drinking safe water.

Help Is Available

These are not all issues you can easily resolve on your own, unfortunately. You may need professional assistance to remedy your well and pump problems after seeing these signs.

Action Well and Pump offers solution to your well and pump problems. When you are dealing with plumbing issues and aren't connected to city water, you have help on your side. Call us today to consult with our team of professionals.

4 Possible Sources for Rust-Colored Water If You Have a Private Well

Fri, 24 May 2019 18:44:17 GMT

Whether you’ve had it since you moved in or whether it showed up out of the blue, rust-colored water can be puzzling. And you should likely find the underlying cause of it, because some of the causes for this water discoloration can be a health risk. Here are four possible ways this discoloration can get into your water if you have a private well.

1. Corroded Pipes

Many people in the US are at risk for pipe corrosion, and some don't even know it. No matter how new and well-maintained your well is, the pipes that connect it to your house could still impact your water supply. Well water factors, pipe factors, and environmental factors (such as temperature) can affect how likely corrosion is.

If your water is soft, for example, or if its pH is lower than 7 (meaning it's acidic), the water is more likely to corrode your pipes by pulling metals out of them. However, if you have plastic pipes, the water may still try to leach the material out, but is unlikely to cause rust-colored water.

If the pipes are your problem, you don’t need to panic. But while rust is one of the less dangerous types of contaminants to get into your water, it is not something you should ignore. It can help your water harbor bacteria, and if the rust comes from galvanized pipes, you could have lead in your water as well. Plus, rusting pipes will eventually leak.

2. Rusted Well Casing

The inside of your well casing is likely a bit rusted if it's made of steel (rather than plastic) and the well is more than a few years old. This doesn't necessarily mean that the well casing is completely done and needs replacing. However, if you have a problem with rust and suspect the casing, you should have a well inspection just to make sure.

3. Naturally Occurring Iron

If you've recently moved into your home, you may not have been aware that iron is in your well water because of the naturally occurring iron in the soil. If the orange tinge is very slight, for example, you might not notice it until you try to take a bath.

More iron could start showing up in your well water over time, too, especially in drought conditions. That's because, in a drought, your well's aquifer could run low on water and could start pulling water from a nearby aquifer. Fortunately, a little iron in the groundwater is usually just an inconvenience.

One caveat is that manganese can also cause a rusty-looking effect in your well water and may be slightly more serious than iron as the manganese could be a health risk if present in extremely high levels. So if you haven't already tested your well water, do so now. If necessary, you can simply filter your drinking water to remove some or all of the manganese.

4. Compromised Well Cap

This final issue can be a huge health risk. If you notice that the water has turned cloudy and reddish-brown after a rainfall, you could have a contamination issue. The contamination could come from a nearby septic system, or it could come from above ground through a compromised well cap.

The well cap should keep this from happening, so if contamination has gotten in, then you'll definitely need well repairs. If you suspect this is the issue, do not drink any of your well water until you've inspected and repaired your well and tested your water for problems. Chemicals, pathogens, and other potentially deadly contaminants could be present.

These are just a few of the reasons your private well water could come out of your faucets with a rusty-looking discoloration. If you've recently noticed an off color to your water (or any other issues such as an odd flavor or smell), stop drinking it and get in touch with a well repair contractor such as Action Well and Pump today.

4 Possible Sources for Rust-Colored Water If You Have a Private Well

Fri, 24 May 2019 16:48:22 GMT

Whether you've had it since you moved in or whether it showed up out of the blue, rust-colored water can be puzzling. And you should likely find the underlying cause of it, because some of the causes for this water discoloration can be a health risk. Here are four possible ways this discoloration can get into your water if you have a private well.

1. Rusted Well Casing

2. Naturally Occurring Iron

3. Crack in well casing

4 Tips for Buying a Home With a Well

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 19:12:05 GMT

Approximately 13 million households in the United States have private wells. Because of their popularity, you may find yourself looking at a home that has a water well when you house shop. You might even see a well as a perk when shopping for a home since you like having your own private water supply.

If you want to buy a home with a well, you need to take a few steps, particularly if you do not have any experience with wells. These are some steps you should take before buying a home with a water well.

1. Find Out If the Well Is Private or Shared

First, you will need to know if the home has a private well or if others share the well. With a private well, your household will be the sole household that uses the well for a water supply. With a shared well, you may share a well with one or more other families who live close by.

Having a private well has some benefits over a shared well. You do not have to worry as much about restricting water use or running out of water, for example. You also do not have to worry about disputes with others about how and when the well should be maintained and repaired.

Of course, a shared well does have benefits, too, such as not having to pay for all of the maintenance and repairs yourself.

Either way, you will need to know which type of well the home will come with.

2. Have Professionals Inspect the Well

Do not just buy a home with a well without having professionals check it out first. Even if the well is relatively new and well-maintained, a problem with the well pump or even the well itself could arise.

Some well repairs can be expensive, so you will want to know about any problems before you make an offer on the home. Plus, an inspection will help you make sure that your family has a reliable source of water once you move into your new home.

A company that specializes in well repairs and maintenance can send someone to check out the well. You should do this even if you have a regular home inspection since the traditional home inspector might miss problems with the well.

3. Do Your Research About Well Ownership

Owning a well has many benefits. However, homeowners who own homes with water wells do have additional responsibilities. You have to know how to take care of your well yourself, and you have to understand the importance of regular inspections and maintenance. Things like water testing are also important and something that you should not skip.

Do your research to find out more about well ownership before buying a home with a well. Then you will know what to expect, and you will be better prepared to take good care of your water well. A professional from a well repair and maintenance company can provide you with guidance.

4. Set Aside a Budget for Well Maintenance

Since your family will be without a water source if something goes wrong with your water well, you will need to have the cash to handle any repairs that might pop up. Keeping a separate budget for well maintenance and repairs will help prevent your family from being without a water supply and can also prevent your water well from putting too much of a damper on your household budget.

When buying a home with a water well, take the steps listed above. For help inspecting a well, contact us at Action Well and Pump.

Faucets Operating Poorly? Air May Be in the Well Lines

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 02:15:38 GMT

Wells provide a home in the country with delicious and high-quality water free from a connection to the city. However, even faucets attached to wells may suffer from sputtering faucets that are frustrating to understand and solve. Thankfully, most homeowners can address this issue on their own or with the help of high-quality professionals.

Air May Develop in Well Lines

Well lines operate in the same fundamental way as water lines connected to city water. As a result, air buildup may occur in these lines from time to time. When this happens, the faucets in a home will sputter because the excess air interferes with the water flowing out of the pipe.

Sometimes, this issue is a one-time deal that can be managed with a single treatment. However, more problematic issues may trigger persistent air buildup in a way that requires professional help to fix. For example, the well pump may be too far away from the water table. This issue typical occurs during droughts and will force the pump to mostly pull air instead of water.

Other problems that trigger excessive air in water lines including failing valves or damage to the drop pipe connecting the pump to the home. However, before assuming these issues are the primary cause of this issue, homeowners can take a simple maintenance step.

Bleeding Air Can Manage This Issue

Homeowners sick of their sputtering faucets should bleed their water line to remove excess air. Start on the top floor and turn on the faucet closest to your water supply. And from that first faucet, owners should move in a clockwise motion to bleed the valves in the proper order. As you go, open each hot and cold water faucet a half turn so that air can escape from both.

Make sure to work with all of the water-based appliances in a home, including toilets, showers, dishwashers, clothing washers, and bathtubs. Let the water run from these sources until the water flows normally before turning them off again in reverse order. Once this process is finished inside, open up the faucets outside of the house to bleed all of the air out of the lines

If this process is performed correctly — and no other underlying issues exist — the faucets in your home should no longer sputter when in use. All in all, this process should take no more than a few minutes or so to perform, depending on the size of the house. But if this bleeding doesn't stop the faucets from sputtering, a homeowner may not have the skills necessary to properly assess and manage this issue.

Professional Help May Be Necessary

Although homeowners can typically bleed a line of air without professional help, some situations may need a little assistance. For example, homeowners may find that bleeding the line did little to stop the sputtering faucets in their home, even after they tried to release air multiple times. Others may be too nervous to try this process on their own.

In this situation, a high-quality professional can provide the help needed to get your faucets operating smoothly again. For example, a professional can diagnose issues such as water hammer in the line — a sudden surge of water — and help homeowners know how to prepare for and manage these types of issues on their own.

Let Us Fix Your Well

If you've tried bleeding your water line and you can't seem to keep your faucets from sputtering, please don't hesitate to contact us at Action Well and Pump to set up an inspection and repair appointment. Our professionals will work hard to identify the problem and get your well running efficiently and effectively again.

What's Causing That Smell From Your Well Water?

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 18:59:55 GMT

Many environmental factors cause your well's water to develop an unpleasant odor. While some of the causes can affect your health, many other issues don't pose a health threat but still make the water unpleasant for drinking or bathing.

Regardless of the cause, treatment options are available for all of the various well water odors. Check this list of the most common odors and their causes to identify and address your water odor issue.

Fish-like Odors

A fishy smell coming off of your well water is usually caused by organic metals like barium and cadmium. These metals leech out from bits of buried ore mixed into the soil. Though the fishy smell might make the water less than palatable, it is not harmful to ingest.

Sometimes chlorine and ammonia can also combine to make chloramine with a similar fish-like odor. Since the chemical is present in such small quantities in the water, it is not usually considered harmful. In fact, chloramine is used often by municipal water treatment plants to sanitize water. The odor from the chloramine is still off-putting even if it's safe, so treatment is suggested.

Musty and Earthy Smells

If you have a musty or earthy smell coming off a glass of freshly poured water, you likely have dissolved minerals like iron, copper, or lead leaching into the water. The smell doesn't actually come from these minerals but rather the bacteria that eat them.

Iron-eating bacteria can not only cause a musty or moldy odor but also leave a slimy residue in your sink, toilet, or tub. The iron in your water is not harmful, but dissolved lead and copper are a different story.

The odor may also come from sulfur created by bacteria in the water. Sulfur is not directly harmful but is often an indicator that sewage or other pollution is entering your drinking water supply, which is definitely bad for your health. Have your water tested any time you detect an earthy odor since most of these causes can make your water unsafe to drink and require treatment.

Rotten Eggs

The noxious odor of rotten eggs is a definite sign of hydrogen sulfide gas. This gas develops in a well due to sulfur-emitting bacteria or chemicals that have leached in reacting to the water. Some sulfur-producing bacteria and chemical reactions are harmless, while others may affect your health after long-term consumption.

Treatments that only remove the sulfur smell will not kill off bacteria. For a healthier and safer drinking water supply, have the well shocked with chlorine to kill bacterial colonies and investigate to rule out any possible sewage contamination.

Fuel Fumes

If you notice any hint of gas, diesel, heating oil or other type of fuel odor from your water, stop using it immediately. These odors indicate a rare leak from an underground tank. You can also have runoff from natural gas wells or other drilling operations in your area.

These contaminants are all very hazardous to your health. The well will need a new lining installed and treatment after the leak is located and stopped. In extreme cases, you may need a new well drilled to tap into a separate and clean underground water table.

Chlorine Scents

The smell of chlorine from a private water supply is caused by the use of an ongoing treatment system or a one-time shocking. The treatment equipment may have been installed by the previous owner and unknown to you until you notice the odor one day.

Organic compounds in the well water may cause the smell to linger and intensify rather than dissipate. This is not usually a problem for short-term consumption, but if it bothers you, have the water tested and any ongoing treatment equipment adjusted properly.

Get help with any kind of well water odor problem by scheduling a visit from our team at Action Well and Pump .

3 Answered Questions About Residential Well Pumps for New Rural Residents

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 06:08:16 GMT

If you've bought a home in the country with a well for a water source, you should know a few things about wells and well pumps. Here are three facts about the water well on your rural property.

1. How Do You Access Your Water?

To reach the water under your property, workers used one of several methods. The type of access used depends on the type of installed well, the water source for the well, and the depth of the water source.

Dug/Bored Well

Installers create a dug, or bored, well by digging with shovels or a backhoe. Dug wells are shallow wells that are typically between 10 and 30 feet deep.

The inner surface of a dug well has materials that may include:

Stones

Bricks Tiles

Dug, or bored, wells are often large in diameter.

Driven Well

Installers create a driven well by driving long sections of pipe into the ground. Driven wells tend to be no deeper than 50 feet, but some wells go deeper in areas where the ground is softer.

The entire depth of a driven well has a tubular structure around it to limit contamination of the well. Both dug and driven wells use water close to the surface of the ground, so these two types of wells should be located in areas where rain drains away from the well site.

The casing for a driven well has one of the following materials:

Carbon steel

Plastic

Stainless steel

The casing helps bring water in and keeps soil out.

Drilled Well

Installers create a drilled well using machinery that may include a rotary driller or a percussion-type tool. Drilled wells are typically deep wells with depths in the hundreds to thousands of feet. Drilled wells have continuous casing from ground to depth and are the least likely wells to have contamination from surface runoff and other materials.

2. How Do You Pump Your Water to Your Home?

After your well is dug, driven, or drilled, installers put in your well pump. Well pumps pull water up from the water source and deliver the flow into your home.

Installers usually put a pressure tank close to the well pump for household water storage between pump cycles. When water comes out of the pressure tank for a shower or dishwashing, the pump refills the tank so water is always available.

When you have a shallow to moderately deep well (no deeper than around 110 feet), you use a jet pump. Jet pumps are available in shallow and deep-well versions for all types of wells. Jet pumps are close to the well above the ground, so they're easy to maintain and repair.

If your well is deep, you may have a submersible pump to provide water to your home. Submersible well pumps are inside the well, so you need to pull them up out of the well for repairs.

However, submersible pumps are not subject to freezing since they're well under the frost line. Jet pumps, however, must have protection from winter cold so they don't freeze and burst.

3. How Do You Order the Right New Pump?

When your well was created, the person in charge of the work noted the details about your well, including its recharge rate and yield. Knowing the specifics of your well capacity helped the pump installer select the correct size and type of well pump for the household.

However, the old pump may not be powerful enough for your household needs. If your water pressure is too low or your water is a funny color, contact a well-pump repair specialist to install a brand-new pump.

Your residential well specialist has experience installing wells and well pumps in all types of situations. They can advise you on the best brand, size, and type of well pump to order for replacement.

Schedule installation of your new well pump in North Carolina by contacting Action Well & Pump today. We can also refresh an old well on your property, repair your malfunctioning well pump, or replace a burst well pump.