Sometimes well water pressure tanks fail seemingly instantaneously, but other times they’re throwing up red flags that you might be overlooking. What’s a pressure tank, and do you really need one anyway? While you technically may not need a pressure tank to use your well water, it’s a “luxury” that most people wouldn’t go without. It’s the job of a pressure tank to be the air and water ballast, making it easy to draw up a few gallons of water from the tank (not the well directly) before the pump even turns on. This lets the pump run, create pressure and then shut off. Without a pressure tank, every time you turn on a faucet, the water line pressure would dip below the pressure setting, and whenever you turned a faucet off the pressure would rise above the pressure switch. This causes constant turning off and on of the pressure switch. This means a lot of wear and tear on the motor and pumping unit. Making the pump kick in every time water is turned off and on “kills” a tank and gets expensive rather quickly. Sometimes a pressure tank can be repaired if issues are caught in time—do you know the warning signs of a failing tank? Don’t Ignore These Symptoms Pressure tank problems can show up in a number of ways. Loss of water pressure or low water pressure is the most obvious. If you’ve noticed a general loss of pressure when the water’s running over long periods of time, such as when taking a shower, that’s almost a guarantee that something’s amiss with the pressure tank. Another red flag is called “short cycling,” and this can happen when the water level is normal but the pump production is low. This might be caused by a worn out pump that’s forced to cycle off and on at too high a frequency. Generally, pumps should turn off and on over five times in a 60-minute period. If you can’t hear this happening, you might catch this problem by noticing water “pulsing” out of faucets. Causes and Symptoms Just like you, your pressure tank has a bladder—however, if your pressure tank’s bladder expands too much or too often, it can burst. Most bladders are good for five to seven years, and you’ll find pressurized air leaking when it bursts. Your water pump can overheat from loss of air or simply being overworked, which can be a sign of a bad pump. If you notice a difference in water quality, it might be from a waterlogged tank (both taste and smell can be symptoms). Simply removing sediment may fix this problem. Finally, don’t forget about the control switch which might be faulty, and is a relatively quick and affordable fix. When it comes to repair vs. replace, it’s often more affordable to repair (especially smaller parts), but only from reputable well service companies.
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Well water, well pump, well pressure tank, residential well services, ground water, deep wells,
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