It’s 6:08 am, and you’ve hit “snooze” one too many times. With a deep sigh, you stumble to the bathroom, psyching yourself up for the long day ahead. Still half-asleep, you spin the shower handle. Nothing happens. Or perhaps something happens, but it’s not anything remotely resembling a shower. “What the…” you mutter. You turn the handle back and forth a few times, reciting “lefty loosey, righty tighty” and begging the water to flow. And still: The shower is not showering.
Now you’re wide awake and, apparently, you’ve gone straight to the worst-case scenario because you’ve Googled something along the lines of “What the [bleep] is wrong with my [bleep] well?!” Don’t worry. We’ve seen every well problem in Denver, and we can help you figure this out. (But first, go get some coffee. We’ll meet you back here.)
Although the most accurate way to diagnose well-related issues is to pull the works out of the ground, you can definitely get a good start topside.
Possible Cause 1: There’s no power to the well pump.
If your TV won’t turn on, the first thing you check is if it’s plugged in, right? Same here: If you have no water in your house, your first question should be, “Does the well pump have power?” Check both the well switch (located near the pressure tank) and the circuit breaker controlling the pump. If the breaker has tripped, reset it. Assuming it doesn’t immediately trip again, you should be all set. If it does trip repeatedly, chances are good your pump needs to be replaced.
Possible Cause 2 : The well pressure switch has failed.
When the pressure in your water tank drops below a certain point, the pressure switch signals your well pump to turn on, so it can draw in more water. If the switch isn’t working, it can’t communicate with your pump. We can test the switch for you and swap it out if necessary.
Possible Cause 3: The well pump controller has failed.
The only way to know if your controller is the cause of your problem is to replace it—and then cross your fingers while you wait to see if the pump comes back to life. (Frustrating… and true.) Replacing a well pump controller can be simple or a royal pain, depending on the controller’s location. If it’s mounted outside the pressure tank, you may be able to swap it out yourself. If it’s inside the pressure tank, it’s definitely not a DIY job.
Possible Cause 4: There’s not enough water in the well.
When the water table falls below the level of your well pump, it can’t draw up water. Reducing your water use for a few days will help replenish the well’s supply, but in extreme conditions you may need to bring in a Denver plumber to extend your well depth. Also, the life expectancy of a well pump drawing from shallow water is short, because it will pick up more silt and sand and endure more wear and tear.
Possible Cause 1: There’s air in the system.
Air can seep into your system because of a malfunctioning pump or because the well pipe itself has been compromised. The only way to determine where the air’s coming from is to pull up the well.
Possible Cause 2: The pressure tank bladder has failed.
Inside your well pressure tank is a bladder that holds a few gallons of water. As the bladder fills (thank you, well pump), the air above it gets compressed—which is what pushes water through your pipes when you open a faucet. If the bladder springs a leak, water seeps into the tank and reduces the available air pressure.
If you notice your water pressure is generally fine until someone opens a second tap or flushes a toilet, it’s likely you need to replace your tank. You may also notice a constant clicking noise coming from the tank; that’s the switch rapidly cycling because of the wonky air pressure—which will wear out your well pump motor in no time.
Possible Cause 1: The well pump is failing.
Part of your pump’s job is to filter out silt and sand before it reaches the tank. If the pump is failing, it’ll do a lousy job at that.
Possible Cause 2: There’s not enough water in the well.
Ugly water can also occur when the pump is pulling from shallow water—which has a higher percentage of yuck.
Probable Cause: The well pump is running constantly.
If your utility bill is suddenly abnormally high for no obvious reason, or if it consistently creeps up over time, there’s a good chance your well pump isn’t cycling off. Usually, that happens because the pump isn’t building up enough pressure, which can often be traced back to a leak in the well’s drop pipe.
It’s also possible there’s a problem between the well and the house. If you notice frequent clicking from your well tank with no water flowing, you may have a broken water line outside. Or, there could be something amiss inside the well itself (other than the pump). You’ll need a pro’s help to diagnose and resolve these issues.
Diagnosing well problems can be complex, and replacing well pumps should be left up to a pro. If you suspect you have a well pump problem, give us a call today.
We’re ready to answer your questions or schedule your appointment, call now or book online!
Dylan was very professional, thorough, and courteous. He double checked everything to make sure our leak was stopped. Suggested getting upgrades to prevent any further issues. Let us know that Bell Plumbing also does remodel work if we decide to go that route. He cleaned up... Read more
Difficult to reach someone by phone to schedule an evaluation. Requires at least 2 phone calls and takes several minutes. If you aren’t available to answer your phone when they call back, you have to start the procedure all over again. The technician (Chris) was knowledgeable... Read more
Ben was great!! He was thoughtful in listening to are issue with our furnace and corrected the problem with little or no time wasted. He also was a very kind and relatable in explaining the issues and what he did to correct the problem and for that we are thankful to him as... Read more
We had a leak in our 1980’s bathroom that was getting worse by the day. Dylan showed up on time, quickly diagnosed the issue, and had it fixed in no time. He was super professional and respectful of our home. The pricing was fair and transparent, and he explained everything... Read more
Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical is incredible, especially the electrical team. Huge thanks to Jeremiah, Trey, Nick, and Micah, who exceeded all expectations! They completed a large project, including a new main panel, and it's a work of art - the overhead... Read more
I recently had the pleasure of working with David Agosto from Bell for some plumbing issues at my home, and I couldn’t be more impressed with his work. David arrived on time, was extremely professional, and took the time to thoroughly assess the situation. He explained the... Read more
We have used Bell Plumbing throughout the twenty years we have owned our home. From bathroom updates to a complete re-piping of our water lines Bell has always been professional. They recently replaced our furnace and within the first year it had some issues. The technician... Read more
Joined Bell membership a few months ago. Hugh did a great job adding an adjustable wire cover at the electrical panel to help prevent the wires from exposing in an event of ground settling.
This time we gave Bell a call for furnace service. Mike McGowan showed up next day and... Read more
Bell Plumbing and Dylan were great to work with. Prompt, efficient, thorough, and very nice. Dylan identified a couple of code issues that two other companies had missed and explained everything in detail before and after work. I actually felt like I knew something about... Read more
I can’t express enough how much I appreciate the work that Chris completed for a boiler repair. He answered several questions and ensured the repair approach was correct and then far exceeded my expectations. The boiler is working exceptionally well and my customers are very... Read more
Jordan was efficient and executed the repair quickly. His assessment and feedback helped me to know what the scope of the issue was and how the task would be completed. Jordan then went about completing the repair and notified me when he was finished. I appreciate the... Read more
Bell has been awesome to work with. Levi helped us out of an emergency plumbing situation. He thoroughly explained what was needed and followed up the next week for a complimentary camera inspection of the sewer line issue. Fair price. Great people.
Jeremiah was awesome. He explained everything to us in a way we could understand. Very professional and cared about his work and how we were treated. I would highly recommend him and if I need an Electrician again, I know I will ask for him. A great asset to your company.
Jeremiah replaced the electrical panel on our home recently. We have complete confidence in the workmanship, and he was a pleasure to work with. Earlier in the year Bell replaced our water heater, and that was a great experience as well. Everyone we have interacted with at Bell... Read more
Tech arrived on time . Called before for his timeline . Very professional. Clean attire. Respectfull, of me and my house . Got the job done quickly . Explained the procedure to fix the problem. Very clean didn’t make a mess .. highly recommend this tech and Bell plumbing . ... Read more
We had several Electric Vehicle charger installation bids from other companies and Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical worked with us to match the lowest cost bid, as well as installed the EV charger in our home about a month sooner than the other company.
We... Read more
Nick at Bell came to check hot water heaters which were old and needed replacing. Very quick on response/appointment and installed new ones same day. Very professional and Good communication throughout job. Very happy with results
I had 2 (unrelated) issues over the past week: a bathroom faucet/handle dripping/not working properly and a leak under the K sink. The technicians (Alex and Thomas) were both professional, knowledgeable and thorough and fixed both issues. The Bell process is very efficient: a... Read more
I used Bell for a clogged drain. Very professional from beginning to end. The person taking the appointment was thorough, communicating what to expect. The dispatcher provided the appointment details and communicated that a tecnician was available early. The technician (Levi)... Read more
Dan was beyond helpful and knowledgeable! He fixed our problem quickly and even better than it was before the issues began. The best part, though, is that Dan gave us three different options, and the least expensive option ended up working great AND ended up costing less than... Read more
These guys did a great job with a last-minute toilet clog. I really appreciated the demeanor and professional manner of the young man who worked to solve our problem efficiently and with clear explanation. The price was good with the coupon and I would recommend to anyone.
What a great experience! New to the area and picked them based off of their reviews. Exceeded my expectations. Very thorough and professional from start to finish! Troy, the electrician, was so great! Macy who scheduled me was also a stand out. Will be using them for everything... Read more
If anyone is looking to get their furnace fixed or serviced then I would recommend Bell plumbing and heating company. These folks were able to fit me in when they had a full schedule. The technician Cameron White was on time and very professional. These folks definitely have a... Read more
I used Bell's electrical service for the first time today. The service was great. Jeremiah did an outstanding job. He took time to troubleshoot and explained my options. After finishing the repairs Jeremiah took the time to explain how to install and which BR30 recessed light... Read more
