Well collapse

Mooseherder · February 24, 2013, 09:29:16 AM

I think our well collapsed. At first I thought it was the shallow well pump and bought another to replace it but later realized that may not be the problem and will return it if it is the well.
Not much water pressure and it is sucking a lot of air and gets worse every day.
There isn't a lot of sand in the filter but the filter is deep red instead of the usual black?
Then I was hoping it may be the 80 run underground from the pump at the house to the well head but if that were the case,
if there was a crack in that run wouldn't the pump be running constantly to try and keep a prime?
The well head pipe is 2 inch galvanized. There is a PVC primer valve on top of that with a removable access cover serving as the well head.
It looks like heck being on the top of that in the sun for 25 years. It may be sucking air from there?
Same thoughts about that though. If that were the case, wouldn't the pump be running trying to keep prime if it were cracked?

r.man · February 24, 2013, 09:52:53 AM

Mooseherder is your well a 2 inch sand point? Where are any check valves located in the system and how deep does it draw water from. I do a lot of pump and well work so I might be able to advise you but I need to know what is there. Don't worry about too much detail because there isn't such a thing for troubleshooting.

Mooseherder · February 24, 2013, 10:09:38 AM

I'm not sure how deep the well is because the house was 5 years old when we bought it but I'm pretty sure it isn't very deep.
We use a shallow well pump located at the house 80 feet away. I'm thinking this well is less than 50 foot deep and a sand point type.
The check valve is at the top of the well head on a horizontal tee on a one inch run to the pump. I'll post a picture in a little while. The camera is charging. Thanks!

Happycamper · February 24, 2013, 10:23:50 AM

Uncouple the pipe to the sandpoint at ground level and with a big pipe wrench turn the pipe clockwise a time or two. Put the air pressure if available to the pipe going to the sand point, that will blow the sand away so water can enter. Install the check valve at the top so it is vertical (not horizontal). If that doesn't work drive a new sand point and supply pipe. Running 80 ft. there can also be an air leak between the point and the pump. The closer the pump can be to the well the better.
Jim

DanG · February 24, 2013, 10:35:08 AM

The deep red color is an indication that you have algae in your well. I've been through that a couple of times. The good news is that it is a cheap fix that you can do yourself. Just disconnect the well pipe from the system, attach a hose to the well so the discharge goes back down the well, dump a gallon of bleach down the well and let it run. It will take several hours for the volume to come back. When it does, move the hose to where the discharge runs out on the ground until the water clears up.

Al_Smith · February 24, 2013, 11:40:32 AM

Probabley bacterial iron which bleach will kill .Some times though for what ever reason the foundation can sift opening up another aquafer that can allow sand or blue clay slurry to "sand in " the well .
Sometimes you can get a big air compressor and hang a chunk of pipe on the end of the hose and blow the sand out .You get a big enough compressor you can blow water 40 feet in the air sand and all .

If you go that route safety wire the hose together ,get a rain suit .Open the valve and get out of Dodge pronto because that pipe will try to shoot for the moon too along with the water and sand .It would be bad to get stuck with a chunk of pipe falling 20 feet no doubt .

Warbird · February 24, 2013, 11:56:06 AM

I also suspect it is what Dan and Al said. Had this happen to a friend. I've heard the process Dan refers to called 'shock treating' the well. Just a word of warning - it may take a long time for the chlorine to completely clear out. An entire gallon of bleach may be overkill but I've never personally done it. If memory serves, my friend who had to do this only used a few cups of bleach. Might depend on the well type?

DanG · February 24, 2013, 12:23:29 PM

You may be right about the bleach quantity, James. My well is 4", 380 feet deep. It may take a smidge more! :D :D

Al_Smith · February 24, 2013, 12:37:08 PM

I've got two wells .One is down in the limestone at 180 feet .It sanded in once .The other is at 117 feet in a gravel vein which I treat .I dump in 4 gallons of souped up chlorine .Stinks but it kills the bacterial iron and it takes about two, three hours to get it out of the system .

Mooseherder · February 24, 2013, 05:03:49 PM

Some really good news after a process of elimination.

Turns out it was the check valve. I was for sure it was the well because of what some people in the know thought that.
The check valve had a bad spring and the pipe that was the connection was worn out paper thin with rust.
It broke off when I touched it. I had no intention of changing the tee but had no choice after the galvanized connector pipe broke.
There were some hairy moments when I couldn't get the Tee off the main well pipe but it all work out after 2 trips to the store for a bigger pipe wrench along with some heat from a small propane gun.
I get to return a whole bunch of stuff because I always buy more just in case. I'll use the store credit for a pressure cleaner that is sorely needed.
I bought 6 sections of 1/2 inch pvc pipe and couplings to see how deep the well was after I got the head off. The well is only 30 foot deep and decided to pour 2 gallons of bleach into it.
There was water in after 10 foot down. 8)
I let it run until it was clear water and no smell before I ran it through the softener.

ready with new valve for chlorination when needed.
Thanks for all your input.

Now I get to watch the Daytona 500 commercial free on the dvr.
I hope it recorded the whole thing.
Don't tell me who won.

tyb525 · February 24, 2013, 05:14:25 PM

You Floridans and your outdoor plumbing. Gotta love it :D

Al_Smith · February 24, 2013, 05:19:51 PM

:D That expossed piping with no well pit kind of caught me off guard until I remembered where it was at .Oh my you can't do that in this parts .

beenthere · February 24, 2013, 05:21:50 PM

Is that well for your drinking water? Just curious.

Warbird · February 24, 2013, 06:18:41 PM

Great news! Good call on keeping the chlorine out of the softener. It will ruin the beads/insides of the softener.

Al_Smith · February 24, 2013, 07:29:18 PM

You don't want to run bleach through an RO system either .

Mooseherder · February 24, 2013, 07:31:47 PM

The water is potable but we haul drinking water by the 3 or 5 gallons jug here once a week from the local water store. It is about 7-8 dollars per week for 28 gallons.
The water is great, the hauling not so great.

I'm grateful a well isn't needed at this time.
There wasn't any sediment in the pipe that I put down into the bottom screen.
That was also good news.

WDH · February 24, 2013, 07:48:11 PM

Quote from: Mooseherder on February 24, 2013, 05:03:49 PM
There were some hairy moments when I couldn't get the Tee off the main well pipe but it all work out after 2 trips to the store for a bigger pipe wrench along with some heat from a small propane gun.
I get to return a whole bunch of stuff because I always buy more just in case.

One Trip to Lowes = Two Trips to Lowes :D :D

Mooseherder · February 24, 2013, 08:55:10 PM

Yes, and the third to return stuff.
I did spend some money this week and have nothing to show for it.
This water thing has had my wife in a foul mood. I'm so glad she is happy again. :D

beenthere · February 24, 2013, 09:16:20 PM

She doesn't like to bathe in the pond? ;D

pigman · February 24, 2013, 11:38:09 PM

Beenthere, the pond is for his gators.

mrcaptainbob · February 24, 2013, 11:39:17 PM

We have a shallow well at this house. It's been there for well over forty years from what I was told. We started getting a lot of 'grit' in the faucet screens. Interesting, as there is a water softener in line. Then one day the water stopped. Found the issue was the threaded end of the 2" was corroded so bad there was not much left. Cut the end of and used a Fernco from that point to all new from there to the pump, to the house. That was probably eight or more years ago and the water is crystal clear now. The last house we had a 4" iron casing with the submersible at 50'. Had many issues with that twenty year old well. All of which disappeared after I shoved some PVC down it and installed a stainless pump. Interesting point about chlorine and water softener resin bed. WIll start a new thread so as to not hijack this one.

Magicman · February 25, 2013, 08:48:15 AM

Wonder whose well the local water store uses to fill the jugs ??? :D

Mooseherder · February 25, 2013, 08:59:05 AM

They actually filter water from the local municipality and have quite an elaborate system.
I don't know of any people in this area that drink it straight from the faucet although I've never asked. We seldom make coffee with our water. It is strictly used for washing, cleaning and flushing.

Magicman · February 25, 2013, 09:11:40 AM

Yup, I was joshing.

I am glad that your water pump problem was a quick fix.

Our water at the Cabin is from a community water system, but you have to run it through a charcoal filter before you can drink or make tea with it.

Here, if a pipe is below the grass roots, it will not freeze. ;D

ely · February 25, 2013, 09:45:45 AM

i had an ex fatherin law that was from se texas one time and he talked about how his well froze up one winter... he held a wooden match under the nipple that conected the pressure guage to the bladder tank, the one match thawed it out. he wrapped a few wraps of hay twine around the nipple and it never froze again. his well set out in the back yard no house over it.