Major water issues

[jsmith7535]

Great stories on the witches.

Guess what? Found a "bypass" on that whole house filter AND the pressure on the tank is up to 52# - in the neighborhood of where it was two years ago! I have a theory - the filter may have been totally hosed up when they replaced that pump last year because of all the sediment that was loosened up (we had mud coming out of the faucets for two days). That may be why it got so bad so suddenly and then went downhill slowly from there.

Whoopee!! I may celebrate by doing laundry or something! Hopefully it lasts.

Thanks again for all of your insights and advice.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Get rid of the by pass valves and filter housing and associated plumbing making it a straight pipe and you'll have a few more lbs of pressure. This blocked filter may have caused excessive wear on your pump and the pipe in the well the pump is hung on. Your pressure gauge should show an increase and decrease of pressure; like 30 to 50 etc.. If not your gauge should be replaced.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[jsmith7535]

Sounds like good advice. I have a plumber coming on another job, I will ask him about removing that filter too. Hopefully the life of the pump has not been reduced significantly!

 

[Leejosepho]

I have a plumber coming on another job, I will ask him about removing that filter too.

Keep in mind that the filter had first been installed for some reason, and that whatever filled it up and stopped the flow of water is still there. Removing that filter altogether could lead to continual clogging of aerators at your sinks and more sediment in your water heater. That would be the deal at my place.

 

[jsmith7535]

A good point. As I had mentioned, we had mud coming from the faucets for two days after they replaced the pump last year. I suspect that is what caused the sudden change and steadily decreasing supply. We thought the sudden reduction in water flow was due to a smaller pressure tank. I feel pretty stupid about that now but I did ask the pump guy why such a change and he blamed it on the well. He should have thought about the filter since he was working right next to it and knew what he was flushing through our pipes!

Having said that, I am sure that filter has played a role in helping stop some of the sediment from making it to the faucets. We regularly have to clean out the screens and shower heads as it is. My biggest worry right now is the green stains I am seeing in the sink and toilet. Looks like I am going to be doing more frequent cleaning !

 

[Speedbump]

Green Stains? Could they be more of a blue color and do you have copper plumbing?

bob...

 

[jsmith7535]

Yes, we have copper plumbing and you could call it a bluish green.

 

[Speedbump]

That usually means you have a very low PH and the water is eating your copper.

I know, just what you wanted to hear.

bob...

 

[jsmith7535]

Nothing would surprise me at this point although I think everyone around here has trouble with this problem! The plumber who told me to turn off the water softener mentioned he has the discoloration problem too. We are living on a huge shelf of granite rock - I guess you have to expect these things.

My joy has been short-lived as far as plenty of water. While I still show lots of pressure by the gauge, there is not much water coming out of the faucets today. I ran into trouble once again with the washing machine not having enough water to run. If I run hot and cold water I do much better - cold water alone and it doesn't get full fast enough and the thing starts beeping at me. At the faucet there seems to be a lot of air with the water. I am also not seeing the gauge moving back and forth as it has been described (from 30 to 50, etc.). What next???

 

[Gary Slusser]

Your plumber sounds as if he isn't into wells and pump s much. Find a pump guy or water treatment dealer that knows wells/pump, there's something else not right. You need someone to check out the pump and well etc. t ofind the cause of the problem.

Why the filter between a pump and pressure tank... because some guys think "sediment" can harm a pressure tank. It can't and they don't know any better. Your water was dirty because when the pump was replaced or whatever, who ever did it didn't run water to flush the dirt out instead of letting it go into your house.

You need a water test done for hardness, iron and pH at least. Then get back to us.

 

[Leejosepho]

I need major help ... known low water volume issues ...
The well ended up with .75 gallon per hour (yes, per hour) [or 18 gallons per day] according to all records.

From things I have learned here in this forum, you are likely going to need some kind of cistern either in place of or along with your large pressure tank while getting used to 3-minute showers. Or, is there any kind of municipal water line nearby?

 

[Mr_Pike]

From things I have learned here in this forum, you are likely going to need some kind of cistern either in place of or along with your large pressure tank while getting used to 3-minute showers. Or, is there any kind of municipal water line nearby?

I know this is a DIY forum, but I think you may have passed the point where you are able to handle this situation yourself. Having a service person who you trust is going to save you money in the long run. To be honest, if you lived with a plugged water softener and whole house filter for a year, you should probably call in a professional to evaluate the entire system again.

I have a lot of trouble believing that a well produces .75 gallons an hour. The mechanics of setting up a pump for this is almost impossible, as you would pump your 16 gallons a day in about 5 minutes on even a 1/2 horse 2 wire.

Please for your own benefit, call a well service person and have them check the entire system. They have likely dealt with your exact situation dozens of times.

 

[jsmith7535]

I agree wholeheartedly with all of the comments that have been made - problem is I can't find anybody who seems to know their stuff. People around here seem to specialize in one area - drilling a well or putting in a water system - you can't find anyone who does both. When you try to talk to one, they pawn you off on the other person.

Checked the gauge yesterday and we are up to 65#. That certainly doesn't seem right. Particularly with continuing problems. Will it blow???

There is no municipal water within 10 miles in any direction. We are stuck trying to figure this out. I do have a general plumber coming in the next few days to give an estimate at running water to a barn. My husband says to tell him the symptoms and let him tell us what is wrong with our household water supply and don't mention the known water issues with the well. That way he won't assume anything and miss another problem. Sound feasible?

 

[Leejosepho]

... I can't find anybody who seems to know their stuff. People around here seem to specialize in one area ...

Being frustrated there would be very believable.

However it gets done, the first thing I would do is to find out how much water you can actually expect to draw from your well.

I do have a general plumber coming in the next few days to give an estimate at running water to a barn.

Respectfully said: You presently have no water to run to a barn.

My husband says to tell him the symptoms and let him tell us what is wrong with our household water supply and don't mention the known water issues with the well. That way he won't assume anything and miss another problem. Sound feasible?

Not to me. I would tell the plumber (even before he comes) that the barn project is something you would like to do after you know you have more water even available, and I would tell him you are hoping he can either help get that done or point you toward someone or others who can.

 

[Speedbump]

It's doubtful that a Plumber is going to be of any help. Plumbers who are in their right minds don't drill wells or work on them. They are smarter than that. So, try to find you an old Well Driller who has been around your area for a long time. He would be the best suited to help you with your problem.

Several of the above posts refered to your well as a dry hole. I fully agree. You have a dry hole and no matter what you do, at .75 gallons per hour, your never going to have decent amounts of water or pressure.

bob...

 

[jsmith7535]

Again, I appreciate all of the advice and comments. The plumber is my husbands idea because he is unconvinced there is a well problem and thinks it is something wrong with the internal plumbing. He is saying we should bring out a plumber and tell him we are having trouble with water supply to the washer and the shower instead of telling him we know there is a low water problem but we still think there is another problem with the in-house supply.

Is this valid? Perhaps. Case in point - we had all the water in the world going to the washing machine for three days last week after the bypass was enacted on the filter. Now, with more pressure showing on the gauge than ever seen before AND water supply good everywhere else, the washer is having trouble again. I can't get through a load without a water supply error on the machine.

My husband has an idea that there is an air bubble somewhere in the system because of a poor plumbing job. If we were pumping water through a fire engine, he would have it nailed. Instead, he is trying to apply water supply issues with fire hoses and pumps to the house situation. I think this is causing unnecessary debate. I can't get him off the mark.

 

[Markts30]

Turn off your washer supply valves and remove the hoses from the machine..
Check the integral screen (on the back of the machine) for debris...
Then get a 5 gal bucket and try to turn the supplys back on - that whould tell you if the problem is debris in the piping...
Could be the washer worked great until the screens clogged up with whatever the filters got clogged with...LOL
Try using an outside hosebibb - how much flow do you have there?

 

[Raucina]

Do laundry at the coin-op, drink only bottled water, shower with baby wipes, use paper plates and cups, wash your hands with sani-hand, and get your husband the fireman to bring home a few gallons from the station each day for odd uses. Now your well will be adequate for watering the dog and cat. Maybe you will have enough left over to keep a few marigolds alive.

Sorry, but you got a dry hole. Save the plumber money for the next well.

 

[Speedbump]

Ditto and Ditto.

bob...

 

[MaxBlack]

Raucina has nailed it. I would add that you need also to fire your husband--he should either Lead, Follow, or Stay Out of the Way (i.e. shut-the-heck-up) but he is clearly doing none of those things!

If you don't drill a new well that works, you are going to need at least a storage tank system and/or you should consider rainwater collection.